You and the Night: Jazz Music Concert with John Sneider and Cantor Gerald Cohen
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Shaarei Tikvah transforms itself into a jazz club Saturday, April 25th, at 9 pm for You and the Night and the Music, a concert featuring jazz arrangements of Jewish music and jazz standards by Jewish composers. Produced and performed by our own John Sneider, playing with the John Sneider Scraptet, the concert also features Cantor Gerald Cohen performing jazz arrangements of his and other composers' music. Wine and refreshments will be served.
A highlight of the concert will be Jazz Survivor, John Sneider's homage to Louis Bannet – the Dutch Louis Armstrong – who survived Auschwitz-Birkenau by playing in the camp orchestra. The concert will also feature John and his brother Bob, a guitarist, performing selections from their CD, The Brockton Beat, and Robin Sneider singing a Yiddish song, with Bill Magaliff contributing a piece as well.
"We are incredibly fortunate to have John as part of our Shaarei Tikvah community," says Cantor Cohen, "and thrilled to have him performing in our new 'Shaarei Tikvah Jazz Club'. His arrangements of Jewish melodies, and the performance of his piece Jazz Survivor, will give a very special flavor to this already great jazz concert."
The John Sneider Scraptet includes Bob Sneider, John's brother, on guitar, Andy Farber on sax, Matthew Fries on piano, Phil Palombi on bass, Andy Watson on drums and David Sneider, John's son, on trumpet. Robin Sneider, John's wife and a professional singer, will also appear as guest soloist.
An interview with John Sneider
"I Jazz up Everything I hear" – A Discussion with John Sneider
You may know John Sneider as the trumpeter who plays Kol Nidre so poignantly before Yom Kippur... or just as Marina and David's dad. John is a nationally known jazz trumpeter and composer/arranger. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music and his Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He's been playing jazz gigs since he was 14 years old and travels internationally, most recently with Curtis Stigers. John and Robin live in Ardsley. The concert promises to be an amazing evening.
Why did you want to do this concert?
John: "It's a nice way to give back to our community, a way to feel connected. I love working with Cantor Cohen and feel a real kinship with him. He's a great musician and a major reason we were attracted to and stay at Shaarei Tikvah. I also love performing for my friends in Westchester , but most of my gigs are either out of town or late at night. Hopefully this time, we'll avoid another Nor'easter, which made my March 2010 concert very stressful and kept many away."
What made you think about taking Jewish music and setting it to jazz?
John: I jazz up everything I hear and have been doing so since I was a kid. A great melody can exist in any idiom. I find Jewish music to be in its own way very soulful. It's not unlike the blues, which is the undercurrent of jazz."
Tell us about your piece, Jazz Survivor, which you'll be playing at the concert.
John: "It is homage to Louis Bannet, the Dutch Louis Armstrong. Sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, he saved his life by playing in the orchestra and serving as personal bandleader for Dr. Josef Mengele. I was inspired to write it after reading Ken Shuldman's literary tribute and Ken will read a short excerpt at the concert. The primary musical motif in Jazz Survivor is based on the intervals and pitches that correspond to the numbers of Bannet's Birkenau identification tattoo: 93626. My goal was to take something so ugly and turn it into something beautiful artistically."
This concert is somewhat of a family affair. Tell us about your family's involvement.
John: "We're a musical family. My wife Robin is a professional singer and she will be doing a Yiddish solo at the concert. My brother Bob, professor at the Eastman School of Music, plays the jazz guitar and we did a CD together, called The Brockton Beat. And I'm really proud to include our son David, who plays the shofar each year on the High Holidays and the trumpet in our Silly Symphony."
What else should we know about the concert?
John: "We're aiming to create the mood of a jazz club, with seating around tables, and wine and refreshments. There will be serious moments, but the mood will be festive and fun."
Shaarei Tikvah's Jazz Club on Saturday April 25th, 2015 at 9:00pm
Call 914-472-2013 for tickets
General admission $36, Students $20
Wine, cheese and light refreshments included
Comedy Night at the Center@862
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Local storyteller and former Scarsdale resident Sandi Marx will perform on Saturday night April 18 in an evening of comedy at the Center @ 862 at 862 Scarsdale Avenue at 8 pm.
The line-up of featured storytellers includes:
Cory Kahaney - Well-loved comedian who has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, Letterman, the View, Last Coming Standing, etc., --and an amazing storyteller
Sandi Marx - Multiple Moth StorySlam winner and storyteller who performs all over the NYC area and had us in stitches at our Halloween show
Jim Keyes - Favorite Hudson Valley Musician, Storyteller, and Pros(e) of Pie "regular"
Susan Landon - Multiple Pie-Contest Winner AND a favorite Pros(e) of Pie storyteller
The evening will be emceed by Ivy Eisenberg with Zak Shusterman hosting and serving pies!
Five-minute open mic spots are available along with anonymous participation slips. (Come to the show to find out what this is), and of course YUMMY PIE!
Hedrick Smith at the Sunday Speaker Series
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Author and journalist Hedrick Smith will speak at the Scarsdale Forum Sunday Speaker Series on Sunday April 19 at 3:00 pm. The public is invited to attend the event at the Scarsdale Women's Club. This will be the third presentation of the Speaker Series.
Smith is a Pulitzer Prize winning author, journalist and writer and commentator of the American experience. As a television commentator on shows such as "Front Line" and "Washington Week in Review," and through his articles in the New York Times, and his books such as "Reclaiming the American Dream," Smith has covered every important figure of our time from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Duke Ellington and from President Richard M. Nixon to President Barack Obama.
The event promises to be informative and lively. Mr. Smith will be available for a book signing after his presentation.
A Cappella Songfest at The Center @862
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The Yale Westchester Alumni Association (YWAA) will host A Cappella Songfest 2015 on Sunday, April 26, 2015 at The Center @ 862, 862 Scarsdale Avenue, Scarsdale, New York. The concert, which begins at 3:00 p.m., will feature For Good Measure, Scarsdale High School's group, and the Yale Spizzwinks(?). Following the concert, there will be an opportunity to meet the singers and purchase their CDs.
Tickets for the performance are $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (65+) and $10 for students and can be purchased online at www.yalewestchester.org or at the door. For further information, please contact Regina Possavino at 914-977-3532 or reginapossavino@yahoo.com.
For Good Measure
As the only co-ed a cappella troupe in Scarsdale High School, For Good Measure fills all of Scarsdale with music! The group was started by Jessica Chayes during the 2001-2002 school year, and has existed in either co-ed or all-girl incarnations since then. Comprised of both male and female voices, the troupe has left its mark on the Scarsdale community through performances at sports games, a cappella competitions, shows, Valentine's Day Sing-a-Grams, and during the holidays. In addition, For Good Measure has performed in concerts with groups from Yale University, Dartmouth College, Binghamton University, and Kenyon College. For Good Measure's repertoire includes a variety of song types, including oldies as well as contemporary pop songs. The group is not only talented, but always makes their performances fun to watch for all types of audiences.
The Spizzwinks(?)
The Yale Spizzwinks(?) are America's first underclassman a cappella group. Since 1914, they have been entertaining audiences around the world with their unique blend of sweet harmony and tongue-in-cheek humor. Since their historic beginning at Mory's, the Spizzwinks(?) have proudly carried on a tradition of musical excellence and camaraderie as one of America's oldest male choirs. With one eye towards their one hundred year history and the other towards the future, they seamlessly fuse tradition and innovation to bring audiences a unique and unforgettable concert experience.
Three times each year, the Spizzwinks(?) pack their bags and head off to explore the world. When traveling internationally, the Spizzwinks(?) act as cultural ambassadors for the United States, often performing on television and radio, and at large public events. They also promote cultural exchange, singing joint concerts with choirs from universities and other organizations. This year (2014-2015), the Spizzwinks(?) will travel to Cleveland, Ohio in the fall; to San Diego, Ventura, and Albuquerque in the winter; to Florida and South America (Columbia) in the spring; and to South Africa and Turkey in the summer.
Rotary Wine Tasting Raises Funds for Local Charities
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The sixth annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser sponsored by the Scarsdale Rotary Club raised over $40,000 for charity on Thursday March 12th. Hosted at the Scarsdale Woman's Club on Drake Road, the well-attended event featured dozens of raffle items, silent auction items and a live auction selling the services of a professional team of chefs to prepare a fine dinner, a 60" Smart HD TV and many more tempting items.
Fine food and wine were donated by Vintology and local restaurants including Chat, Moscato's, Lange's Deli, Bistro 808, Meritage, Savona and several others.
The event was sponsored by the Scarsdale Agency, WMC HOLDINGS, Value Electronics, Houlihan Lawrence, Webster Bank, the Berk Family, Scarsdale Agency, Scarsdale Improvement Corp, KLS Financial Advisers, UBS, Wilgrin Reality, Christie Spencer Corp, Pepe Mercedes, Red Oak Transportation, Wilson and Son Jewelers, Scott and Robin Gottlieb, Scarsdale Security, Advocate Brokerage Corp, Steve Pitchon, DDS, Lackenback Siegel, LLP, Jason Costanzo, Hirschfield & Costanzo PC, and Sugar Hill Capital Partners.
Almost all of the costs of the event were covered by the Rotary, to allow proceeds to go to charity. This year, the Scarsdale Rotary Club has named five local charities as primary beneficiaries of the event --each to receive approximately 12% of the money raised:
Greenburgh Nature Center
A local 22-acre nature preserve with trails, a pond and gardens. The property is a significant wildlife habitat refuge, both for indigenous species and for the hundreds of species of migratory birds that is used in as a resting place on their spring and fall travels. The property includes two wetland sites and a wildflower meadow, which is used as a nesting area for Eastern box turtles.
Lakota Children's Enrichment, Inc.
A for-purpose corporation with headquarters in Scarsdale NY and founded by Scarsdale resident Maggie Dunne. LCE empowers Lakota youth on the Pine Ridge Reservation in SD and amplifies their voices by providing mentorship and opportunities in the arts, education, sports, leadership and community service. Pine Ridge Reservation is located in three of the USA's poorest counties.
Scarsdale & Edgemont Family Counseling Services
A local community organization that strengthens family and community life by providing individual, family and group therapy. SFCS also provides outreach to youth, services to elders, and public programs relating to family life issues.
The Scarsdale Foundation
The Foundation supports institutions and individuals that encourage educational and human development as well as mutual understanding and recognizes those in the community who through volunteer service continue to set an example of civic responsibility toward the betterment of the community.
Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps
For over 40 years SVAC has answered the call of residents, workers, and communities in the town of Scarsdale by providing emergency ambulance services to the community. SVAC is staffed by a combination of paid paramedics and volunteer emergency medical technicians, and other appropriately trained volunteers.
The remaining funds will be contributed to Polio Plus, Well Water in Haiti, and the Scarsdale Rotary Club's annual grants disbursed through its grant application process.
Photo Credit: Cindy Dunne
