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Jazz'n the Vines Spring 2009 at Ponchartrain Vineyards
Posted by perle0 on 2009-03-11 13:47:21
(6501 views) 
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[Events]
[Louisiana] |
 Pontchartrain Vineyards, Louisiana's premier producer of fine artisan Wines in the Classic French tradition, begins its 10th Year of Jazz'n the Vines on Saturday, April 4, 2009 with the venerable Pfister Sisters. The immensely popular outdoor concert series takes place at the vineyards and winery, located north of Covington in northern St. Tammany Parish, and will include six (6) concerts in the Spring (April, May and June) and (6) concerts in the Fall (September, October and November). |
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According to Pontchartrain Vineyards' founder, John Seago, "Jazz'n the Vines provides an opportunity to celebrate some of the highlights of Louisiana's rich cultural heritage: her food, her fine wines, and her music, while re-establishing contact and a relationship with the land and the many cultures that came together to form perhaps one of the most unusual and unique places in the United States, if not the world."
The Pfister Sisters are natural, gifted entertainers inspired by the legendary Boswell Sisters, also from Louisiana, who introduced close female harmony vocals to front the emerging Big Bands of the Swing era. They perform many of the classics of what some music historians refer to as the Golden Era of American music in a dynamic high-energy fashion supported by a fine group of accomplished musicians. Seago noted that hardly a season goes by without the Pfister Sisters performing at Jazz'n the Vines, mainly because they have earned the support of their audiences here that has come to expect them to be part of the series year in and year out.
The well-traveled (and recently married) New Orleans clarinetist and composer, Tim Laughlin, takes the stage on Saturday, April 18. He will be leading his band in an evening of traditional New Orleans jazz including his extraordinary repertoire of original compositions that are utterly and undeniably the ageless sounds and rhythms of the streets of New Orleans. Rumor has it that a traditional second line will parade through he vineyards to inspire the vines in the early part of the growing season. This is developing into a tradition and a part of the calendar of life at Pontchartrain Vineyards.
Welcome the sounds of the bayou in May as Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys roll in from west of the Atchafalaya on Saturday, May 9. Steve has been dubbed the first of the young traditionalists in the Cajun genre of music, and his performances feature his extraordinary vocals, fiddle, and traditional Cajun squeeze-box playing. The melodies and harmonies are surprisingly Celtic and include a number of original Riley compositions, as well as those of the original founder of the Mamou Playboys, accomplished guitarist Sam Broussard. Audiences who follow the Playboys are known to bring their dancin' shoes to their performances.
On Saturday, May 23, Baton Rouge native son and Grammy nominee, Casey Kelly, returns for a reprise of sorts with a pair of amazingly talented friends from Nashville, Leslie Ellis and Todd Cerney. This trio graced the stage at Jazz?n the Vines last spring, along with another Louisiana musical great, Duke Bardwell, with a remarkable performance of almost exclusively original music, some of which seemed oddly familiar as they were national best-selling hits written for or performed by some of the biggest names in Nashville, including Kenny Rogers, Dottie West, George Strait, Tanya Tucker, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, just to name a few. Duke Bardwell will not be able to join the group this year, as he will be traveling in Europe.
Casey Kelly pursued a career as songwriter/performer that took him to the West Coast and eventually to Nashville, where he continues to write, perform, and record. Over the last several years, Leslie Ellis, a Grammy Award winner in her own right, and Kelly have been performing together with Todd Cerney, also a talented songwriter, vocalist, keyboardist, mandolinist, and Grammy nominee, all based in Nashville. The level of professionalism and musicality achieved by this wonderfully talented group of musicians is not to be missed. Come prepared to hear some of the most perfect three-part harmony vocals you?ll ever hear in a program of highly original music.
Hard drivin' Bluegrass takes over the Stage on Saturday, June 6th. From Starkville, Mississippi, renowned banjoist Larry Wallace brings The Larry Wallace Band to the hillside vineyards of Pontchartrain Vineyards. Larry traveled with Bluegrass great Jimmy Martin, playing five-string banjo with Martin's famed Sunny Mountain Boys for three years before settling back in his native state of Mississippi. This is about as good as it gets this far south if you really like high-energy bluegrass with great instrumentation and close, tight vocals. These boys are really at the top of their game.
Closing out the end of the Spring Season of Jazz'n the Vines on Saturday, June 20, is the great Blues singer and guitarist from Baton Rouge, Larry Garner. Larry returns after a remarkable performance here last fall where he had the audience on its feet after just his second song.
Music historians consider Baton Rouge to be the southern extremis of the Lower Mississippi River Delta domain of the Blues. Further south, the genre comes under the influence of New Orleans with its own distinctive influences. Garner and his band are well known and well-traveled around the world, playing to audiences who really dig his often witty, but also soulfully powerful approach to the Blues idiom.
The Fall season schedule is still under development.
Bring: Flashlight, Umbrella, Lawn Chair, Picnic Dinner
Do not bring: Beer, wine or alcohol
No: Pets, BBQ or Fire Pits
All performances begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 9:00 p.m. Admission is $10.00 per person, with children 12 and under admitted free. No outside alcohol is permitted. Pontchartrain Vineyards wines will be sold at regular Tasting Room prices. Patrons are encouraged to seize the opportunity to put together a picnic dinner in the grand style, to celebrate Louisiana's rich cultural heritage of outstanding food, wine, and music. Gourmet Sandwiches are available for purchase. |
For additional information contact:
Pontchartrain Vineyards
Phone & Fax: (985) 892-9742
E-mail: winery@pontchartrainvineyards.com
Mailing address:
P. O. Box 275
Covington, LA 70434
Located at:
81250 Old Military Road (La Hwy 1082)
Bush, LA 70431 |
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