Jazz Takes A Holiday

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by Paul Bass | May 22, 2008 8:18 am

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Posted to: Arts

As in Billie Holiday.

The spirit of the late singer was everywhere in the Shubert lobby Wednesday as singers, promoters and a politician plugged upcoming jazz events in the Elm City.

The event incorporated announcements — and appeals for financial support — for a revival of the New Haven Jazz Festival this August, and the filming of two jazz-themed movies.

The Jazz Festival went dark last summer after celebrating its 25th anniversary the year before. A local organization called Jazz Haven is reviving it this Aug. 8-10. Organizers weren’t ready Wednesday to announce the featured acts, pending the signing of contracts. “There will be no one headliner. They’re all so great — and pretty well known,” said Aleta Staton. Much of the budget has been raised for the event; potential donors can learn more by emailing here.

Meanwhile, producers DaMone Mcollum and George Millner were on hand at the Shubert to pitch financial support for Jammin’ With the Angels, a film in pre-production about horn players and a rising jazz sextet. Producer Wayne Holmes was on hand to plug a biopic about the late Billie Holiday, called Lady Day. Both productions seek to make use of Connecticut’s new film-industry tax breaks by filming here. And both sets of producers offered tantalizing tastes of their productions with some live performances.

Local spoken-word poet Influence, backed by New Haven-bred pianist Christian Sands (pictured), performed a number that referenced Lady Day. He’s slated to perform in Jammin’.

And New Havener Lisa Cobham performed four classic Holiday numbers.

Click on the play arrow at the top of this story for a sample. (For fuller footage, see the bottom of this story.)

Producer Holmes (pictured) said the crew’s dream is to land Queen Latifah to play Lady Day in the film.

He hopes to start filming in “less than nine months,” he said; he’s scouting locations. New Haven, he said, might have just the right setting for a recreation of the Cotton Club.

“We truly have become Hollywood East,” state House Speaker Jim Amann said in between sets. He was the prime mover behind Connecticut’s new tax breaks for the film industry. Amann reported that six movies are currently being shot in the state, including star turns by Drew Barrymore and Robert DeNiro. Another 40 are scheduled.

Click here to watch fuller footage from Wednesday event, recorded by Tom Ficklin.

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