PORT ANGELES — Put some jingle in your jazz Thursday during the fourth annual Jingle Jazz benefit concert at Peninsula College.
The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Little Theater on the college campus, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. It will be broadcast live via 1450 AM and 101.7 FM.
A pre-concert gathering featuring a no-host dessert and wine reception — with fresh pressed cider from Lazy J Tree Farm — will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Pirate Union Building.
Tickets are $15 and available online at www.brownpapertickets.com or at the door the night of the concert if the concert has not sold out already.
Proceeds benefit the Vocal Jazz Ensemble and student programs at Peninsula College.
The concert is presented by The Olympus Group of DA Davidson and the Peninsula College Foundation.
The program will feature the Peninsula College Vocal Jazz Ensemble, which will perform jazz standards such as “Just the Way You Look Tonight” along with traditional holiday fare including “Christmas Time Is Here.”
Getta Rogers, Peninsula College Foundation executive director, said the event “began with students wishing to give back to the foundation, and it continues in that spirit. Proceeds from the event benefit not only the Vocal Jazz program but many other students and college programs as well.”
The Vocal Jazz Ensemble is planning an exchange trip next year to several universities in Ireland that have music schools, Rogers said.
“We want to support these students in this effort, and Jingle Jazz is the way in which we can do this,” she said.
This year, the ensemble will be joined by special guest Pearl Django, a Seattle-based “Gypsy Jazz” group whose performance history spans more than two decades.
Pearl Django has played at the Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois-sur-Seine, France, and featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
This year’s Jingle Jazz also includes students from East Jefferson County who are part of a new vocal jazz class at the Peninsula College campus in Port Townsend.
“It is very exciting to bring both Port Townsend and Port Angeles groups together to present this program,” said Elaine Gardner-Morales, Peninsula College Vocal Jazz Ensemble director.
“As our college reaches out to the Port Townsend area, I am pleased to have so many talented students. This year, we are using a very talented student drummer for part of our program, Forrest Brennan.”
Gardner-Morales said she is excited about offering this opportunity to her students.
“Each year, our group continues to grow to a better and better sound,” she said.
“I am so pleased to be a part of Peninsula College and the community.”
Vocal Jazz Ensemble members include Ash Graham, Al Thompson and Dylan Hensel of Port Townsend; Dana Marklund of Port Hadlock; Forrest Brennan of Chimacum; Brandi Larson, Rob Napiontek and Jean McDonald of Port Angeles; Sam Hegarty of Sequim; and Robbin Eaves of Joyce.
“This has become an enormously popular event and a real joy for the foundation,” Rogers said.
“It’s the perfect time of year to celebrate the foundation’s many successes while featuring incredibly talented performers. What a treat it will be to have these fine musicians on stage with our students.”
For more information about Jingle Jazz or the Peninsula College Foundation, send an email to grogers@pencol.edu or call 360-417-6400.
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Features Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at cmcdaniel@ peninsuladailynews.com.
