10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sean Jones!

As a fun ‘thank you’ to all the Pittsburgh JazzLive International supporters this year, we’re wrapping up our ’10 Things’ Series with sensational trumpeter, Sean Jones!

Sean Jones jamming at JazzLive International!

1. I absolutely love tomato soup! I could eat it everyday for the rest of my life, especially the creamy kind!

2. I have a pretty soft heart. I like fluffy things, chubby dogs, tiny babies with smiles, bright mornings with birds chirping, etc. Things like that really tug at my heart strings.

3. I’ve been singing my entire life. People always try to get me to sing but I just say “I’ll leave singing to the real vocalists”, but I guess some people really dig it. Dunno, we’ll see one day.

4. I was a very shy kid. I didn’t come out of my shell until I began playing the trumpet. It was almost as if the trumpet showed me who I really was. It’s funny to think back on those times.

5. I love reading about spiritual consciousness beyond religion. I love to see the commonalities in religions and various spiritual thought vs what separates them.

6. I had a pet bunny rabbit named Herman that I walked around on a leash. Serious babe magnet.

7. Music is what I do, not who I am. Music is the vehicle that the creator gave me to do what I believe my biggest calling is, bringing people together.

8. I never really lived “In” Manhattan. I always lived around it.

9. I prefer the simple life. I prefer smaller towns vs big cities. I like knowing the people at the bar, at the local market, at the dry cleaners. I like close, real, personal relationships.

10. I’ll do almost anything to make people happy.

Festival season may be over, but the JazzLive team is hard at work throughout the year. Visit the JazzLive 365 page for the latest information on upcoming shows!

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10 Things You Should Know About COL Jazz

Next up in our ’10 Things’ Series is Pittsburgh’s own Center of Life jazz band. Established in 2000 by Tim Smith (along with his two sons, Tim Jr. and Isaiah), COL has now expanded to include many students and the group has performed in several prestigious venues across the United States. Here are 10 other fun facts about the band:

COL Jazz Band at the Monterey Festival!

1. COL Jazz continues to be, in our opinion, the best youth Jazz group in the City of Pittsburgh!

2. COL Jazz is currently working on releasing their 3rd full length album!

3. Every student that comes through COL Jazz continues onto college.

4. In 2011 COL Jazz was the only PA group chosen to compete in the Monterey JazzNext Generation Festival in CA!

5. In 2009 COL Jazz was honored to participate in the Warhol Museum’s Warhol LIVE exhibit.

6. In 2006 COL Jazz had their first big show performing at Jazzin’ on Jefferson in Detroit MI.

7. Although the members change over the years, the mission of COL Jazz stays the same: give young aspiring musicians a chance to play and record professionally, while integrating contemporary and standard songs.

8. In the beginning, COL Jazz had 2 kids (under 12!) and 2 adult leaders.

9. COL Jazz started in the basement of Tim Smith’s (Executive Director) house.

10. Center of Life started as a community empowerment organization in 2001.

You can catch Center of Life on the Liberty Stage at 1:30 during Saturday’s JazzLive festival! Also be sure to visit their Youtube Channel.

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Chelsea Baratz

With the JazzLive International festival only a week away, we want to introduce you to a few of our very talented artists! First up in the ’10 Things You Didn’t Know’ series is sax player, Chelsea Baratz!

Before I give you my list of things you DIDN’T know about me, I’ll give you a quick update on things you should know about me already… I’m 25 years old, born & raised in Pittsburgh (and on the Pittsburgh Jazz Scene), I moved to NYC in 2006 on a full scholarship to the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music and recorded my album “In Faith”, produced by Maurice Brown (released in September 2009).  I just recently graduated from the New School this year, and in addition to performing with my own group, I’ve been keeping busy doing studio work and performing & recording with Nicholas Payton, Orrin Evans, and Maurice Brown.  So, without any further ado,

10 things you didn’t know about Chelsea Baratz

1. I have an awesome dog named Remy who is the subject of one of my compositions, “Remy’s Revenge”, featured on Corey Wilkes’ album “Drop It”.  I’m a big animal lover!

Chelsea and Remy!

2. I was once an avid equestrian; before I committed my life to music, I had a horse named Pete, and I wanted to be an Olympic rider & horse trainer.

 3.I love to cook & am a big foodie; I think cooking & making music are very similar.

Chelsea on the drums!

4. Before I started playing saxophone, I wanted to play the drums (in 4th grade); my first summer in NYC, ten years later, I bought my first drum set & have been practicing ever since.

5. I’m a producer & have my own studio in Brooklyn; I compose & make music by any means necessary.  I’ve collected an assortment of instruments and studio equipment, which I record with (my latest addition is a pink electric guitar I recently acquired, which I named the “Pink Lady”).

Pink Lady!

6. A lot of people notice that my favorite color is pink; this is because I’m a big supporter of breast cancer   research.  Growing up, my mother always worked in breast cancer research & fund-raising.  She also had a breast cancer scare this past year, and my family and I were really shook up by this.  Now that I’m finished with school, one of my biggest goals is to start an annual charity event to raise money for breast cancer research & treatment.

Nike Kicks

7.  I have an obsession with Nike Dunks & AF-1’s; high tops, low tops, SBs… I have over 20 pairs.

8. I very much enjoy physical activities & working out; staying in shape is a big part of performing, especially when you’re working a lot & traveling.  If you are tired & out if shape, it’s not fun!

9.  My very first “gig” was with my dad & his blues band, the Monday Blues Review.  Though he’s a doctor by profession, he is also a singer & harmonica player, and growing up, I was heavily exposed to blues music.

10. My first jam session ever (really my first time playing with real professional musicians) was at the historic Crawford Grill in Pittsburgh; I was 13 years old, and I played with Dwayne Dolphin, Roger Humphries, Sean Jones, Howie Alexander, Lou Stellute & Tony Campbell.  I’ll never forget the moment I was on that stage & closed my eyes and thought to myself, “This is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.”.

Thanks for getting to know me better, and be sure to check out my album “In Faith” on iTunes & CD Baby and visit my Youtube channel:

http://www.iTunes.com/chelseabaratz

http://www.CDBaby.com/chelseabaratz

http://www.youtube.com/chelseabaratz

Be sure to check out Chelsea next Saturday on the JazzLive International Summer Stage!

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