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06/22/2018 08:13 AMOh, how time flies. On Thursday, June 28, Branford Jazz on the Green series celebrates its 10th birthday by kicking off a summer's worth of 10 free jazz concerts, on the notes of series opener and guitar great Sandro Albert and Run N' Fly. So get jazzed --and get down to the Branford green Thursdays June 28 – Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. to join hundreds of fans turning up with picnic baskets, blankets and other self-serve seating to enjoy this summer's spectrum of live jazz as the stars come out over downtown Branford.
The series is carefully curated each year by the jazz committee's board of volunteers working in concert with Branford Parks and Recreation, with a big assist from presenting sponsors the Town of Branford and the Branford Festival Corporation. Like most board members, Branford Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Dale Izzo has been with the jazz series since it got its start in 2009. Izzo, who is also president of the Branford Festival 2018 Corporate Board, said the presenting sponsors and a long list of local businesses and organizations sponsoring the series at a number of levels are what makes these incredibly popular shows go on.
"It's nice that we have our partners like the Town and Branford Festival. We couldn't do it without them and our sponsors. And many of our sponsors are the same that we've had with us since the inception, which has been awesome," said Izzo. "All of the support is what has helped this to grow every year. We started with seven shows and now we have ten."
Make no mistake –the word is out about Branford Jazz on the Green summer series – and not only among fans of live jazz, but in professional jazz circles. Izzo said many acts are reaching out to the committee for the opportunity to play Branford.
"It's becoming a destination that people want to come to, not just for people who are going to attend, but even for our artists. We have people from all over the country coming here. A lot of them have called and want to come back," said Izzo.
Run N' Fly will headline on June 28 following an opening act of aspiring local jazz musicians, the North Branford Intermediate School Jazz Band. All shows take place on Thursday nights and begin at 6:30 p.m. and all information on the 2018 series is posted at http://branfordjazz.com
The Branford Jazz on the Green 2018 summer series schedule includes: June 28, Run N' Fly (infusion blending American pop, jazz and soul and featuring guitarist Sandro Albert); July 5, Rich Goldstein & The Gratitude Ensemble (featuring guitarist Goldstein with a grooving hard bop style with modern twinge); July 12, Quarteto Moderno Brazilian Jazz (led and founded by guitarist-vocalist Richard Boukas); July 19, Paula Atherton (Billboard-charting jazz vocalist); July 26, Anouman (Gypsy jazz featuring saxophonist Peter Sparacino); Aug. 2, Althea Rene (Soul jazz flutist); Aug. 9, The Caswell Sisters Quintet (featuring vocalist Rachel Caswell and violinist Sara Caswell);Aug. 16, Javon Jackson Quartet (featuring tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson);Aug. 23, Saxophonist Andy Snitzer (2018 Grammy Award winner); Aug. 30, Elan Trotman & Tropicality (featuring saxophonist Elan Trotman).