"Velvet on Ivory" Program Insert

Concerts
Written By

"Velvet on Ivory"

Friday, March 25, 2022, 8:00 p.m., BLU Jazz+

Saturday, March 26, 2022, 7:30 p.m., Maltz Performing Arts Center

The CJO welcomes tubist Velvet Brown and composer/pianist Ellen Rowe to share an evening of music and memories. 

 

A note from Artistic Director Paul Ferguson:

I chose this title in reference to a recording Doc Severinson made with Henry Mancini in the 1970's–"Brass on Ivory." We happily exchange Doc's trumpet for the tuba of Velvet Brown, a leading force in jazz tuba and faculty at Penn State for 15 years. We'll feature Velvet on music from her new CD, Lonnie's Lament, recorded with the CJO. We'll feature a “Tuba Concerto” Paul Ferguson wrote for her in 2014.In for Hank Mancini is Ellen Rowe, one of the nation's finest jazz pianists, composers, and educators–she's directed the prestigious jazz program at the University of Michigan for over 20 years.This performance offers us a chance to close the circle with one of the founders of the CJO. The late Baritone saxophonist and composer Ann Stamm Merrell (1951-1999) helped found the North Coast Jazz Orchestra in the early 1980's, a group which eventually became the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. With the help of her husband Greg Merrell, the CJO, and our friends at Case Western University, we offer a new composition in her honor, “For the Girls in the Band,” composed by our guest, Ellen Rowe. Ann was a student at Case in the late 1960's, performing under the great Bob Curnow. I met her during a summer arrangers workshop at Eastman in 1988–a truly beautiful person. 

 

TONIGHT'S PERSONNEL:

Saxophones

Brad Wagner*

George Shernit

Chris Burge

Johnny Cochran Jr.

Bettyjeane Quimby 

*Barbara Becker Endowed Chair

Trombones

Scott Garlock

Mark Mauldin

Brett Balika

Paul Hungerford

Trumpets

Scott McKee

Joe Miller

Jack Schantz

Frank Walton

Rhythm

Aidan Plank, bass

Jim Rupp, drums

Jackie Warren, piano

TONIGHT'S SELECTIONS WILL INCLUDE:

Momentum..........Paul Ferguson

Bossa..........Chick Corea

Squirmy..........Aidan Plank

Crumbs..........Brad Wagner

Loved Ones, Polaris..........Chas Baker

Featuring Velvet Brown and Ellen Rowe

Rays of Light..........Paul Ferguson

For the Girls in the Band..........Ellen Rowe

Single Petal of a Rose ..........Duke Ellington

Tuba Concerto..........Paul Ferguson

Chameleon..........Herbie Hancock

Cleveland Jazz Orchestra 2021-2022 Annual Fund

"Strike Up the Band!"

Thank you for all of the support you've provided over the last 37 years — you have made many great musical and educational moments happen. By donating, you can enable the CJO to thrive and inspire the next generation of jazz lovers and musicians!

Donate to our "Strike Up the Band!" campaign, and help us expand our School Residency Program to more schools and put more instruments into the hands of kids who need them.

Cleveland Jazz Orchestra 2021-2022 Season Donors*

Your donations not only make our season possible, but provide the much needed funding for the CJO to provide outreach in the community and perpetuate the love of jazz for generations to come.

CJO Founder's Circle ($10,000+):

  • Cuyahoga Arts & Culture

  • George Gund Foundation

  • John P. Murphy Foundation

  • Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

  • Ohio Arts Council

Composer's Circle ($5000-9999):

  • Kulas Foundation

Producer's Circle ($2500-4999):

  • Charles & Charlotte Fowler Foundation

Director's Circle ($1000-2499):

  • Vivienne & Joel Brotman

  • Eleanor Dreshfield

  • Sarah & David Gedeon

  • Victor & Joan M. Gelb Philanthropic Fund

  • Anna Greenfield

  • Paul Hundertmark

  • Albert B. & Audrey G. Ratner Family Foundation

  • Joyce & Kevin Shaw

  • Social Ventures Partners Cleveland

  • Nancy & Arthur Stokes Jr.

Arranger ($500-999):

  • Anonymous

  • Jeannette Grasselli Brown & Glenn R. Brown

  • William E. Conway

  • Jacquelyn & Eric Daniel

  • Paul Ferguson

  • Lynne & Sam Gerace

  • Gary Guhde

  • Robin Hughes

  • Anthony Oliverio

  • Tom Perrine

  • Linda & Bob Sebo

  • Marcia Snavely & Greg Polyak

  • James Szabo

Soloist ($250-499):

  • Bruce Bartter

  • George Blake

  • Caterpillar Inc.

  • Char & Chuck Fowler

  • Emily & Scott Garlock

  • Linda Grandstaff & Tim Clarke

  • Lilli & Seth Harris

  • Stanley Kline

  • James Levine

  • Carole & George Morris

  • Leonard A. Orcino

  • Raytheon Technologies

  • Charles Ritley

  • Kevin Roach

  • Mr. & Mrs. William E. Sopko

  • Blanche & Jack Valancy

  • Musette Vincent, in memory of Muqit Sabur

  • Steven Williams

Lead Chair ($100-249):

  • Judie & Bruce Amsel

  • Lou Armagno

  • Carolyn & Jim Balogh

  • Beth Cooper & Paul Herrgesell

  • Judith & Robert Charlick

  • Richard F. Dacek

  • Carolyn Danielson

  • Mr. & Mrs. Dettlebach

  • Janet Henning

  • Marilyn & Dennis Johnson

  • George Kitely

  • Janet L. Kramer

  • Ronald N. Liesemer

  • Rebecca Hoyt & Robert Luce

  • Andrea Martin

  • John McKelvey

  • Julie Micheletti & James Gray

  • Norma Nelson

  • Nancy Neylon & Richard Croll

  • James Nousek

  • Edward J. Olszewski

  • Sue & Richard Pejeau

  • Katherine Plank

  • Sonja Rajki & Michael Lyford

  • Sandra & Bob Reynolds

  • Beth Sersig & Christopher Brandt

  • Phil Stella

  • Two Sigma

  • Kurt Updegraff

  • Kay & Ken Welsh

  • Anne Marie & Warren Wolfson

Sideman ($1-99):

  • Don B. Adamson

  • Anonymous

  • Anonymous

  • Anonymous

  • Anonymous

  • Marcy Bern, in memory of my father, Fred Weisman

  • Ralph Bertonaschi

  • Edwin F. Brobeck

  • Patricia Cangelosi-Williams

  • Patricia J. Ciancutti

  • Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Chaka

  • Paul D. Dietz

  • Richard A. Duxbury

  • Kathleen Hale

  • Noreen Hernan

  • Amy Weirtz Holland

  • Karen & Marc Jaffe

  • KeyBank

  • Elaine Lainey

  • Theresa & Ben Lesh

  • Janet & Ed Michaels

  • Ralph Myer

  • Judie & David Perelman

  • Daniel Petricig

  • David Porter

  • Progressive

  • Kevin T. Richards

  • Sandy Robitz

  • Judith Ryder

  • Germaine Spencer

  • Valerie Takacs, in memory of my father, Frank Takacs

  • Kenneth Vinciquerra

  • Margo Vinney & Jeffrey Chaitoff

  • Ann Weatherhead

  • Kent A. Young

Instrument Donations:

  • Cathy Bacchus

  • Jamie Cammilletti

  • Raymond J. Chmielewski

  • Darlene Creager

  • Sue Cutler

  • Brenda Harris

  • Paul Hundertmark

  • Enid Kirtz

  • Albert Melfi

  • Gary Pildner

  • Patricia Temple

  • Joanne Voelkel

*Donor list as of 3.20.2022

Cleveland Jazz Orchestra Season Subscribers*

As we return to the stage, we want to recognize this season's subscribers:

  • Robin Aaron

  • Brian Annandono

  • George Blake

  • Timothy Boggs

  • Evie Braman

  • Vivienne & Joel Brotman

  • Logan Bryant

  • Deborah Cochran

  • Delann Dempsey

  • Jack Eyre

  • Lynne & Sam Gerace

  • Anna Greenfield

  • Paul Hundertmark

  • Karen & Marc Jaffe

  • Marilyn Johnson

  • Linda Kimmy

  • Barb Kirkley & Marc Paige

  • Stanley Kline

  • Andrea Martin

  • Dot Martin

  • Truly Moore

  • Jason Nedley

  • Marcia & Greg Polyak

  • Jo Anne Prasnick

  • Jane Puleo

  • Sandra Reynolds

  • Madeline Rosenshein

  • Cecelia Schmidt

  • Olivia Shelton

  • Jesse Silverberg

  • John Palmer Smith

  • Suzanne Tenbrook

  • Musette Vincent

  • David Woodworth

*season series at Maltz

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Behind the Music of "Velvet on Ivory"