The Vermont Jazz Center will be presenting an evening dedicated to the memory of former board president, trumpeter and educator, Howard Brofsky on Saturday, April 19th at 8:00 PM. This special tribute will include performances by his close musical colleagues and family. In every community that Brofsky settled, be it Queens College, the Louis Armstrong House, the Vermont Jazz Center, or Brattleboro, Vermont, the people have benefited from his wisdom, charm and generosity. Like a single pebble in the water, his spirit lives on through the actions of his family, colleagues, students and friends who continue to channel his enthusiasm and his dedication to the spreading of jazz.
This Saturday evening concert will celebrate Howard’s life through music. Performers will include New York-based musicians Jay Clayton, Cordelia Tapping (voice), Alex Brofsky (horn), Tim Armacost (saxophones), Ray Gallon, Jorn Swart, (piano), Curtis Ostle (bass); local musicians will include Scott Mullett, Sherm Fox (saxophone), Draa Hobbs (guitar), Eugene Uman (piano), George Kaye (bass), Jon Fisher, Claire Arenius (drums). It is likely that surprise guests will appear at the last minute. It will be limited to two-hours.
Howard Brofsky peacefully passed away on October 17th, 2013 at the age of 86. One of Dr. Bebop’s favorite endeavors was to turn friends and students on to the exciting world of bebop. He did this through informal listening sessions, where he would carefully select seminal recordings by the musicians who influenced him in his own development. Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Dexter Young and Louis Armstrong were artists who epitomized the essence of swing and nuance – he had listened to all of them live on numerous occasions and was intimately familiar with their work. Brofsky heard Bird on 52nd Street, he was the key representative of Queens College responsible for the establishment of the Louis Armstrong House, he even jammed with Dexter Gordon at the session studio he built in an old barn in Vermont. Howard Brofsky assimilated and presented the authentic bebop essence; he embraced and imparted it undistilled, always teaching by example. Bebop was at the core of his own sound; he relished sharing its real meaning with peers and students.
The annual concerts that Dr. Bebop offered at the Vermont Jazz Center around his birth month (May) were celebrations of jazz. They became an outlet for him to express his soul with a carefully handpicked band. For all in attendance they were not only listening experiences but joyful lessons in swing, tasteful restraint and melodic invention.
Music resonates with memories and this year we remember Howard in a musical tribute. Saturday, April 19th will be an evening to remember the tremendous effect he had on our lives. This event is open to the public and all are welcome. There is no fee, but donations will be gratefully accepted: 100% of the funds received will go to the Vermont Jazz Center’s Scholarship Fund in Howard Brofsky’s name. This concert has been generously sponsored by William Schutt of Matcor, Inc. Hotel rooms have been provided by the Hampton Inn, media support has been provided by VPR, WFCR, WKVT and the Brattleboro Reformer. The VJC is grateful to the Vermont Arts Council for on-going operational support.
The VJC is handicapped accessible, please call to arrange assistance: 802 254 9088.
Next VJC event will be May 17th: Eugene Uman’s Convergence Project hosting a CD release party!
Who: Friends of Howard Brofsky from New York and the local jazz scene
What: A tribute to one of the most important Jazz musicians in our region
When: Saturday, April 19th, 2014 at 8:00 PM
Where: The Vermont Jazz Center, 72 Cotton Mill Hill, #222, Brattleboro, VT 05301
Tickets: By Donation to support the VJC’s Student Scholarship Fund
Reservations available online at www.vtjazz.org, by phone 802 254 9088, in person at In The Moment, Main St., Brattleboro, VT
Memorial Concert to pay tribute to Howard Brofsky
