Provincetown Jazz Festival Celebrates 8 Years

By: Sam Houghton, August 9, 2012

The 8th Annual Provincetown Jazz Festival will feature top-tier jazz musicians in a two-night celebration of the great American musical tradition in P-town and Cotuit.

Headlining the festival in Provincetown will be Sharón Clark, Paul Carr and Chris Grasso, all top musicians in the Washington, DC, jazz scene. Clark, a booming soul vocalist, leads the croup, which features Carr on sax and Grasso on piano.

“The key to the Provincetown Jazz Festival is that people can come out year after year and catch talent they would never see in their hometown,” said Provincetown Jazz Festival director Bart Weisman, a local jazz musician in his own right. “These may not be household names, but they are all top musicians.”

Having lived his entire life in the DC area before moving to the Cape nine years ago, Weisman wanted to bring what he believes to be the best jazz scene in the country to Cape Cod.

“DC has always had a great jazz scene. It’s the birthplace of Duke Ellington, one of the preeminent jazz musicians, as well as several other jazz musicians. Many players will stay and never leave. They will tour, but always come back,” he said.

Alex Brown, a jazz pianist with a classical, world and R&B vibe, will open Saturday’s performance. Grammy-winning drummer Joe McCarthy and bassist Will Slater will hold down the rhythm section for both bands.

Julian Jackson, a jazz deejay for WOMR-FM, will emcee the night.    

Provincetown in Cotuit

Trumpet and flute player Steve Ahern will headline a second show at Cotuit Center for the Arts on Monday, August 13. Ahern resides in Florida, where he has had the privilege to play alongside greats like Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues and Tony Bennett. He will be accompanied onstage by local jazz musicians Bruce Abbott on sax and flute, Fred Boyle on piano, Ron Ormsby on bass and Weisman on drums.

Debra Mann of Providence will open the show with her Latin and jazz standards. Mindy Todd, host of The Point on WCAI/NAN-FM, will host the evening.

The Provincetown Jazz Festival is a nonprofit organization that donates a proportion of its proceeds to local and national causes such as the New Orleans Music Clinic that offers medical insurance to musicians.