About JazzPA and the 2009 Summer Jazz Celebration
In 2009, we mourned the passing of our founder Joe Alessandro. We dedicated our weekend of jazz to Joe, all he meant to the local jazz community as a musician, a mentor and a teacher. The festival celebrated the saxophone and the great saxophone legacy of Central PA, including Steve Bowman, Rick Hirsch, David Stambler and Dan Yoder, plus the incredible award-winning State High Jazz Band with their outstanding sax section led by Kevin Supina, under the direction of Rich Victor. We continue to thank Joe for making his dream come true, a jazz festival all of Centre County embraces!
JazzPA began as the State College Jazz Festival. The Festival is the dream of local saxophonist Joe Alessandro who convinced Catherine Dupuis to "make it happen!" In 2005, with the help of local residents Maralyn and Paul Mazza, the South Hills School and many generous sponsors, local and nationally-acclaimed musicians participated in a one-day summer jazz festival filling the South Hills School Bandshell and surrounding lawns and gardens with jazz music and enthusiastic community support.
Expanded to 2 days, the 2006 summer festival became a multi-venue event, moving to downtown State College PA and kicking off with a "Battle of the Big Bands" showcasing three fabulous local big bands (including the award-winning State High Jazz Band). A second day of music featuring local and regional artists culminated in an evening concert with legendary guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, clarinetist extraordinaire Ken Peplowski and crowd favorites, the Russ Kassoff Trio. 2006 also introduced "music around town" featuring local bands in restaurant and club locations around downtown State College. The 2007 summer festival expanded to 3 days, incorporated the fabulous State Theatre and featured the jazz piano with pianists Arthur Goldstein, Billy Test, Russ Kassoff and Bill Mays, plus many local and regional artists.
2008 took the organization to JazzPA and the Summer Jazz Celebration. Thanks in large part to lead sponsor Columbia Gas of PA, the revamped summer festival, now in Bellefonte, was a huge success with three simultaneous venues running for the one-day event. Featured artists were Tom Malone and Byron Stripling, and both their morning master class and evening concert were extraordinary - and brought down the house, Bellefonte's historic Garman Opera House Theatre.
Catherine Dupuis' Personal Statement:
State College in Centre County is my hometown (State High '76; MFA PSU '85). My high school years were spent on Buffalo Run (Bellefonte), but I now live and work in New York City with a successful performing and recording career as a jazz vocalist. I attribute much of my success to having grown up in Central Pennsylvania where I was afforded so many positive performing experiences as a young musician, actor, singer and dancer. In addition to all the training I received from my high school and private instructors, I spent two summers performing at the Boal Barn, sang in a children's choir with the Choral Society, sang every Sunday in the choirs at Our Lady of Victory and heard bands like Buddy Rich's as they passed through on their way between the "big" towns. While completing my MFA in Acting, I performed each summer for Centre Stage and during the year in mainstage shows; other evenings were spent singing with Skip Wareham's dance band. I cherish that I got to grow up in Happy Valley and I'm always impressed with all the musical talent that's here for the listening generation after generation. My high school years were filled with wonderful experiences, most of them outside the classroom, including Grange Fair and the State Farm Show with my sister's jerseys.