Jazz in the Valley returns for the ninth year on Sunday, August 17

Aug. 8, 2008 - PRLog -- JAZZ IN THE VALLEY returns for the ninth year on Sunday, August 17, at 1:00 p.m. at the Hudson Valley Spa Resort and Spa, 400 Granite Road in Kerhonkson, NY, with Louis Hayes' Cannonball Legacy Band featuring Vincent Herring & Jeremy Pelt, Maurice Brown Effect, Marlene Shaw and Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends Orchestra.  Music begins at noon. Rain or shine the concert commences at the scenic Hudson Valley Resort & Spa surrounded by the Shawangunk Mountains.  

TRANSART introduced "Jazz in the Valley" in 2000 with an afternoon of music and art featuring Ahmad Jamal.  During our nine year history we have featured noted artists, Roy Hargrove, Ron Carter, Randy Weston, Stefon Harris, Eddie Palmieri,Jimmy Heath,  and the late Oscar Brown Jr.

Louis Hayes is a jazz survivor and a swinging one at that.  His longtime association with many a jazz legend-including Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley and Oscar Peterson-have solidified Hayes' living legend status.  Louis Hayes is the only one still alive from Cannonball Adderley's original band. Vincent Herring who appeared with Cannonball's brother Nat, got together with Louis and put the Louis Hayes Cannonball Legacy Band together.

Marlena Shaw is among the most versatile and charismatic jazz vocalists on the scene today.  The first woman vocalist ever signed to Blue Note Records, where she made five albums. While everyone agrees that Marlena Shaw is a national treasure, it's difficult to categorize her.  Both Downbeat and Record World have named her "Best Female Singer".

Larry Harlow is a true living legend of Afro-Cuban music.   He produced over 100 albums for Fania Records and revolutionized what is known today as Salsa by merging latin, afro-cuban and jazz music.  Harlow developed the explosive, trumpet/trombone sound of the contemporary salsa bands in the early 70's.  On piano, Harlow joins the 12-piece Latin Legends Orchestra, which will include Bobby Sanabria-timbales, Eddie Montalvo-Congas, Louis Bauzo-bongos/bata.

Maurice Brown, DownBeat Magazine had this to say, "Maurice Brown is one of the most exciting young trumpeters in jazz.  His improvisations are fresh, his chops dynamic and he's writing what could very well become a new generation of hard-bop-meets-new-grooves standards."

Greer Smith is the producer of the concert series and founder and President  of TRANSART & Cultural Services, Inc. Smith says, "is dedicated to promoting awareness of the art, history and popular culture of people of African descent, serving the diverse communities of the area, particularly its youth.  Beyond the Beat:  Intro to Jazz is the education component of Jazz in the Valley and takes place in the regions public schools. This concert enables us to bring would class musicians into the public school system and introduce a new audience to the art form.  TRANSART is pleased to continue its tradition of providing Hudson Valley with Jazz in the Valley."  For more information about our services throughout the year, visit  http://www.transartinc.org.

Tickets for Jazz in the Valley are $35.00 through July 31, $50.00 starting August 1, and $55.00 at the door.  Tickets can be purchased on-line, or by phone with a major credit card.  For ticket information and directions to Jazz in the Valley, contact TRANSART at 845-384-6350, or on the web www.transartinc.org.

The Hudson Valley Resort & Spa is located 20 minutes from New Paltz or Kingston, NY and offers the perfect balance of charm, comfort and scenic beauty.   Lunch, featuring "The Best Barbecue in the Valley", is available for purchase during the concert.

The Sunday afternoon concert takes place rain or shine.  Tent seating is available.  Glass containers and packages are not permitted.  Trains leaving New York's Grand Central Station at 9:50 a.m. upon arriving in Poughkeepsie will be met by the free Jazz Shuttle to provide transportation to the Hudson Valley Resort & Spa.


Media Contacts:
Carolyn McClair at 212-721-3341 or info@CarolynMcClairPR.com
Greer Smith at 845-384-6350 or info@transartinc.org