Tri-C JazzFest 2022 In Review

ANNUAL

“ ”

Tri-C JazzFest did a fantastic job of ensuring that those who arrived with open ears discovered at least one artist who they loved.

—All About Jazz

IN REVIEW

The 43rd annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland made its triumphant return to Playhouse Square June 23-25, 2022. The outdoor festivities were enjoyed by 10,000 people under beautiful blue skies, and nearly 6,000 fans paid to enjoy ticketed concerts in the Mimi Ohio, Connor Palace and Allen theaters.

In keeping with the homecoming spirit, JazzFest welcomed back native Clevelanders Sean Jones, Dominick Farinacci and Joe Lovano. Celebrating more Cleveland ties, Jamey Haddad was featured on Farinacci’s stunning set, and 19-year-old Thomas Schinabeck, who attended Tri-C JazzFest Academy before going to the Peabody Conservatory, was invited to perform with Sean Jones along with Cleveland spoken-word artist Orlando Watson. In addition to artists from across the country, the Tri-C JazzFest All-Star Big Band, under the direction of John Clayton, featured both Sean Jones and Dominick Farinacci, along with Clevelanders Mark Mauldin, Sam Blakeslee, Brad Wagner and Chris Coles. Outdoors, the love letter to Cleveland continued with a tribute to B3 master Eddie Baccus. Two big bands, led by Steve Enos and the legendary Ernie Krivda, enjoyed guest appearances by former students Farinacci and Jones.

The indoor lineup started with an R&B concert by Anthony Hamilton at Music Hall, and a variety of artistry at Playhouse Square featured the likes of Raul Midón, Cyrille Aimée, Ghost-Note, Brian Culbertson and Eddie Palmieri, along with a tribute to Toots Thielemans with Kenny Werner and Grégoire Maret and a Sinatra tribute with John Pizzarelli and John Clayton.

Outdoors, the festival added a Next Gen Stage showcasing Tri-C students and alumni and alternating with the Strassman Insurance Stage. In addition to food trucks, a dedicated kids area and shops, the Jazz Kitchen featured cooking demonstrations and artist interviews.

Despite chaotic airline travel and COVID-19 spikes, all artists made it to the festival and no concerts were canceled or delayed.

Jazz Legends

Alex Johnson, Ph.D.

Cuyahoga Community College President

If outgoing Cuyahoga Community College president Alex Johnson hadn’t taken a chance and acted on his vision, Tri-C JazzFest would have never seen the light of day — literally.

It was his dream to move the festival outdoors at Playhouse Square to allow for greater community engagement and provide an opportunity for everyone to experience free musical entertainment. The experiment that began in 2014 was an instant success.

Johnson has always seen JazzFest as a chance to enliven the art form, as a showcase for the institution and as an opportunity for talented youth to cultivate their craft. He is proud that he was able to continue the work of his predecessors and fellow JazzFest Legends, Nolen Ellison and Jerry Sue Thornton.

His focus on strengthening Tri-C’s mission and purpose adds to Johnson’s legendary status. He has instituted numerous programs to strengthen access, equity, success and completion for thousands of students who attend the college each year.

With three decades in academia — including numerous board appointments, two books and countless accolades for his humanitarian and leadership efforts — Johnson’s induction as a JazzFest Legend is but the latest honor in a distinguished career.

Each year, the Tri-C JazzFest Legends Award is presented to Northeast Ohio individuals and organizations who demonstrate outstanding achievement in jazz performance, education, advocacy or philanthropy.

Jim Strassman

Strassman Insurance Services

A native Clevelander known as much for his insurance agency as he is for his philanthropy, Jim Strassman has advanced the academic careers of countless students through his dedication to education and the arts.

Music fans will recognize the name: Sponsorship of the outdoor Strassman Insurance Stage at Tri-C JazzFest is but one of his generous contributions to the festival. Strassman also serves as a JazzFest Advisory Board member, lending his time, business expertise and lifelong love of music to help guide the program and develop the next generation of jazz musicians.

In addition to JazzFest, Strassman has been involved with the Cleveland International Film Festival, American Red Cross and many other community organizations.

Strassman Insurance Services Inc. is a team of 20-plus professionals equipped to handle all facets of insurance for small and medium-sized businesses.

David M. Thomas, Ph.D.

Musician Educator

David Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and one of the area’s leading performing jazz musicians. His musical studies took him from Youngstown to London and, finally, to Kent State University, where he earned a doctorate in music education.

Thomas has shared his talents and inspiration as a member of the music staff in schools throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cuyahoga Community College. He has recorded and toured with a “who’s who” of jazz and R&B greats, most notably Dizzy Gillespie, Grover Washington Jr., Phil Woods and Jennifer Holliday.

His acclaimed compositions for choir and orchestra include “Songs of a Journey to Freedom” and various works for popular jazz group Pieces of a Dream.

Branching into music literature, Thomas earned the prestigious Coretta Scott King Award as co-author of A Child’s First Book of Spirituals

Artistry

Indoor Artist Lineup

Anthony Hamilton Music Hall

Sean Jones Quartet Allen Theatre

June 23, 8 p.m.

June 24, 5 p.m.

Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas: Sound Prints Mimi Ohio Theatre

Brian Culbertson Connor Palace

Ghost-Note

Mimi Ohio Theatre

Dominick Farinacci and Triad Mimi Ohio Theatre

Cyrille Aimée Mimi Ohio Theatre

Raul Midón Allen Theatre

Eddie Palmieri Mimi Ohio Theatre

Kenny Werner/Grégoire Maret Palace Theatre

June 24, 6:30 p.m.

June 24, 8 p.m.

June 24, 10:30 p.m.

June 25, 2 p.m.

June 25, 3 p.m.

June 25, 4:30 p.m.

June 25, 6:15 p.m.

June 25, 8:15 p.m.

Tri-C JazzFest All-Star Big Band Under the direction of John Clayton featuring John Pizzarelli Palace Theatre

June 25, 9:15 p.m.

Outdoor Lineup

Strassman Insurance Stage

Alla Boara

Ernie Krivda and the Fat Tuesday Big Band

Sam Hooper Group

Cats on Holiday

Walter Barnes Jr. & Friends

Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band

JazzWorks

Hubb’s Groove

Rachel Brown & The Beatnik Playboys

East Central Jazz Educators Big Band

Herb Wilborn Jr. Band

Dave Thomas

Sammy DeLeon y su Orquesta

William M. Weiss Foundation Next Gen Stage

Funky Duck

Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensembles

Tanline!

Colin Palmieri Quartet

Thomas Schinabeck Quartet

Spirit of the Groove

Jazz Kitchen

Chef Maureen Leonard: Edible cookie dough

MonoNeon (Interviewed by Jack Marchbanks)

Chef April Thompson: Garlic curry chicken deviled eggs

Joe Lovano on Wayne Shorter (Interviewed by Dan Polletta)

Chef Eric Wells: Low-country shrimp and grits

Kenny Werner on Toots Thielemans

(Interviewed by Joe Mosbrook)

Raul Midón (Interviewed by Kerry Davis)

Cyrille Aimée (Interviewed by Jack Marchbanks)

Joe Lovano on Eddie Baccus (Interviewed by Joe Mosbrook)

U.S. Bank Kids Club

Art Acts

Sax-O-Matic

Drumming with Dylan

Education and Community Outreach

JazzFest conducted several master classes between March and June as the College and city transitioned into more normalcy after the peak of the pandemic. All master classes were free and open to the public, and some were streamed.

MARCH 2022

Anthony Taddeo

Facilitated by drummer/percussionist and Tri-C alum, Anthony Taddeo, with his band Alla Boara.

The Jazz Gallery All-Stars

Aaron Parks (piano), Matt Brewer (bass) and Kendrick Scott (drums) conducted a master class with the Spirit of the Groove student ensemble.

APRIL 2022

Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF)

Tri-C JazzFest director, Terri Pontremoli, interviewed Kathleen Ermitage about her film Mixtape Trilogy: Stories of the Power of Music. The film functions as a thank-you note to the role music has played in shaping our culture and our world. More than 300 people viewed the interview on the CIFF website.

Disney and Pixar’s Soul

Under the direction of renowned trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, Tri-C JazzFest Academy students provided live music for 75 attendees prior to a screening of this award-winning film. Creative Arts dean, Paul Cox, conducted a virtual interview with Pixar’s chief creative officer, Pete Docter.

Goldings/Bernstein/Stewart Organ Trio

The acclaimed organ trio featuring Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart conducted a master class with students from the Tri-C Jazz Academy, who opened the show.

APRIL 2022 (Continued)

Tri-C Downbeat Jazz Education Days

Two days of educational adjudications and workshops took place at Westlake and Hudson high schools, reaching 122 students throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. Teaching artists included trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, bassist Brian Thomas, pianist Jonathan Thomas, drummer Jerome Jennings and Grammy Award-winning bassist John Clayton. Student ensembles were critiqued and coached after their performances and engaged in rhythm section, improv and listening sessions.

MAY 2022

Debut at Dizzy’s

The Tri-C JazzFest Academy’s Spirit of the Groove ensemble performed two sold-out shows at NYC’s Jazz at Lincoln Center. Made up of pre-college students from across Northeast Ohio, the ensemble is led by Farinacci. JazzFest Academy students included Ava Preston (vocal), Liam Speaks (bass), Eli Leder (bass), Oscar Lacombe (bass), Henry Peyrebrune (bass), Ted Clouser (guitar), Drew Hoschar (drums), Ben Bosler (percussion), Rohit Kashyap (drums), Nehemiah Baker (drums) and academy alum Thomas Schinabeck (alto saxophone).

Partnerships

Tri-C JazzFest maintains active partnerships with CIFF, East Cleveland Public Library, Karamu House and Playhouse Square. In 2022, JazzFest partnered with Karamu House and the Downtown Cleveland Alliance on a free Juneteenth celebration at Mall C featuring Keyon Harold. The event drew approximately 10,000 attendees. JazzFest also partnered with Good News Concert Series to bring 2,000 attendees to the Rock Hall for a free concert by Red Hands, Tye Tribbett and Kim Burrell.

A Farewell to Alex Johnson

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation celebrated the leadership of President Alex Johnson at a gala on JazzFest opening night at Cleveland’s historic Public Auditorium. The program applauded Johnson’s leadership of the Tri-C Foundation, which provides resources for student success. The event launched an endowment bearing Johnson’s name that will benefit future generations of students. The Dr. Alex Johnson Access, Equity and Success Fund will expand the Tri-C Foundation’s capacity to provide short-term solutions for expenses — such as housing, food, technology and books — that often overwhelm students and disrupt their education.

Board of Trustees Chair Helen Forbes Fields, Tri-C Foundation Chair Lou Joseph, Gala Emcee Leon Bibb and Tri-C student Luis González announced that $1 million had been raised for the fund through the generosity of those who attended the gala.

“The greatest lessons come from our students, and each one has an inspiring story,” Johnson said. “Tri-C students have shown me that, with an open door and faith in their promise, they will persevere on their educational journeys. Given the opportunity, they will impress you again and again.”

Marketing

The marketing approach for this year’s festival was completely integrated, utilizing social media, media relations, digital advertising, print advertising, broadcast advertising on radio and TV, email marketing, direct mail, collateral distribution and outdoor signage. Advertising targeted regional and national audiences, particularly people who have been to Tri-C JazzFest before and those who are generally interested in jazz and live music.

Over the past decade, the festival has seen continuous audience growth at its usual home at Playhouse Square. After a two-year hiatus, advertising messaging focused on bringing people back to experience the same quality festival they had been to before.

Efforts expanded in the days leading up to JazzFest and during the festival, with high-visibility stories and ads appearing in print, on TV, over the radio and in online media outlets.

Other marketing strategies:

• Media relations began in February with the announcement of the festival returning home to Playhouse Square. Coverage continued in the following weeks and months, with releases on the indoor lineup, passes and tickets on sale, call for outdoor artists and the announcement of the outdoor lineup.

• Television coverage included a mix of live broadcasts and recorded segments through WVIZ, WKYC, WJW and Spectrum News.

• Radio advertising ran on WENZ, WZAK and WCPN.

• Email marketing efforts continued with distribution of a JazzFest-owned biweekly newsletter, partner emails with Cool Cleveland, CIFF, Playhouse Square, Planeta Latino and a targeted email send through Audacy.

• Ramped up digital marketing efforts by targeting events like Wonderstruck and Cain Park concerts; JazzFest 2021; locations like the Bop Stop, Beachland Ballroom and Music Box Supper Club; JazzFest mailing list subscribers (24,000+); and WKYC, cleveland.com, ideastream, Scene, JazzTimes, Cleveland Magazine, DownBeat Magazine and Live Nation websites.

• Increased amount of Facebook, Instagram and YouTube advertising.

• Maintained a print presence in The Plain Dealer, Call and Post, LaPrensa, Cleveland Jewish News, Cleveland Scene, Beachwood Buzz, Shaker Life, Currents, Chagrin Valley Times, JazzTimes and DownBeat Magazine

• Printed and distributed rack cards and yard signs all over Northeast Ohio.

CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (TRI-C®)

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Helen Forbes Fields

Chair

Ann M. Frangos

Vice Chair

The Rev. Cory C. Jenkins Phoebe Lee

Geralyn M. Presti

Andrew E. Randall

Alan Rosskamm

Victor A. Ruiz

Ted Tywang

PRESIDENT’S CABINET

Michael Baston, J.D., Ed.D. President

Alex Johnson, Ph.D. President Emeritus

William H. Gary Sr.

Executive Vice President Workforce, Community and Economic Development

David Kuntz, CPA

Executive Vice President/Treasurer Administration and Finance

Karen Miller, Ph.D. Executive Vice President/Provost Access, Learning and Success

Todd Kitchen, Ed.D. President, Eastern Campus

Denise McCory, Ed.D. President, Metropolitan Campus

Lisa Williams, Ph.D. President, Western Campus

Scott Latiolais, Ed.D. President, Westshore Campus

Ronna McNair

Chief of Staff/Executive Assistant to the President

Jenny Febbo

Vice President, Integrated Communications

Megan O’Bryan

Vice President, Development President, Cuyahoga Community College Foundation

Claire Rosacco

Vice President, Government Affairs and Community Outreach

Renee Tramble Richard, J.D.

Vice President, Legal Services

TRI-C JAZZFEST BOARD OF ADVISORS

Scott Balogh Mar-Bal Incorporated

Steven Balogh Mar-Bal Incorporated

Jules Belkin

The Francine and Jules Belkin Philanthropic Fund

Liz Conway Cuyahoga Community College Foundation

Carol A. Cunningham, M.D. Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of EMS

Barry Gabel Live Nation

Donald Nettis American Controls

Nwaka Onwusa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Robert Shenton

Plante Moran

Jim Strassman

Strassman Insurance Services Inc.

TRI-C JAZZFEST STAFF

FESTIVAL PRODUCTION

Horschke

Joél Tucker Outreach

Ann Garbler Grant Writer

Fran and Jules Belkin

Carol Cunningham Beth Anne and Don Nettis

William M. Weiss Foundation Char and Chuck Fowler

John O’Brien Sweetwater Sound Ruvene and David Whitehead Ellen and Dan Zelman