Fools for Jazz Gala Concert

Fools for Jazz Fills the House - and Swings it, Too

April Fool’s Day may never be the same again. From now on, thanks to Fools for Jazz, it might just conjure up music rather than pranks. Ossining MATTERS’ April 1 benefit concert, featuring the Westchester Jazz Orchestra and a host of OHS musicians, was a smashing success, raising over $25,000. These funds will be used to supplement academic, cultural arts, and athletic programs in the Ossining School District.

More than 300 people attended the concert, which was hosted by WBGO and Sirius Radio deejay and jazz expert Rhonda Hamilton.

Excitement had been building steadily, as students from Claremont, AMD, and OHS attended a series of workshops with WJO members, as part of a three-week residency sponsored by Ossining MATTERS. After each workshop, students returned home with stories about things they’d learned from the pros, new ideas they’d encountered, and new and exciting sounds they’d heard or even been a part of creating. With the final workshop falling on the day of the concert, there was a flurry of last-minute ticket sales when children got home from school and told their parents how much they wanted to go. And by the time the house lights went down, the OHS auditorium was buzzing.

After welcomes from Ossining MATTERS President Cindy Winter, Fools for Jazz committee chairperson Stephanie Lynn Kleiman, and Rhonda Hamilton, the OHS Studio Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Stephanie Merkado-Weiss, opened the evening with a smooth rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo.”

The Ossining High School Jazz ensemble took the stage next, leading off with an electrifying performance of George Gershwin’s “Summertime.” Rodrigo Vargas, the OHS Jazz Ensemble director, led the group through three more numbers, each one propelled by tight ensemble work and punctuated by excellent solos.

Rhonda Hamilton then spoke again, sharing her appreciation for the student musicians and the music they played, and setting the stage for their professional guests and the program to follow. WJO Artistic Director Joey Berkley introduced his ensemble as they set up. Between numbers, he told the audience a little about the soloists, the arrangers, and the charts, which included works by jazz legends John Coltrane and Charles Mingus, and an arrangement of a Weather Report tune.

Following their performance, the exhilarated audience listened attentively as Emily Tabin, WJO’s Executive Director, spoke about their residency at OHS and about WJO’s artistic and educational mission. Then the audience got to see the mission in action: WJO’s rhythm section backed five OHS students as they improvised solos. Of course, it didn’t sound like a lesson – it was just more great jazz.

Meanwhile, stage managers were setting up for the grand finale. The full Jazz Ensemble and the WJO returned to the stage for a battle-of-the-bands style number, “Traffic Stop,” that brought down the house. The mix of professionals and students was obviously energizing to both parties: The students threw themselves into the music, and the pros gave them room to shine, but they weren’t holding anything back, either. The roar of applause and the standing ovation that greeted their final notes were both heartfelt and well deserved.

Following the concert, many of the WJO musicians headed to a reception at a private home in Ossining, where they chatted with Ossining MATTERS supporters who had purchased special tickets. Along with food and beverages donated by local restaurants and merchants, the reception featured both a silent auction and a very exciting live auction. Items ranging from a week at a flat in London to a sunset sail on the Hudson met with spirited bidding before the gavel, wielded by Michael Pomeranz of CBS-TV 2, fell for the last time.

The event could not have been such a great success without the hard work of dozens of people. Stephanie Lynn Kleiman, who headed the event committee, pulled everything together with energy and imagination. Cindy Winter and Nancy Scorcia spent countless hours on the program book, and the auction committee put together a truly impressive array of items. Our thanks to the many others who helped make the event a reality, including everyone who helped with developing the invitation, flyers and posters; those who solicited ads for the program; people who hung posters around town and made sure the word got out; our ushers and technical support; our house managers; the tireless people who cooked and served at the reception; our hosts; and our photographers. In addition, we would like to thank the music teachers and administrators in the school district, local businesses and community leaders, and everyone who attended for their enthusiastic support of the Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation.

Providing Monetary Aid Teaching Tools Enriching Resources for our Schools Home Page About Ossining MATTERS Mission Statement Board of Directors Funding Policies Projects Funded Donations in Action Upcoming Events Archive Ossining School District Sobre Ossining MATTERS en español Donate to Ossining MATTERS, Inc. Online Contact Information Ossining MATTERS, Inc. PO Box 1012 Ossining, NY 10562 914-510-9320 Or email us info@ossiningmatters.org	*Fools for Jazz Fills the House* *- and Swings it, Too* Click here for photos. April Fool’s Day may never be the same again. From now on, thanks to Fools for Jazz, it might just conjure up music rather than pranks. Ossining MATTERS’ April 1 benefit concert, featuring the Westchester Jazz Orchestra and a host of OHS musicians, was a smashing success, raising over $25,000. These funds will be used to supplement academic, cultural arts, and athletic programs in the Ossining School District. More than 300 people attended the concert, which was hosted by WBGO and Sirius Radio deejay and jazz expert Rhonda Hamilton. Excitement had been building steadily, as students from Claremont, AMD, and OHS attended a series of workshops with WJO members, as part of a three-week residency sponsored by Ossining MATTERS. After each workshop, students returned home with stories about things they’d learned from the pros, new ideas they’d encountered, and new and exciting sounds they’d heard or even been a part of creating. With the final workshop falling on the day of the concert, there was a flurry of last-minute ticket sales when children got home from school and told their parents how much they wanted to go. And by the time the house lights went down, the OHS auditorium was buzzing. After welcomes from Ossining MATTERS President Cindy Winter, Fools for Jazz committee chairperson Stephanie Lynn Kleiman, and Rhonda Hamilton, the OHS Studio Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Stephanie Merkado-Weiss, opened the evening with a smooth rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo.” The Ossining High School Jazz ensemble took the stage next, leading off with an electrifying performance of George Gershwin’s “Summertime.” Rodrigo Vargas, the OHS Jazz Ensemble director, led the group through three more numbers, each one propelled by tight ensemble work and punctuated by excellent solos. Rhonda Hamilton then spoke again, sharing her appreciation for the student musicians and the music they played, and setting the stage for their professional guests and the program to follow. WJO Artistic Director Joey Berkley introduced his ensemble as they set up. Between numbers, he told the audience a little about the soloists, the arrangers, and the charts, which included works by jazz legends John Coltrane and Charles Mingus, and an arrangement of a Weather Report tune. Following their performance, the exhilarated audience listened attentively as Emily Tabin, WJO’s Executive Director, spoke about their residency at OHS and about WJO’s artistic and educational mission. Then the audience got to see the mission in action: WJO’s rhythm section backed five OHS students as they improvised solos. Of course, it didn’t sound like a lesson – it was just more great jazz. Meanwhile, stage managers were setting up for the grand finale. The full Jazz Ensemble and the WJO returned to the stage for a battle-of-the-bands style number, “Traffic Stop,” that brought down the house. The mix of professionals and students was obviously energizing to both parties: The students threw themselves into the music, and the pros gave them room to shine, but they weren’t holding anything back, either. The roar of applause and the standing ovation that greeted their final notes were both heartfelt and well deserved. Following the concert, many of the WJO musicians headed to a reception at a private home in Ossining, where they chatted with Ossining MATTERS supporters who had purchased special tickets. Along with food and beverages donated by local restaurants and merchants, the reception featured both a silent auction and a very exciting live auction. Items ranging from a week at a flat in London to a sunset sail on the Hudson met with spirited bidding before the gavel, wielded by Michael Pomeranz of CBS-TV 2, fell for the last time. The event could not have been such a great success without the hard work of dozens of people. Stephanie Lynn Kleiman, who headed the event committee, pulled everything together with energy and imagination. Cindy Winter and Nancy Scorcia spent countless hours on the program book, and the auction committee put together a truly impressive array of items. Our thanks to the many others who helped make the event a reality, including everyone who helped with developing the invitation, flyers and posters; those who solicited ads for the program; people who hung posters around town and made sure the word got out; our ushers and technical support; our house managers; the tireless people who cooked and served at the reception; our hosts; and our photographers. In addition, we would like to thank the music teachers and administrators in the school district, local businesses and community leaders, and everyone who attended for their enthusiastic support of the Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation.