I am excited to invite you to Bethel’s spring coffee house, which is going to be held on Saturday, April 28th at 6pm in the multi-purpose room of the church. The event is FREE and open to ANYONE! I encourage you to bring a friend and share with them a great night of fellowship, entertainment, food and love. As you may know, our first coffee house was held in October 2017 and was a huge hit bigger than we could have ever expected. We were hoping for maybe 100 people and figured if we came close to that, we could call it a successful night. Well, we were VERY Blessed to smash that figure and had 132 people in attendance. It was a great night and probably one of the largest turnouts for a non-service event the church has had. We have made plans to increase our set up and are ready to host 150 people this time.

The church has decided that they would like us to produce two events a year, one in October and another in the Spring. Well, we have been working very hard getting our April event ready and I think you are really going to like it. Doors will open at 5:30pm and we will begin to serve food and drink shortly after. We expect to begin with the entertainment shortly after 6pm. Like our first event, we will be providing light food and refreshments including hoagies, mini-chicken sandwiches and delicious hot pretzels. Of course, this is in addition to delicious coffee, tea, cold drinks and home made desserts!

The highlight of the night is our wonderful entertainment. We have several acts returning from last time as well as a few new ones to entertain you. There is a great deal of diversity within the music that you will never be bored. From Sacred to Secular, there is a little something for everyone. For me, I am proud to have an opportunity to again direct our 13 pc. men’s choir, Victory Voices, in two selections, Instrument of Peace and Stand By Me. Instrument of Peace, by Greg Gilpin, is a beautiful song written for men’s choir that speaks to the need for peace in our lives and that spirit which needs to live in all our spirit. During the song there is a beautiful solo song by tenor vocalist Nick Cornelius. To lighten the mood, our other selection is the great Stand By Me by Ben E. King. The men are doing a great job and this is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

For our other entertainment, we are pleased to announce that the following will be performing: Pastor Brent Robinson, Sam Bodder, Joe DeMaio, Jeff Barrows, Karen Barrows, Jerry Crivellaro, Ray LaBarre, Leah Tielmann, Kemie Adedoyin, Keith Schifano, Linda Pettinelli, Laura Stauffer, Laura Carlson, Shawn Isaacs, and Mark Campbell. There is a lot of talent with all of these voices and performers. Our closing number will even be a surprise that might shock some of the church members!! A surprise that I am sure will be well worth it!

Although the event looks to be a great night, it takes several months of work, meetings, many phone calls and communication to put everything together. I would like to thank my committee for doing a great job assisting and leading on several fronts. Our committee includes: myself, Connie Sabatine, Jeff Barrows, Melinda Scheel and Joe DeMaio. Everyone has graciously donated their time to build this event. So far, the excitement is growing as we are getting closer and I am encouraged by the turn out we are expecting. This is an outreach event geared to bring others into our church regardless of their religious affiliations. To be able to share a time of fellowship, food and entertainment with them is a gift of peace and an opportunity to get to know our community.

We also are VERY THANKFUL to ShopRite, Wegman’s, Weis Market, Giant Market, Philly Pretzel Company, Sam’s Club, Chick-Fil-A (Phillipsburg Location) for making wonderful contributions to our night.

The event should last until about 8:30pm. We will have an intermission between sets and at that time will again host the popular trivia contest like we did last time. A mixture of tv/movie and pop culture, our trivia contest was a hit, and for some, a great blast from the past. Prizes will be awarded to those 3 with the most correct.

The night is shaping up to be very special. I encourage you all to come. The room is set up in a very relaxed and warm atmosphere almost resembling a dinner theater. Plus, it is free! If you have any questions or need directions, please call me at (908)-619-4502.

For many people, November 11^th means the remembrance of Veteran’s Day.  It is a solemn day to remember those who fought and gave of their lives to serve in the United States Armed Services.  From the American Revolution to our conflicts of today, it is a day to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.  This year, I have the joy of celebrating Veteran’s Day with a Thanksgiving Cantata held at The Resurrection Center in Wilmington, DE.  This year, the theme will be honoring all the branches of the military and is called “Spirit of a Grateful Nation”.  The Cantata begins at 5:30pm and is held at the church, which is located at 3301 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19802. http://www.trclive.org/Events?fldMonth=11/1/2017&fldEventID=505345&fldOccuranceDate=11/11/2017

I began a relationship with this church in 2015.  I was contacted by Dion Lemond, music director of the cantata and asked to come down to be the lead trumpeter.  I had never been to the church and had no idea what to expect.  In 2015, they began hosting their Thanksgiving Cantata to give thanks to the Lord for all that we have.  I was honored to perform in their first ever event and it was an incredible experience.  The choir and soloists, consisting of almost 30 voices are incredible singers and perform with such great passion and joy to the Lord.  But, I had no idea when I got there that in addition to the great singers was a 20+ pc. orchestra to back them.  Wow, the only word I could describe the experience was Awesome!  It began as a gig I had to go to in Delaware to a very rewarding musical experience with great people who were there to give their praise to the Lord.

After this experience I was asked to perform in a Christmas Cantata in Dover Delaware in December.  It was another great experience.  I only wish it was a little closer to home so I could invite everyone to experience it.  I was also fortunate to be asked to perform in the cantatas again in 2016.  When you play in something like this, you can’t help but to meet great people.  One of the musicians I met is a saxophone player and vocalist named Chip Bailey.  Chip is a great guy with an even greater attitude on life.  He always had a dream to record his own live album.  Well, that came true on March 4, 2017. I traveled again to Wilmington to be a part of his project, a live CD and DVD recording for Chip’s first album.  I was so proud to be there to help him realize his dream and I cannot wait to hear the CD when I meet him again in November.

A cantata glorifying the Lord is always worthwhile to me. But, with this years cantata honoring those who served in the military it can only make it that much more special.  The arrangements we are performing are full orchestrations many of which come from the library of The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.  They include America the Beautiful, You are Worthy, Faithful to the End and Spirit of a Grateful People to name a few.

Although the travel is too far for most locals to attend, if you wanted to be truly moved by a great experience, this would be it.  I am glad for experiences and opportunities to improve who I am and help to make me a better person.  I hope to share my thoughts and experiences from this event in the near future.

A Beautiful place to enjoy an Easter Morning Service

The Easter season has always been an important time for me.  As a kid in school, this usually meant Spring Break or at least a few vacation days if we did not use all of our snow days. It also served as a pseudo introduction to Spring. It seemed Easter Sunday was filled with great Spring-like weather with the hope of the season to come and the thought that the cold snowy days were behind us.  As I grew up and learned more about my Christian Faith, I began to appreciate and revere Holy Week for a much different reason.  A much more important one.  Each event during Holy Week has significant meaning to me and it has changed who I am today.

One great joy I have each Easter Sunday is to perform for the Easter morning service at the Carmel Presbyterian Church in Glenside, Pa. I’ve had the privilege to play at the church since 2012 along with trumpeter Chris Ballentine.  Both Chris and I are very ably accompanied by organist Abby Palmisano.  Abby is a very talented organist and choir director who has a great vision of the music program at Carmel.  She is very attentive to detail demanding the best from everyone yet is very kind and gentle to work with. She is fortunate to get to play the great Carmel Organ. Dating back to 1926, the Austin Organ had 18 ranks.  Twelve more ranks were added in 1955.  The 30 ranks left much to be desired tonally.  The church was Blessed in 1993 when renowned organ-voicer Bruce Shultz rescaled and revoiced the organ without removing any of the pipes.  The final touch was the addition of digital ranks by Walker Technical Co., with voicing by Mr. Walker himself along with Mr. Shultz to produce a glorious sound that truly rings to the Heavens inside the church.

The church has so much character as it a wonderfully constructed of brick and stone with high ceilings and exquisite stained glass windows. But, not just single pain windows. Several areas have full-scale artistic motifs and designs that are works of art themselves.  The original church dates back to 1872 when it was sponsored by the Abington Presbyterian Church. The first church building, the chapel, was constructed at the corner of Mt Carmel Avenue and Edge Hill Road, and dedicated on February 15, 1876. The formal organization of Carmel Presbyterian Church took place on February 15, 1882, with 26 charter members. As things grew, it was determined that a full-scale church needed to be built. So, in 1894, ground was broken and on January 26, 1896 the first church was dedicated. As the area was growing, so was the church. The tiny church of 1896 could not hold the explosion of growth.  This led to it being torn down and the building of the current structure in 1924-25.  Amazingly, by 1924 church membership had grown to 662 and the Sunday school had 825! Carmel’s membership grew to its highest in 1952 as it welcomed 2256 members weekly to service. Even more amazing was that the Sunday school or church school, had an incredible 1,816 in 1949. Needless to say, a new church school had to be built.  With this incredible history, you can see why I enjoy making the trip to Edge Hill Road in Glenside to be able to take part in a wonderful service of a church with such great history.  This year, an elevator was added to assist guests with the 2 floors of steps.  However, in great Carmel tradition, the design and implementation is not gaudy and filled with a modern look.  The construction echoes the craftsmanship and look of the existing building with a beautiful design reminiscent of its original design.  To learn more about the church and all the great things it does for the community, please visit their website at www.presbycarmel.org.

I had never met nor had the opportunity to work with Dave Liebman. But, I was well aware of his awesome reputation and status in the jazz community. It is not everyday that you have a chance to work with a man who played with Elvin Jones and Miles Davis! Needless to say, he certainly did not disappoint. His tone on the soprano sax was like I had never heard. Smooth and warm and his jazz lines were intoxicating to the ears. He played on Coltrane favorites-Impressions, Moment’s Notice, Naima, India and also Walt’s Waltz arranged by student musician Patrick Kerssen. Each of his solos left you wanting more. My favorite was the small group song India. India is one of John Coltrane’s world jazz compositions. You didn’t need to be a jazz aficionado to appreciate how well he can play. The “feel” that he established was obvious to everyone. The small group backing him was locked in and played so well in harmony. When Dave was playing his solo, it was as if you felt transported to the area of where the song was written. A true jazz master Liebman is and also a very gentle man as well I had a chance to greet him and feel like a better musician today for the experience of playing with him. He is joining us again for a performance in May and I am very much looking forward to it again.

I have had the joy of working with Neil Wetzel for several years and I am always impressed with him as a leader. He has a strong rapport with the students and mixes in humor and a great deal of energy to instruct and educate. Whenever I have played in the big band, his concerts always feature an eclectic music spanning several generations. He really does a great job in exposing the band to all styles of swing and jazz. It is not just about what is most current and popular on the collegiate level. It is to educate his students on the styles so they can be able to pass it on one day when they are band directors. The energy and confidence he has a director transferred very nicely to the band as they played with a sense of pride and determination throughout the night.

Over the past several years, the Moravian Jazz program has really grown. With a great faculty and cooperation with the Pennsylvania Jazz Collective (www.pajazzcollective.org), it is no wonder why the big band keeps reaching new levels.

In addition to this concert, I am excited to be joining the band again for two more great shows. On April 30th, we will be playing from 5-8pm at the Deer Head Inn in Stroudsburg, Pa. It is a great opportunity to play at one of the most historic jazz clubs in the country. We will also be playing on Sunday, May 7th for the Allentown Jazz Fest from 3-4:30pm at the Zion UCC “Liberty Bell” Church. (www.allentownjazzfest.org) This concert will again feature Dave Liebman.

I am happy to be working with Neil and his band. It is always great to get a chance to play with a group of very talented students. If you are in the area for the upcoming 2 dates, and have a chance to stop by, you won’t be disappointed.

More about Vince Pettinelli orchestra

He had a date set for March 4th and about two weeks before got in touch with me to make sure I was still good to play. The session wasn’t just a studio album recording. It was a Live video recording as well. He was actively advertising it on Facebook and other social media and tickets were selling pretty well. He sent me the music for the first song called “I’m Excited”, a song speaking to his excitement for the purpose of the recording session.. Glorifying God. It was a really good song with great horn parts. I had no idea it was an original of his or that he had that much talent to compose! I received other music from him all original music. Each was just as good as the next if not better. I have worked with artists who have their own music and you usually get a mix of good and bad. But, Chips music was all inspiring of praise to the Lord and you could sense his passion in each song.

When I arrived at The Resurrection Center on March 4th for the recording you could feel a sense of excitement throughout that today was going to be something special. I also learned that it was also his 30th birthday!! As I met the other horn players, one who was his brother, I learned that everyone had known Chip previously and were all equally excited to be supporting him on this project. He put together a nine-piece band and a six piece back up vocal ensemble. He also had two special guest groups to sing as a warm up act and intermission act. He also featured his mom, Glenda Bailey, who is an accomplished national recording artist herself. Wow, a full recording was in store for everyone.

The recording began at 6:00pm and the sanctuary had well over 100 people ready to support him and show praise to the Lord. It was very obvious that this was a long time dream of Chip’s and today was the culmination of that goal. Chips’ energy was infectious to us all and there was a great sense of togetherness and synergy in the room. We were all there to support his vision of praise and worship and I couldn’t be happier with just how well everything went. He was a dynamic performer and so appreciative to everyone who was a part of it. But, it was all of us who were so appreciative of him for letting us be a part of his special day.

Since it was a Live recording, video and audio recording were strictly prohibited so I could not record any clips or take any photos on my phone. But, as soon as the recording is ready for release, I will certainly pass it on to everyone. You won’t be disappointed.

Maria is considered one of the most in demand jazz composers of our time and is regarded as an innovator with her creative harmonic ideas and rhythmic structure unlike what you will ever hear. Her music is sometimes called avant-garde with flares of contemporary and classical styles peppered in.  The mixture of the varied styles is probably what makes her music as unique as it is.

Originally from Minnesota and now based out of New York City, Maria has managed to establish herself as the premier composer in an arena that has predominantly been dominated by men for the past 60 years.  She was named Best Composer, best Arranger and Best Big Band in Down Beat magazine from 2006-2012 and again in 2016.  In 2007 she won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition, “Cerulean Skies“, and Best Classical Vocal Solo Winter Morning Walks.  In 2016, her album The Thompson Fields won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble.  Needless to say, her accomplishments have not gone unnoticed.  Her music is now considered standard jazz literature for many top notch college jazz programs and she is very much in demand as a clinician and composer for many institutions.

If you talk to many jazz artists, you might hear that Maria is considered the top and most popular arranger on the East Coast and Gordon Goodwin the most sought after composer and arranger on the West Coast  The fact that we had someone of such high stature was a great experience for everyone involved.  Having the chance to hear exactly how a piece is supposed to played from the person who actually wrote it was a surreal experience.  She was very kind to work with yet had a way of demanding the best from everyone not accepting less than your best.

For everyone who was a part of her 3 days in the Lehigh Valley, there was definitely something to learn.  The concert was awesome and a great experience for the students.  Some of them may not yet realize the impact of someone like Maria being a part of their musical development. But, one day they will look back and realize that they had a chance to play under the direction of a legend!

On December 22, 2016 Ken Brader and the musicians of The Holiday Brass gathered once again for our annual holiday performance at the Outlets at the Sands shopping mall in Bethlehem, Pa.  This year, we had almost 40 members join us as we spread the joy of our music to our audience.   As you can expect, trying to coordinate the schedules of 40 people in December is nearly impossible.  Due to this difficulty we are only able to schedule one performance.  Because of this, it makes the opportunity that much more special.  Like we have in the past, we played at 7:15pm and 8:15pm in the center of the mall by the large tree.

I believe I am the longest performing member of the group.  Boy, do I feel old! I remember my first time as a student in elementary school when the group began.  It was shortly after I began studying with Ken. We were playing in a nursing home in Easton, Pa. The group was small but took off after that.  Growing up through high school I made many friends from different schools and enjoyed the camaraderie with musicians from other areas.  The last two years have been eye opening as I have seen several players who have either graduated or are in college.  I look at them and think, “wow, I remember when that person was in elementary school playing Jingle Bells in the small group and now they are in their twenties!”

The group has always been very important for a lot of people.  Routinely I hear from members who say that the holiday doesn’t feel like it is official until the Holiday Brass performs!  This year, in fact, we had several parents of former members who do not play anymore come to the mall just to hear the group! It was great to see them and know that this tradition is still enjoyed by many.  Ken always handled both the musical and communication duties.  But, with his performing schedule very active in the early 2000’s, and the group up to 50 musicians, it was hard for him to continue handling everything.  So, rather than potentially see the group end, I assumed the business and administration responsibilities for the group.  I did not do it for any reason other than to see us grow and continue to be a Blessing for so many people during the holiday season.

All of the music has been arranged by Ken Brader specifically for the group. Because it is so unique, it never gets old.  You can’t go to any music store and purchase these arrangements.  This music is meant for a large group and has certainly stood the test of time for over 30 years.

I am very thankful to the Errica Rennig and the management of the Outlets at the Sands for taking such great care of us and providing us with everything we need to ensure a successful performance.  We are looking forward to our performance again in December of 2017.

The Holiday Brass Quartet

In June of 2016, I received a call from the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs Baseball Team.  They were filling their schedule for musicians to perform the National Anthem before an upcoming home game and wanted to know if I was interested.  Since the Iron Pigs are the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, I thought it would be a great opportunity to perform.  Except, who would join me?  Since Ken had been doing some arranging for a student quartet I asked him if he had any interest in forming a Holiday Brass Quartet and creating his own arrangement of the Star Spangled Banner to perform.  Well, after some discussion, Ken began working on his own arrangement of the National Anthem and the Holiday Brass Quartet was born. We played at home plate on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 for their 11:00am home game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa.  It was a great experience.  It is always neat to have a chance to go behind the scenes and through the areas usually off limits to the general public.  The performance went well and we were honored to be asked to perform.  We are hoping to be able to expand this for the upcoming season.  Stay tuned..…

I’d like to thank and acknowledge the following musicians for joining us this year–

Scott Albert, Andrew Applegate, Alan Babp, Michael Brown, Jim Buchinski, Joe Buza,

Mark Campbell, Shannon Cawley, Donald Davis, Richard Davis, Donte Delvecchio,

Joe DiMarco, Ryan Dupuis, Rachel Ewaniuk, Rebecca Franco, Ethan Hawkes, Jim Hegedus, Joan Hillyer, Stephanie Kocher, Ali Korona, Jeremy Kratzer, Austen LaBarre, David LaBarre, Taylor LaBarre, Budd Matlock, Jesse Nitchkey, Linda Oaks, Nick Owsik, Matt Pasch, Bob Peruzzi, Ashley Pizzino, Nash Rochman, Jean Sampson, Jim Smith, John Spangenburg, Nick Stein, Isabel Stoeckley, Crystal Trinneer,

This passion and dedication to music led to the formation of the Arturo Sandoval Institute (ASI) in 2012.  The Institute is focused on Educating, Inspiring and Supporting music programs and students without regard to financial circumstances.  The ASI can be found at www.arturosandovalinstitute.org.

One great thing they do is to provide 90 minute videos of clinics featuring Arturo with a great musician of our time.  These videos are then uploaded free to Youtube. What a great opportunity for anyone to sit and watch 2 great musicians discuss playing techniques, and anything else music related.

Below are some of the videos featured.  I have personally found these to be of a great educational value.  The fact that I can sit and watch these videos feeling like I am getting a private lesson myself is just awesome.  Plus, this is all for FREE! Thank you to Arturo and the ASI for providing this great learning tool for all of us.

Arturo with Wayne Bergeron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhT6TtlqXtg&t=19s

In this video Arturo and Wayne share stories of the music business and discuss

playing techniques.  Highly recommended!

Arturo Sandoval Master Class Video #1 – The Warm Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1r4fpTDIkQ

Arturo Sandoval Master Class Video #2 – Listening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VdYmj8n4TE

These 2 videos are much shorter and give great insight to Arturo’s warm up

philosophy as well as his listening approach to jazz. Both are great!

 
Arturo with Malcom McNab and Gary Grant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrOwe9dM1lI

A video featuring Malcom and Gary with special guest Chuck Findley. Four

legends of trumpet talking and discussing the business!

My father proudly served in the Army during World War II in the 76th Infantry Division. Later in life, he also volunteered for the local Veteran’s Affairs Office and served as Commander of the American Legion Post 446. Growing up in a solid Christian family, I learned my value system and began to understand what it meant to be an American Patriot. One way this happened for me which opened my eyes to our country began in the 6th grade. When I was a 6th grader, I started playing TAPS for military funerals. My dad would take me out of school and I would play TAPS at the cemetery at the conclusion of the grave site service. The experience of knowing that TAPS is the final salute to that individual was inspiring. Watching the firing squad, family and those in attendance stand at attention honoring the deceased as I played was incredibly powerful as well as adding a lot of pressure to not make a mistake! It really cemented in my mind the feelings for our nation. I’ve played TAPS hundreds of times since and still today, if available, will volunteer my time and go anywhere I need to play for a funeral, service or Veteran’s Day program. It pains me to see our Veteran’s not have a proper military funeral. This experience at such an early age began to shape who I am today. I developed a great respect and honor for our Veteran’s and our country.

I feel far too often many take our country for granted. Even though I did not serve in the Armed Services, I have great respect for those who did and the impact their contribution has had on our country. As a teenager, I was always involved in parades on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. They were always great displays of patriotism of those who love our country. My dad also served as a local councilman in our community which gave me a little insight on our government and how it works. Again, as a young kid, these images and experiences shaped my love for our country.

As I look at the state of our Country recently, it has become very clear to me that America is a nation in crisis. Everyone has an opinion and if you don’t agree with someone’s, problems arise. You are called out as being some sort of prejudiced person. Our racial divide has grown and protest groups have formed with the perception that they are here to solve the problem. Yet, there is a strong undercurrent of questionable methods to achieve the goals of these groups. When America saw the Civil Rights protests of the 1950’s begin, the leader, Dr. Martin Luther King always advocated for peaceful demonstrations or actions. One famous example happened in 1955 which made history for the Civil Rights movement. Rosa Parks, a seamstress who routinely took public transportation, was arrested for not giving up her seat on a public bus to a white person on her way home from work on a cold evening in December. Dr. King jumped to her defense and the next day at a church meeting organized a protest in a way that affected the situation causing positive change to occur and the Civil Rights Movement was changed forever. What he proposed was a boycott of the public transit system immediately. Well, the next day and thereafter, the bus companies began to struggle. Many of their riders were African-Americans and without them on the bus, their income dropped. One year later, the Federal Court ruled against busses segregated by color and allowed anyone to board a public bus at any time regardless of race or color. This effective protest by Dr. King proved to be successful. It was peaceful and saw results.

It seems to me there are some that feel successful protests are those where damage to public property occur, fires are started and unruly behavior is celebrated. But does that really reflect on the manner and style of Dr. King? I feel the key ingredient that Dr. King always kept as his focus was his Faith. His protests and marches were created with lawful behavior only considered. Do the protests we’ve seen in places like St. Louis, Baltimore and others sound like they are filled with a Faith and lawful centered focus? Random attacks on police seemingly to justify a revenge behavior?

But I ask, why has so much of our society turned away from God and his message of Love and Peace? Instead, choosing a path of moral depravity which is not going to solve any problem. It is only going to continue to create social unrest and never drive to find peaceful solutions to America’s problems. Perhaps our nation needs a healthy dose of the what our founders meant when the sovereignty of our country was formed Under God. If we constantly continue to live in the “what makes me feel good” society as opposed to what God wants from us, we are choosing the future of our country…