TIJO News

Hello, friends! I know it’s been a while since the last newsletter, but with the recent changes in the band, I knew I’d better get busy.

Of course, the biggest news is that one of the Truth In Jazz co-founders has left the band to pursue greener pastures…or maybe I should say bluer waters. Little Snot-Nose Dave Colley has left for the old country and is performing on cruise ships all over the Mediterranean Sea and ports all through Europe. We will sorely miss Dave as a trombonist, announcer, band leader, booking agent and most of all, good friend. We hope Dave will come back and visit whenever he’s back in the States and tell us tales of tromboning on the high seas. We’ll miss you, Snot-Nose!

On the upcoming event scene, TiJO will be performing at John Ball Park in Grand Rapids on June 16th. This is sponsored by the West Michigan Jazz Society, and will be the third time that TiJO has opened up the Jazz at the Zoo concert series, which is now in its eighth year. Come on out, bring a picnic, and enjoy the sounds of the Truth in Jazz Orchestra in one of the most peaceful settings possible.

Also coming up in July, TiJO will be in Baldwin on July 2, Fennville on July 22, and in Lowell on July 24. Check the calendar for more information on these gigs. All of these concerts are as part of ongoing concert series, and the Truth is thrilled to be a part of them. We are also hoping that we will be able to get back to Grand Haven this summer to play at the waterfront stadium.

As usual, thing will continue at the West Side Inn as well. We will be there twice a month throughout the rest of the year (except July…only once) and hope you will come out and keep the tradition alive of packing the joint for “TiJO Tuesday’s at the West Side Inn.” We start at 7:30pm each night, but if you’ve been out at all, you know to get there early for one of Rob Schweifler’s famous perch dinner specials…it doesn’t get any better than that! Check the calendar for the dates and come on down!!

Hi, everyone! It's been a while since we've talked (hmmm, whose fault is that? ;-) but we wanted to let everyone know that the Truth in Jazz Orchestra is still around and getting ready for a great, new year.

Coming up on February 16, the Truth in Jazz Orchestra will be putting on their tuxedos and playing at Wilma Hall, 2950 McCracken in Muskegon for "Together Forever, An Evening of Romance." This dinner dance will have a catered dinner from Brann's (prime rib, steak or chicken), a cash bar, a photographer and lots of swinging music by TiJO! Tickets are $60 a couple, and are available at the St Francis de Sales parish office, or by calling 231-755-1953, extension 221.

On March 15, the Truth in Jazz Orchestra will be performing a concert at the Howmet Theatre in Whitehall. Part of their spring concert series, tickets are $10 and are available at the Whitehall City Hall or by calling 231-894-4048. We would like to thank Tom Harryman and the city of Whitehall for the opportunity to play in this fine theatre. You can thank Tom, too, as he quite often shows up at the West Side Inn for TiJO's Tuesday night festivities.

Speaking of Tuesdays at the West Side Inn, things will continue there as well. We will be there on January 29, February 26, and March 25, as we continue with our abbreviated winter schedule. So come on out, listen to the band, have some dinner (maybe owner Rob Schweifler will get in some more of that wonderful Lake Michigan perch!), and give Rob a slap on the back, and thank him for his support of the Truth in Jazz Orchestra. Everyone in the band is *so* grateful that Rob lets us come into his place and never tells us to quiet down!

Also, we will be in Fennville this summer, at their Tuesdays in the Park concert series. We are scheduled for July 22, 2008 at 7:00 PM. This popular series of concerts is held every other Tuesday evening throughtout the summer at Memorial/Paradise Park on N. Maple Street in downtown Fennville. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the lower level of the Fennville District Library.

Hello, friends! We trust everyone is having a wonderful summer filled with fun, food, family and, of course, music! Truth in Jazz has been keeping busy, playing at the West Side, up in Baldwin, over in Grand Haven and many points in between.

On the upcoming event scene, TiJO will be performing at the United States Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven on August 1^st. We’ll be sharing the stage with The Patin Trio... three women vocalists who specialize in 30’s and 40’s music...the Golden Oldies from the USO Era. The concert starts at 7:30pm. As usual during Coast Guard, the traffic will be a hassle, so plan on getting there early, find someplace to park and enjoy a nice walk on the boardwalk before the show.

Also coming up in August is a benefit for our good friend and band artist, Sharon Smithem. Sharon is the person who has done the wonderful paintings of Dan Jacobs, Dave Collee, Rob Hartman and Tim Froncek that are above the bar at the West Side. Donations will be taken at the door to help defray some recent unexpected medical expenses, and we’re always glad to help fellow artists! There will be food, drinks, an auction of some wonderful things and music by Truth in Jazz, so please come out and help Sharon out and maybe you’ll walk away with more than a good feeling! This will take place at the Cottage on Mears, 1030 Mears and will be from 2 to 5pm.

As usual, things will continue at the West Side Inn as well. We will be there on August 7^th and 21^st, so come on out, listen to the band, have some dinner, and give bar owner Rob Schweifler a hard time about all the vacation he takes...Ireland, Japan, Turtle Island...who knows where he’ll head next! But we know where WE’LL be, so come on out and join us!!

First, a quick recap of the spring - things have really been hopping at the West Side Inn. The Muskegon Chronicle was in to do a lovely article about Dave and Tim and the band. You can find it on the Reviews Page on the website. Also, folks heard The Truth at the 4^th Annual Thornapple Arts Council/Felpausch Jazz Festival in Hastings. The band was cooking, and it was great to hear some young jazz musicians as well, directed quite ably I might add, by our own Mike McLeod. Also, Dan Jacobs has been very busy as well. You can check his dates at his website, www.danjacobsmusic.com

We've got some great things lined up for this summer as well. TiJO will be appearing in Grand Haven at the waterfront stadium *4 times* this summer, including August 1st, as part of the U.S. Coast Guard Festival. Truth in Jazz is also performing at a benefit for the Mason Street Warehouse in Saugutuck on June 2. This should be a fun affair, as they will be recreating a 1940's jazz club at the Laketown Conference Center. Also, you look for Truth in Jazz at the John Ball Park Zoo on June 18th. This is a beautiful venue to listen to some jazz, and food and drink will be available if you don't want to pack your own. For the rest of our dates, including performances at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Baldwin "Sounds from the Forest" concert series, as well as at the West Side Inn, please check our schedule posted at www.tijo.org

Spring is here, seekers of Truth in Jazz!!! Time to put away your mittens and get ready for a fun and music filled spring and summer! You’ll have quite a few opportunities to hear the Truth in the next few months.

Coming up first is great event that we’re happy to be a part of - the 4^th Annual Thornapple Arts Council/Felpausch Jazz Festival in Hastings on April 13 & 14. Friday will have jazz all over town featuring local high school jazz bands plus professional acts in the evening. Saturday promises to be a fun affair with performances by young jazz musicians from 12 west Michigan high schools during the day, and then a final concert starting at 7:30pm, opening with the TAC Jazz Festival High School All-Star Band and concluding with the Truth in Jazz Orchestra! Saturday’s concert takes place at the Central Elementary School auditorium.

Our engagement continues at the West Side Inn on the 17^rd of April. Remember to come out early, as the club fills up quickly. We’ve also booked some great jobs for this summer including 4 dates at the Grand Haven Waterfront, including a repeat performance during the Coast Guard Festival. We are also playing a benefit for the Mason Street Warehouse in Saugatuck in early June. This will take place at the Laketown Conference Center and promises to be a gala event. Come on down!!!

Welcome to 2007, seekers of Truth in Jazz!!! We hope everyone made it through the holidays in good shape and ready for a fun, jazz-filled new year.

Since last year's Valentines dance - "Jazz with Warm Hearts" was so much fun, we've decided to do it again. It takes place February 10^th at the Muskegon Masonic Temple, located downtown at 396 W. Clay. We'll be doing a lot of the great old big band dance tunes, plus a few new favorites, I'm sure. Tickets are now available at the Temple, or by calling 231-722-2411. Come on out...we'd love to see you there!

Another great event that we're happy to be a part of is the 4^th Annual Thornapple Arts Council/Felpausch Jazz Festival in Hastings on April 14. This promises to be a fun affair with performances by young jazz musicians from 14 west Michigan high schools during the day, and then a final concert opening with the All-Star High School Jazz Band and concluding with the Truth in Jazz Orchestra!

Of course, we'll continue our engagement at the West Side Inn on the 23^rd of January. Remember to come out early, as the club fills up quickly. I'm sure our host, Rob Schweifler, and his gang of co-horts would love to serve you some wonderful food and beverages while you're waiting for the band to start. Besides, you have to come and see if any of the band members got new horns for Christmas!

11/12/06
We've landed another gig at the Alley Door Club, in the Hilt Building in Muskegon. The club has received a rave review, and we had a great time with a wonderful crowd playing there earlier this year. This gig has yet to be scheduled, so check back. We will post details when available. . We will also be at the Dogwood Center in Fremont for a concert sometime in the near future.

Be sure to check out our regular gig at the West Side Inn in Muskegon. We are appearing there twice a month through the rest of 2006.

We are getting some rehearsals in during October and November, and hope to premier some new charts for our loyal fans. Known tunes include Buddy Rich's version of West Side Story, and we hope to have another chart from one of our favorite contemporary composers, Gordon Goodwin (who wrote Hunting Wabbits and High Maintenance, two of our favorite charts!) His latest album, The Phat Pack, has a great chart of a strange piece Gordon wrote earlier in his career...the theme song to the cult hit Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! Gordon occasionally writes his thoughts on his website, which I thought was interesting this month. You can check it out here.

We say goodbye to a dear friend and great saxophonist, Jeff Baird, who is moving to upstate New York. He made his last regular appearance with TiJO on September 12 at the West Side Inn gig. Jeff has been our lead tenor sax man, and has recently been playing lead alto sax with TiJO. We hope he returns for visits to sit in!

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