CBJC Plans for 8th Annual Festival

[Lois Gilbert]

CBJC Plans for 8th Annual Festival

Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium/CBJC members are busy planning for the 8th Annual CBJC Jazz Festival scheduled for 26 days from April 4th – to April 29th 2007.

The theme for this year’s festival is “Jazz and Rhythm- Voice of the People,” which speaks to the tempo of jazz music as it finds its sound in the contemporary voice of the people. “This music is always evolving” stated CBJC chairperson Jitu K.Weusi. “If you trace this sound from the 1920’s until now (2007) you will find that every decade has a distinct sound that echoes the voice and the mood of contemporary people. Jazz stays in step with the people.”

The Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium, born in 1999, is an amalgam of jazz musicians, venue owners, churches, community based organizations, and lovers of the music. Over the past 7 years, they have presented an annual Spring Festival, established a Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame, and produced yearly programs of events and activities that feature local jazz musical talents.

“Our mission was to bring the music and musicians back to our community as a means of involving our culture in the upliftment of our community. We also realize the economic upturn that results in creating new clubs, restaurants, and taverns that include a place for musicians to play and work for other community residents.” Weusi explains, “The annual festival (CBJC-8th) is a way of extending a hand to all the entities that can present music venues in Central Brooklyn and urge them to work cooperatively with CBJC.”

There will be exciting performances each day of the festival. Don’t miss it and help spread the word.

ome of the events for the 8th Annual Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival includes:

March 6th- Press Party, (location TBA) to announce the Festival Schedule.
March 17th- “Jazz-The Women’s Viewpoint” With this year’s theme “Our Time, Our Place, Our Story.”
April 4th- CBJC Gala Fundraiser with Top Shelf Jazz talent
April 11th - Randy Weston Trio performs at Brooklyn Historical Society
April 28th-Youth Jamboree featuring musicians of all ages
April 29th- Brooklyn Blowout-Closing Event featuring sounds of the areas outstanding talents.


This year all festival events will feature video footage from the 1st JAH Pilgrimage held Feb. 15-25 2007 in South Africa.