The Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation, which maintains and sponsors the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame, held its 2019 annual event -- an intimate jazz concert featuring Grammy-nominated vocalist Roseanna Vitro -- June 17 at the Atlas Bar in Little Rock.
Taking place during the off-year of the biennial Hall of Fame induction, the fundraiser offered attendees a chance to make larger donations. Proceeds from this event are geared toward the Foundation's educational activities and forthcoming Hall of Fame inductions.
James Thomson, president, welcomed guests and made opening remarks. Then Vitro -- who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 -- delighted the crowd, singing and scatting her way through such ditties as "Long as You're Living," "So Many Stars," "Funkalero" and "You Are There." Accompanying her was Brad Birge on upright bass; Ted Ludwig, 2016 Arkansas Jazz Hall of Famer, on guitar; Brian Brown, 2018 inductee, on drums; and Sam Carroll on keyboard. Special sit-ins featured tenor saxophonist John Bush; keyboardist Curtis Adams; drummer Phil Marks; vocalists Shirley Chauvin Miller and I. J. Routen; guitarist Ed Smith; upright bassist Oliver Thomas; and soprano saxophonist Tim Woods.
High Profile on 06/30/2019