NEWS
Fall Ahead
Back to school in a new way
September 2026 will be the first fall term in over 40 years that I will not be returning to the classroom. Instead, I am going back to school with a consulting firm to develop a high end offer for my online students which hopefully will result in fewer hours and a better paycheck. I am still maintaining my relationship with the NHJO, at least for the few months as their piano player while they look for a permanent filler for the spot, and also as lead alto player with the Seacoast Big Band. Check the calendar for upcoming performances of both groups.
There's also the Tuesday night jam at the Press Room. We will be there several nights during September and once in October. After that, watch the calendar for future bookings! In the meantime, I will be playing a brunch here and there at Jimmy's and the Kittery Community Center and appearing at the Brook in their new supper club, among other various gigs at venues like the Board in Kittery and some different retirement homes like Taylor in Laconia.
New Hampshire
humanities
Connecting People and Ideas
Charlie at Plymouth State Univ. on October 15th!
The Evolution of Jazz:
Seacoast New Hampshire’s Contribution
In this multi-media presentation sponsored by New Hampshire "Humanities To Go," jazz educator and performer Charlie Jennison presents some of the influential players, venues and organizations that contributed to the rich and diverse jazz scene in the Seacoast area. Through photographs, recordings, and personal narratives, Charlie, an early member of the Seacoast Jazz Society, paints a colorful picture of the growth and development of this significant American art form in New Hampshire from the 1950s to the present day. This presentation, originally developed for the 2021 Seacoast Jazz Society lecture series, is designed for remote applications.
The Seacoast Big Band plays at the Prescott Park Jazz Festival
On August 24, 2024, the Seacoast Big Band returned to Prescott Park to perform at the annual Tommy Gallant Jazz Festival. We had taken off the previous year for a different line-up, but popular demand brought the band back to a swinging performance with guest artist Alexa Tarantino on alto saxophone. I was fortunate to still play the lead alto chair and, as shown below, got to play a couple of solos with the band on that warm afternoon.
The band also played a concert for the students of the University of New Hampshire's Summer Youth Music school in July. Vocalist James Geralden contributed his talents and some swinging charts to that occasion. With the assistance of the Seacoast Jazz Society, plans are in the works for a holiday concert at a yet to be named venue in Portsmouth. We'll keep you posted!
