Vanguard Jazz Orchestra at Assisi Festival, July 10-12

Jazz Assisi is a partnership between the Assisi Festival, Planet Arts, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Blujazz Productions. The goal is to create and maintain a jazz performance/education initiative at the Assisi Festival in Assisi, Italy that is linked to the Kingston International Jazz Festival in Kingston, NY. The aim is to provide a series of performances, workshops, seminars and master-classes that will impact general audiences, music students as well as developing artists and create an active forum for the exchange and dissemination of ideas related to jazz and the creative process.

The 2007 edition of Jazz Assisi will take place from July 10 through 12 and feature performances by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Diane Delin/Dennis Luxion Duo and The Kingwood Big Band from Houston, Texas. Interactive educational workshops will be faciliatated by Planet Arts and include a Music Industry Connections seminar and a Precepts of Swing workshop conducted by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Reciprocal programs are planned in the Hudson Valley Corridor of New York during the Fall of 2007.

Directed by Greg Schime, the Assisi Festival has a solid reputation for nurturing young vocal and instrumental performers by pairing them with working professionals. Jazz Assisi will model this concept and serve as an apprenticeship program for developing artists. The residency based program will offer a variety of services by partnership members and include guest artists from the USA and Italy at both the Kingston Jazz Festival and Jazz Assisi on an annual basis.