Tickets for the 2012 KMJF are now available, with prices as follows:
One-day Sept. 7 or Sept. 8 General Admission Ticket: $65
One-day Sept. 7 or Sept. 8 Reserved Seat Admission Ticket: $95 (36 tickets available)
Two-day General Admission Ticket: $110
Two-day Reserved Seat Admission Ticket: $175 (170 tickets available)
In addition, KMJF offers tickets for its “Founders Club," which provides admission for eight people into a reserved seating area, with food and beverage included with the ticket price, along with bleacher seating. The cost is $1,500 for one day or $2,800 for both days.
The entertainment line for the 2012 festival is as follows:
Fri., Sept. 7
5:15 p.m.: Cindy Bradley: A native of Buffalo, New York, Cindy Bradley became a trumpet player by accident in fourth grade. “I started playing the piano when I was six, but we had to choose a different instrument to be part of the band program," she said. “I forgot to bring my permission slip to class, so the teacher just had me randomly circle an instrument that I wanted to play. I picked the trumpet, which turned out to be a life and career defining fluke." By 12, she was performing professionally. After earning a bachelor's degree in jazz studies from Ithaca College, she went to the New England Conservatory to study for her master's in jazz trumpet performance. After earning her degrees, Bradley went to the New York City and immersed herself in the jazz scene. She has played in bands that have performed at the Emmy Awards and the Super Bowl. Bradley has two solo albums to her credit, both on Trippin' N Rhythm records.
7:15 p.m.: Marc Antoine: Guitarist, composer, and producer, Marc Antoine was born in Paris, and his parents bought him his first guitar when he was 11-years-old. At age 13, he was sent to a conservatory to study classical music, but he was also playing jazz, rock, world, and pop. In 1988, he moved to London where he joined Basia's band, then to Tokyo, Japan, where he became an acclaimed session player. He moved to Los Angeles in 1990 and stayed for 12 years, playing with Sting, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Cher, Selena, Queen Latifah, George Benson, and others. He composed and performed for major movie soundtracks, including Get Shorty, The Fan, Patch Adams, Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil, Demolition Man, and Celtic Pride. His first solo album was Classical Soul in 1994 followed by Urban Gypsy in 1995, both on NYC Records. This was followed by Madrid in 1998, Universal Language in 2000, Cruisin in 2001, and The Very Best Of Marc Antoine 2002, all on GRP Records. He released Mediterraneo in 2003 and Modern Times in 2005, both on Rendez vous Records, with Hi-lo Split 2007 and Foreign Exchange in 2009, both on Concord /Peak Records 2009. Antoine's career boasts many #1 hits on the R&R contemporary jazz charts, as well as topping the Billboard charts. In 1995, R&R selected him Best New Artist of the Year, which was followed by his Gavin Award in 1998, a Latin Grammy for Best Instrumental Song in 2005, and the International Artist of the Year at the Chicago Jazz awards in 2010. In 2010, he created his own label and publishing company called Frazzy Frog Music and released his first independent record My Classical Way. It was voted number two Record of the Year on Jazz Times magazine Top 50. He is now working on a new project called Guitar Destiny, a mixture of genres inspired by his many travels and musical destiny. Release is scheduled for later this summer.
9:15 p.m.: Norman Brown & Gerald Albright: GRAMMY® Award winner Norman Brown is a multitalented guitarist, composer, and singer offering classic R&B and contemporary jazz. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, Brown first picked up a guitar at age eight. After high school, Brown moved to Los Angeles to pursue his musical career, attending the Musicians Institute where he also taught. While playing with his own group in local clubs, Brown was discovered and signed to the MoJazz label, a division of Motown. He delivered his 1992 debut, Just Between Us, and followed with the gold- certified After The Storm and 1996's Better Days Ahead. Brown joined Warner Bros. and released Celebration, and the 2003 follow-up, Just Chillin', earned Brown a GRAMMY® Award in the best pop instrumental category. That project was followed by his 2005 release West Coast Coolin', as well as The Very Best Of Norman Brown, one of the best-selling smooth jazz albums of that year. Brown joined the Peak Records label in 2007 for Stay With Me, and released Sending My Love in 2010.
Gerald Albright is considered to be one of the most innovative and successful Jazz and R&B artists of the last 25 years. Born in Los Angeles, he began piano lessons at an early age, followed by the saxophone. During the '80s, Albright became a highly requested session musician, playing on albums by a wide variety of artists, including Anita Baker, Raymond Lee Parker, Lola Folana, Olivia Newton-John, and The Temptations. He also toured extensively, including with Phil Collins, Jeff Lorber, Teena Marie, The Winans, Quincy Jones, and Whitney Houston. Albright recorded numerous successful solo albums for Atlantic Records, with two hitting number one on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Chart. In 1998, he released Pleasures of the Night on Verve Forecast, which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. He moved to GRP in 2002 for the Groovology album, followed in 2004 with Kickin' It Up.Two years later, he signed with Peak Records, which released the 2008 GRAMMY® nominated New Beginnings, and the 2009 GRAMMY® nominated, Sax for Stax; both in the category of Best Pop Instrumental Album. His most recent release was in 2010 with Pushing The Envelope on Heads Up International Records.
Sat., Sept. 8
1:30 p.m.: Slim Man & Bonafide: As a youth, Slim Man studied trumpet for 10 years, and taught himself to play guitar as well. He studied classical music at Peabody Preparatory, and took private jazz piano, voice, theory, and harmony lessons. While in middle school, he took up bass, and started the legendary pre-punk band Momma Max. Motown signed Slim Man as a songwriter, and one of the first tunes, “Summer Days," was included on Angela Bofill's first critically acclaimed CD, Angie. He also wrote songs for the Temptations, Carl Anderson, and others. Slim Man then started organizing and MC-ing nationwide country music talent contests, then released End of the Rainbow, his first CD in 1995. Nine other records followed, most recently Thousand Miles Away in August 2010. J.D. Considine of Rolling Stone Magazine said “Slim Man's style is a near perfect example of how jazz and soul can be combined as pop."
3:30 p.m.: Dotsero: In its history, Dotsero recordings have enjoyed national charting success, with the Jubilee CD hitting #1 for 5 consecutive weeks and #3 for an entire year early in their career. Dotsero's other releases have all charted top 10 to top 20, with Fresh Pants being named Best of 2004 Critics Choice by Jazziz Magazine. Dotsero" latest CD, Storyhouse, was named #1 CD & #1 song of the year in 2011 by Art Good of Jazz Trax, as well reaching the top 20 on the Billboard chart, and #4 on the Groove Jazz Internet Chart.The band has performed with a number of leading jazz acts over the years, including Spyro Gyra, Yellowjackets, Richard Elliott, David Sanborn, The Rippingtons, Norman Brown, David Benoit, and Jeff Lorber. “When people come to hear Dotsero play, they are not just interested in hearing the music, they want to see the music through performance and feel something as well. Our goal is for our shows to be a total sensory experience," says Stephen Watts, the band's saxophonist. “The best thing is that anything can happen at one of our performances."
5:45 p.m.: Johannes Linstead: Recognized internationally as one of the best selling guitarists and composers in the Instrumental and World Music genres, Canada native Johannes Linstead is known for his melodies and lightning-fast Spanish guitar work. Since the release of his first album, Sol Luna Tierra, in 1999, his albums have been topping charts and earning multiple “Best Album" and “Guitarist of the Year" nominations and awards. 2009's Mistico, was No. 1 on eMusic.com's World Music and Jazz/Blues charts and winner of “Best World Album" and “Best Instrumental Album—Acoustic" in the ZMR Awards. Linstead was also named “2010 Best New Artist" at the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival. His live performances, featuring lively Latin and Mediterranean rhythms, creating a festive mood. Linstead also plays piano, mandolin, sitar, bouzouki, bass, wood flute, and various percussion instruments.
8:00 p.m.: Mindi Abair, Jeff Golub, and David Pack: Playing piano since she was five-years-old, Mindi Abair made the switch to saxophone in the fourth grade. After a year at the University of North Florida, she transferred to Berklee, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in woodwind performance. Moving to Los Angeles, she began performing, included touring with keyboardists John Tesh and Bobby Lyle and guitarist Jonathan Butler. Abair released her first album, the independently produced Always and Never the Same, in 1999, while touring with the Backstreet Boys. She signed with Verve Records in 2002 and released It Just Happens That Way in 2003, the first in a string of solo recordings on Verve that also included I Can't Wait for Christmas (2004), Come As You Are (2005) and Life Less Ordinary (2007). She moved to Peak Records in 2008 with the release of Stars, with In Hi-Fi Stereo released in 2010 on Heads Up International.
A native of Ohio, Jeff Golub studied at Berklee, and was a member of the James Montgomery Blues Band while in Boston. Long before either his student days or his time in New York City as a successful bandleader and session player, Jeff's earliest musical heroes were country artists. Influenced as a teen by Wes Montgomery, Golub was hooked on jazz. Receiving notoriety during his time with Billy Squier, which included seven LPs and three world tours, it was his time with Rod Stewart (1988-1995) that really elevated Golub's profile within the mainstream music community. During that period, he participated in five world tours and on four albums. He then chose to pursue a career as a solo artist. Golub has released 13 albums, most recently Three Kings , a tribute to B.B., Freddie, and Albert King, in June 2011.
Known for his distinctive voices, David Pack has won acclaim worldwide for his solo work and as lead vocalist and guitarist for the progressive pop-rock group Ambrosia. He first rose to prominence with Ambrosia's debut hit, 1975's “Holdin' On To Yesterday," followed by the 1978 #3 Billboard single “How Much I Feel." Before Ambrosia disbanded in '82, Pack penned two more signature hits—"Biggest Part Of Me" and “You're The Only Woman." Pack's debut solo album was the 1986 Warner Bros. release Anywhere You Go, with Unborn released in 2004 followed by The Secret Of Movin' On in 2005. As a record producer, he's worked with many of the biggest names in music, including Patti Austin, Kenny Loggins, Aretha Franklin, Michael McDonald, Phil Collins, Selena, Natalie Cole, Chick Corea, James Ingram, Patti Labelle, and Trisha Yearwood. Notable highlights include the GRAMMY®-winning Best Contemporary Gospel Albums Handel's Messiah-A Soulful Celebration ('95) and Tribute: The Songs Of Andre Crouch ('96).
KMJF tickets are available for purchase in a secure online environment at www.kmjazz.com or by calling the festival's toll-free information line at 1-877-271-6903. Consumers can also send a completed ticket order form available from the festival office or the event website with a check, money order, or credit card number (MasterCard or Visa) to the West Bend Sunrise Rotary Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1087, West Bend, WI 53095.
The festival is expected to draw more than 5,500 jazz lovers from all over the Midwest, particularly from southeast Wisconsin and northeast Illinois. Proceeds from the event benefit area charitable organizations through the West Bend Sunrise Rotary Foundation.
In addition to music, the festival has tempting international cuisine, an arts marketplace where local and regional artisans display and sell their work, and interactive sponsor exhibits. Grounds are open on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., and on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Major Corporate Sponsors for 2012 include M & I Wealth Management, Sendik's Food Markets, West Bend Mutual Insurance, and Westbury Bank, while Corporate Sponsors include Beer Capitol Distributing Lake Country, Key Technical Solutions, Roto-Graphic Printing, Ron Sonntag Public Relations, Inc., Suburban Servant, and SWIM Team, Inc.
In its history, the festival has contributed more than $380,000 to charitable groups in southeastern Wisconsin through the West Bend Sunrise Rotary Foundation. The Foundation has supported:
The Albrecht Free Clinic—support free medical clinics
* Columns, Inc.—scholarship programs to local high school graduates
* Hurricane Katrina Relief through the national Rotary Fund
* Kettle Moraine YMCA—acquired equipment for a West Bend skate park
* Lac Lawrann Barn Restoration
* Red Cross
* Regner Park—restoration of community facilities
* Rides & Reins
* SafeZone Community Art Center—provides an environment for children to develop their musical ability, including small group lessons, private tutoring lessons, and full band rehearsals each week, with periodic performances.
* Sunrise Rotary Field at Riverside Park—youth baseball diamond
* West Bend Fire Department—fire safety trailer
* West Bend Library—building construction
* West Bend Parks and Recreation Department—maintenance and expansion
For more information, including entertainer biographies and video clips, visit www.kmjazz.com or call the Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival's toll-free information line at 877-271-6903.
