Premiere jazz event in historic downtown Plymouth

Warren Wiegratz and Streetlife of Milwaukee, is just one of the bands that plans to shake up the crowd at the 6th annual Cheese Capital Jazz Crawl for the Arts. This live jazz extravaganza, which attracts thousands of music lovers every year, is Plymouth Arts Center’s major fundraiser and signature event. The event is kicked off at 4:00pm on Friday, August 14th at the Plymouth Arts Center, 520 E. Mill Street, downtown Plymouth. The event is generously sponsored by Great Lakes Cheese of Wisconsin, Masters Gallery Foods, Sargento Foods, Sartori Foods, Bordens, with additional support from Midstar Printing, M.A.S. Industries, G.F.W.C. Plymouth Women’s Club, and Wells Fargo Bank.

At the Plymouth Arts Center, guests will enjoy: live entertainment by the Jill Jensen Trio, Smooth Groove Trio & the Talk of The Town Orchestra; the Bourbon Street Food & Wine Café, sponsored by the G.F.W.C. Plymouth Women’s Club, serving a special Jazz menu cooked on the ‘big cheese grill;’ a silent auction of original art, Mardi Gras Masks and gift baskets; big raffle of “Day’s Reflection” original watercolor created and donated by artist Jean Crane; a live auction on the portrait of Jazz icon “Jimmy Smith” created and donated by artist Dan Gardiner; art opening reception of the Virtual Art Gallery of Sheboygan sponsored by Mike & Pat McKenzie of McKenzie Financial Services and Jim & Mary Shields of Plymouth Furniture; free horse drawn trolley rides sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank, and more. Additionally, an exciting mix of live jazz will be featured at these participating night clubs and restaurants throughout downtown Plymouth:

Antonio’s Sports Bar, City Club, Cozy Bar, Exchange Bank Coffeehouse, 52 Stafford Irish Guest House; Prima Publik House, and Turner Hall. The Jazz Crawl is the highlight of summer entertainment presented in downtown Plymouth by the Plymouth Arts Center.

The 2009 PAC jazzy commemorative wristband, which is the fundraising part of the event for the PAC, are available now. Wristbands are two for $15 in advance or $10 each, the day of the event and are available with Jazz Crawl flyers at all venues and at Book Heads. Mardi Gras beads are complimentary to all wearing the wristband. Commemorative T-Shirts for $12 in advance and Posters for $10 featuring “Jimmy Smith” are available at the PAC and at the Exchange Bank Coffeehouse. 1.Streetlife: widely regarded as the best "house-band" in the NBA. The band combines superb musicianship and vocals with an exciting stage presence in performing a unique blend of R&B and contemporary styles. The band plays at many regional and national music festivals such as Milwaukee's Summerfest and Jazz in the Park, and is well-known as the house-band for the Milwaukee Bucks. The group has been honored with many nominations and awards at the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards including " Best Adult Contemporary Group" and "Best Jazz Group" in Wisconsin. Streetlife’s leader and featured artist, Warren Wiegratz is a fixture on the Wisconsin music scene. He has received the prestigious (WAMI) for Reed/Brass Instrumentalist of the Year an unprecedented eleven times and is a highly sought-after saxophone and Jazz clinician, who performs and instructs in high schools and colleges throughout the Midwest. He has been featured in articles in the

Saxophone Journal, The Leblanc Bell, and the Roland Users Group magazines. Warren's solo version of The Star Spangled Banner has received national critical acclaim and has led him to perform it at sporting events across the country. He has been with several national acts such as Sweetbottom and Oceans. Other members of Streetlife are: Joe Jordan - vocals, Ryan Schiedermayer - drums, Leonard Adams - Bass, Peter McManaman – guitar and new female vocalist Rhonda Begos. For more information please visit their website at www.streetlifejazz.com. 2. Bay City Swing: For over 20 years Bay City Swing has created the exciting sounds of Big Band music in Northeastern Wisconsin. From the lush, sophisticated ballads of Frank Sinatra and Stan Kenton to the frenzied jitterbug swing and shuffle beat of Louis Prima and Benny Goodman, Bay City Swing does it all. This exciting sixteen-piece band featuring incredible musicianship along with outstanding male and female lead, not only knows how to bring you back to the romance that was the swing era, but also includes contemporary swing classics from artists like Brian Setzer and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Founding band member Shawn Postell - "You know, when I started this group in the early '80's, we were all just a bunch of college kids that liked to play big band music and drink beer. Through the years, besides getting older, the band has evolved into a mature group of dedicated musicians, from a wide variety of backgrounds, who are excited to perform great

arrangements at the highest level of musicianship, and still drink a beer or two. 3. Christopher’s Project: Since its inception, this group has put together quite an impressive resume. The group has opened for national and legendary acts as diverse as the Temptations, George Benson, David Sanborn, The Supremes and Jennifer Holiday. They have also performed at corporate functions for notable Corporations such as Northwestern Mutual, Johnson Wax, Quad Graphics and Time Warner. They have also performed at The Grand Opening Ceremony for The Midwest Express Convention Center and at the political galas for The Governors National Conference and The Mayoral Candidacy Party. They are repeat performers at some of Milwaukee’s annual festivals, Riversplash, Summerfest, Rainbow Summer and Bastille Days to name a few.

Christopher’s Project is lead by saxophonist Chris Pipkins, a three-peat winner at Showtime at the Apollo, a prestigious Theater in New York City that showcases the best of up-and-coming talent. The rest of the group rounds out with Del Bennet on drums (Sister Moon). Eric Hervey on Bass (Darryl Stuermer). Theo Merriweather on keyboards and Darryl Thomas on Guitar (Chameleon).

4. Jazz 'N More is one of Wisconsin's hottest jazz duos and is an opening act for the Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival! Janice Marie is one of Wisconsin's best female jazz singers with a powerhouse voice, theatrical style and stage presence, captivating audiences with her authentic renditions of the great female, Jazz vocalist, Ms. Ella Fitzgerald. Teaming up with Joe Scheibinger, who is called one of the most versatile entertainers in Wisconsin, Jazz ‘N More provides the very best of the American Songbook! Joe specializes in providing a wide range of music and exciting audience participation.

5. Jill Jensen is well known for delighting audiences as a jazz singer, actress, voice talent and television personality throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and the Midwestern United States. Jill's singing is always a sure fire crowd pleaser. She has gained musical fame through jazz singing engagements with various musical groups. Most notably, since 1998, when she teamed up with (and eventually married!) world-renowned Wisconsin jazz guitarist, Jack Grassel www.jackgrassel.com. The pair have also racked up an impressive array of awards... Guitar One Magazine named Jack one of the "Ten Best Guitarists in the U.S.. “Upon hearing him seamlessly weave bass lines, rhythm chords, and melody lines - all at the same time - as well as noting his incredible command of the instrument, we knew he was a shoe-in. Simply put, he sounds like no other guitarist.” He is a winner of six W.A.M.I. (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) Awards as Guitarist or Jazz Artist of the

Year. For decades, guitarists all over the world have studied his many books, columns, compositions and recordings. Jack is known for his invention "The Superguitar," on which he plays bass and guitar simultaneously. Jill's sultry voice won her the honor of "Favorite Female Vocalist" in The Journal Times Reader's Polls two years in a row.

6. Dave Petty Trio is back by popular demand along with Roger Brotherhood and Sue. Dave’s interest in music developed in the later years of the “Swing” era. As a novice musician residing near New York City, Dave watched some live performances by the likes of Ben Webster, Zoot Simms and Benny Goodman. His saxophone and clarinet styling provide foot-tapping danceable music. Guitarist Roger Brotherhood has been a professional musician since 1966. He attended the University of Wisconsin for two years as a journalism major, and graduated with honors from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree. He has taught professionally for over 15 years, and has extensive experience recording, playing in clubs and shows, leading his own jazz groups, conducting workshops and clinics, and playing solo. 7. Chris White and Playtime, a Wisconsin-area contemporary jazz group, artfully blends smooth jazz and R&B. With a widely ranging repertoire, from the most traditional jazz to alternative rock, the five accomplished musicians who make up Playtime represent a diversity of disciplines. These established musicians and solo artists, who have recorded and toured in the U.S. and Europe with wellknown jazz and rock acts, have also opened for numerous national and international acts. Members of Playtime are strongly grounded in the study of music and their alma maters include Wisconsin College Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, St. Mary’s University and Music Tech. Members hold degrees in classical, jazz, instrumental, and general music. Their academic credentials include professorships at several universities and individual instructor roles in a wide variety of musical styles. Members of Playtime have been recognized with several Wisconsin and Minnesota

"Band of the Year" and "Academy of Music" awards, and Chris White’s latest CD of smooth jazz, "Hideaway," has aired on several radio stations throughout the country. 8. Smooth Groove Trio is a local favorite and has performed at the Final Approach Steakhouse at the Burrows Aviation Center as well as the Millhome Supper Club in Kiel. They have graced the Arts Center stage for the Big Cheese Drop New Year's Eve party and the Plymouth Arts Center Singers' annual spring concert. Their music style is in the realm of Smooth Jazz playing standards which never age and will always be with us. The trio is comprised of Vern Eliason on Saxophone, Paul Epner on keyboards, and Mike Bendt on Drums.

9. The Talk of The Town, under the leadership of Kevin Van Ess, is one of the hottest Dixieland/Swing Style Jazz Groups north of New Orleans. The six piece group consisting of Clarinet/Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Banjo, Bass, Piano, and Drums has collectively over 300 years of experience. Van Ess has performed with several artists including: Pete Fountain, Bob Hope, Shari Lewis, Red Skelton, Bobby Vinton, Rich Little, Marie Osmond, The Green Bay Packer Band, The Dukes of Dixieland and in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. Van Ess had the honor to perform Amazing Grace at the site of Ground Zero in New York City. He has also performed as a talent star on board the Queen Mary II Ship. The group has recorded and released 2 CD's entitled: A CLOSER WALK WITH KEVIN VAN ESS AND THE TALK OF THE TOWN and their latest CD entitled HONKY TONK. 10. The Galapagos Trio: Three independent jazz musicians coming together to form a plethora of stylings. With each, their own specific influences and styles, The Galapagos Trio blends jazz standards, funk, blues, free jazz, and even indie/folk music into a unique sound of their own. Comprised of Michael Brooks (percussion), William Schultz (guitar) and Chris Brooks (bass guitar), these local musicians are a tight knit trio certain to impress.

The Plymouth Arts Center is a 501c3 non-profit membership organization solely supported by membership dues, fund-raisers, grants, sponsorships, and private and corporate donations. The Plymouth Arts Center operates Gallery 110 North, a fine art gallery showcasing Wisconsin Artists in changing exhibits. The Arts Center hosts a wide variety of other events such as: ongoing art classes; Plymouth Arts Center Singers, Plymouth Arts Center Theatre Company, Folk Concert Series, Acoustic Jam/Open Mic sessions, Mill Street Guild, Gallery Works TV Show hosted by Kitty Lynne Klich; Plymouth Oktoberfest, Plymouth Festival of Fine Arts; special guest artist series; Wonderful World of Women expo and more.

Plymouth Arts Center’s mission is ….to enliven the spirit of the community and to enrich the lives of all by presenting diverse experiences in the arts. For more information, please call the Plymouth Arts Center, (920) 892-8409; email paf@excel.net or visit the website: www.plymoutharts.org