Dear Musicians, Supporters, and Vendors, The "Green Light" is on (as well as electricity at Pond Field) and we're ready to bring Easton's music event of the season to life! Spread the word far and wide... the show will go on! The schedule of musicians performances will be announced next week (substantially similar to the original schedule).
Gene Jr. and I would like to thank all of our supporters including the Easton Parks and Recreation Department for standing behind our effort to bring world class music to our community following the recent disaster. We'd also like to thank the musicians contributing to this event. Without their support we could never have moved forward following hurricane "Irene" (which brought record setting devastation throughout the Northeast prompting the cancellation of our originally scheduled August 28th event).
We are optimistic and excited about the new date considering the overwhelming show of support we've received from those determined to make this event happen. For information and updates please go to the Festival web site at: www.eastonmusicfestival.org .
So... Come, See, Be Seen, Heard, and Spread the Word! Check out some of the media coverage below... and get ready for this incredible event!!
Norwalk's Myles adds voice to Easton Jazz Fest
By MIKE HORYCZUN Hour Correspondent
Posted on 08/24/2011
Norwalk's Maydie Myles will be featured October 2nd at the 2011 Easton Jazz/Music Festival.
Norwalk's Maydie Myles adds some first class jazz vocal credentials to the 2011 Easton Jazz/Music Festival this weekend. The second annual event, which is free, happens from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, October 2nd, rain or shine, just up the road at Pond Field, located at the Helen Keller Middle School at 364 Sport Hill Road in Easton. Take Merritt Parkway exit 46.
Myles joins more than 100 talented jazz players in an afternoon of remarkable, non-stop music making.
"Maydie is the embodiment of soul," said Gene Leone Sr., the festival's emcee and producer and director of The Jazz Guild of Fairfield County. Maydie Myles is a gold and platinum recording artist who was signed with Decca Records when she was only a teenager (she performed as Debbie Taylor in the early days). She toured the country, scoring big on Billboard's R&B charts and was one of the first artists to be signed by Clive Davis on his Arista label. When she settled in Connecticut, she starred as the featured vocalist in New York's premiere party band, NiteSprite, and she's performed at festivals nationwide. The Norwalk resident is also a jingles singer in high demand and the award-winning voice behind theme songs for "The Rock" and several other wrestlers in the WWE. Her latest disc is called "The Ones I Love."
Look for her performance on Sunday at 4:40 p.m., joined by veteran pianist Dr. Joe Utterback and select members of The Fairfield County Jazz Guild, including Gene Leone, Jr. on guitar.
Other Easton Jazz/Music Festival headliners this weekend include Joe Carter, Harold Zinno, Howard Alden, Mike Coppolla, Tuffus Zimbabwe, Cookie Thomas, Paul Gabriel, Chris Coogan and the Good News Choir, The Jazz Guild, Steve Clark and What Up Funk, plus many more. Leone notes that "musicians are selected for their appeal and include a 'something for everyone' lineup in a wide range of genres -- jazz, blues, R&B, gospel and funk. Fairfield County has many, many incredible performing artists. The music organization my family has operated as a community service for the past eight years, The Jazz Guild of Fairfield County, which brings gifted young musicians to the stage on a weekly basis, performs all over Connecticut," he said. "Throughout the years, we've caught the interest of many professional musicians, and we've opened events before them. They now support what we do, and many of them are performing at this Festival."
For schedules, directions and more information, visit www.eastonmusicfestival.org.
