Vitello's Jazz Club to hold benefit concert for Japan Saturday

Vitellos’s Jazz Club in association with the Los Angeles Jazz Society encourages members of the Los Angeles jazz-loving community to come out and support the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Musicians and fans will be coming together on Saturday, April 9, 2011 for an all day/all night concert event that will raise funds for the Japanese Red Cross. The first show will be presented from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; the second show will be presented from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. A Silent Auction will be held during both shows. Reservations may be made by calling 818-769-0905. Tickets available at TicketWeb http://tktwb.tw/ticketsjazz4japan or www.vitellosrestaurant.com. General admission, per show, is $25 each; reserved seating for $50 each and VIP seating for $100 each. Vitello’s Jazz Club is located at 4349 Tujunga Avenue; Studio City, CA 91604. Valet Parking is available. For more information, please visit www.vitellosrestauant.com. Music will be provided by Los Angeles’ finest, including the Yellowjackets featuring Russ Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Bob Mintzer and Will Kennedy; the Grammy Award-nominated trio of Alan Pasqua and Peter Erskine with Darek Oles; the Wayne Bergerson Big Band; the POEM Quartet comprised of Alan Pasqua, Darek Oles, Peter Erskine and Bob Mintzer. Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Denise Donatelli will also be performing, as will the Vitello’s All Stars featuring Bob Sheppard, Larry Koonse, Tom Warrington and Joe La Barbara. Attendees will also be treated to “Jazzcomedian” Franklyn Ajaye; Japanese vocalist Takako Uemura; THE TRIO with pianist Terry Trotter and bassist Chuck Berghofer; cajon master & percussionist Alex Acuña; pianists Tamir Hendleman and David Arnay; guitarist Mitchell Long; bassists Larry Steen and Kevin Axt; drummers Aaron Serfaty and Ray Brinker; plus the top combo and big band from USC’s Thornton School of Music. Noted jazz radio personality Dick McGarvin will serve as host and emcee for the event. Performances will begin at 11:30 a.m. and continue until 11:00 p.m. in the evening and those attending will enjoy the Italian cuisine of Vitello’s. There will also be a Silent Auction featuring an array of items donated by music celebrities as well as by various musical instrument and electronics manufacturers, with all proceeds going to the Japanese Red Cross. Auction Items will include: Vic Firth (a “brick” of drumsticks, plus their custom pepper shakers, etc.), Zildjian (cymbal pack, plus tour jacket), DW (snare drum plus swag), Samson (Q3 HD, possible Q1, possible speaker set, and new “Meteor Mic”), Shure (drumset mic set), Yamaha (MOTIF keyboard)Leonard Feather collection photos (x3), John Williams’s signed score, movie posters, books and lead sheets all signed, CD gift sets, Playboy Jazz Festival seats, Los Angeles Philharmonic tickets, and ZOOM. The Daytime Ticket from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. is as follows: 11am: Doors Open - USC Honors Combo with special guest Bob Sheppard; 12:05 p.m.: USC Thornton jazz Orchestra big band directed by Bob Mintzer, with guest artists (Bob Sheppard, Dan Fornero, Peter Erskine, et al); 1:00 p.m.: Vitello's All Stars, with Bob Sheppard, Larry Koonse, Tom Warrington and Joe La Barbera; 2:00 p.m.: Mitchell Long, Larry Steen, Aaron Serfaty Brazilian Trio; 2:30 p.m.: David Arnay Trio w/ Ralph Humphrey and Larry Steen; 3:00 p.m.: Takako Uemura/Japanese Lullabies; 3:15 p.m.: THE TRIO (Chuck Berghofer, Terry Trotter, Peter Erskine); 4:00 p.m.: YELLOWJACKETS (Russ Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Bob Mintzer, Will Kennedy) and 5:00 p.m.: Break for SILENT AUCTION end day event. The Evening Ticket from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. is as follows: 6:30 p.m.: Alan Pasqua/Peter Erskine/Darek Oles Trio; 7:10 p.m.: POEM Quartet (Pasqua, Oles, Erskine, Mintzer); 8:00 p.m.: Alex Acuña - Cajon Master; 8:25 p.m.: Franklyn Ajaye - “Jazzcomedian;” 9:00 p.m.: Grammy Award-nominated Vocalist Denise Donatelli with Bob Sheppard on Saxphone, Tamir Hendelman on piano, Kevin Axt on Bass and Ray Brinker on Drums; and 9:40 p.m.: Wayne Bergeron Big Band While the earthquake and tsunami disasters have left us all speechless, the gift and power of music has inspired these talented artists to donate their time, their talent and their voices to this relief effort.