World-renowned Musicians to Perform for Paradise Valley Jazz Party

Saturday and Sunday, May 2nd and 3rd, 2009 at Scottsdale Hilton Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona – Guest of Honor – Dave Frishberg

Scottsdale, AZ – More than 25 world-renowned musicians will perform for the 32nd annual Paradise Valley Jazz Party, promising 16 hours of top-level jazz on May 2 and 3 at the Scottsdale Hilton Resort, 6333 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

The lineup of musicians represents three generations, from college students to a pair of octogenarians who are still busy performing and touring. The players are brought from across the nation and Europe, including two who live part-time in Europe.

“This is one of the longest-running jazz events in the world,” said Don Z. Miller of Paradise Valley, producer of the event since 1978 and a founding member of Jazz in AZ.  “We bring together musicians from the East and West Coasts to create exciting improvised sets. The music is a variety of straight-ahead jazz, blues, swing and Latin.”

Among the elder statesmen performing this year will be 87-year-old trumpeter Joe Wilder, who played in the 1940s bands of Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton and Count Basie. Perennial performer Bob Wilber, 81, who resides in England but has a winter home in Scottsdale, lived and studied with the legendary Sidney Bechet, and worked in Eddie Condon bands in New York City. Another senior musician at the party will be flutist-saxophonist vocalist Sam Most, 78, who played in bands ranging from Tommy Dorsey to Buddy Rich. 

A weekend badge for reserved cabaret seating is $195, including Sunday lunch. Individual sessions are $55 for Saturday afternoon, $55 for Saturday night and $95 for Sunday, including lunch. Badges may be reserved by calling 480-948-7993, fax to 480-991-5732, email dzmiller@cox.net, purchased online at www.Instantseats.com/events/ParadiseValleyJazz. More information is at http://www.paradisevalleyjazz.com/. Hotel rooms can be reserved at 800-498-7396 or online at http://www.scottdaleresort.hilton.com/ (special party rate is $169 single or double).

The party has been described as “one big jazz festival jam session” with continuous 45-minute sets during the three sessions, Saturday from noon to 4:30 p.m., Saturday night from 8 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

At every party, one of the musicians is selected to be the guest of honor, and this year it’s Dave Frishberg, a pianist, lyricist and composer of witty and amusing songs.  He’s probably best known for “Peel Me A Grape” (a Mae West line in the 1933 movie “I’m No Angel”) that has been recorded through the decades by singers including Blossom Dearie, Anita O’Day and Diana Krall. Another of his hits is “My Attorney Bernie”.

A new face and sound at the party will be trombonist Sarah Morrow, who divides her time between Paris and Columbus, Ohio, where she studied with Gary Carney. The lineup also features pianist Dick Hyman, saxophonist Houston Person, former Count Basie drummer Butch Miles, trumpeter Carl Saunders, guitarist Bruce Forman, bassists John Heard and Jon Burr, and drummer-vibist John Cocuzzi. The Tamir Hendelman Trio from Los Angeles will feature the leader on piano, bassist Martin Wind and drummer Joe LaBarbera.

The roster also includes top Arizona talent such as pianists Mike Kocour and Ioannis Goudelis, saxophonist Lucas Pino (now living and working in New York City), bassist Dwight Kilian and drummer Dom Moio, and the ASU Sun Devil Jazz Quintet.

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