The Avalon Foundation is proud to announce that in 2021 the Monty Alexander Jazz Festival (MAJF) will once again be performed over the Labor Day Weekend.
A special kick-off event headlined by Dominick Farinacci and Aaron Diehl to celebrate the collaboration with Monty Alexander will be held in the new Avalon Stoltz Pavilion on May 15. The celebration, a fundraiser, will feature world-class jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci in rhythmic and soulful collaborations with pianist Aaron Diehl.
The Monty Alexander Jazz Festival, one of the most distinctive small town jazz festivals in the nation, has been enhanced by its active collaboration with the Avalon Theatre since its inception.
Al Bond, CEO of the Avalon Foundation said, “We are certainly looking forward to working actively with those who have been instrumental in producing the Festival since its beginning eleven years ago.
The group of jazz enthusiasts led by Joe Fischer, Al Sikes, John Malin and Marty Sikes will represent a steering committee within the Avalon Foundation and assist in producing the MAJF.
In addition, noteworthy jazz concerts will be presented throughout the year. “Ultimately, we want to continue hosting a festival and are delighted to partner with the Avalon Foundation because of their multiple venues and excellence as presenters of artistic events,” said Joe Fischer.
The steering committee has a wealth of experience in producing events in the jazz genre for Talbot County. “It was eleven years ago that I began working with the production talent of the Avalon Foundation. Together, with Chesapeake Music, we brought a signature Festival to Easton,” said Al Sikes, the founder of the MAJF.
The official kick-off for the group is a special donor event to establish the Festival’s own wing under the Avalon umbrella. Dominick Farinacci will headline the evening and plans are being made to include Covid-safe perks and other promotions. “We know from the size of the festival’s crowds that there are a lot of music fans who love jazz and everything about the festival and we want to continue to see it be a success,” said Jess Bellis, COO/CFO of the Avalon Foundation. “This is a great way to celebrate spring, great music and help insure the longevity of this great event in Easton.” By supporting the May 15 fundraiser, attendees will have the first access to tickets to the Festival in September ensuring great seats and will become members of the Avalon Jazz Founders Club.
Dominick Farinacci is a jazz trumpeter, composer, and in recent years, a producer. He along with Monty Alexander could be said to regard Easton as a musical second home. Dominick’s recent production, Modern Warrior Live, was premiered in the Avalon Theatre and several weeks later in New York City. It will soon be released as a film.
In 2010, Dominick Farinacci and Aaron Diehl opened the MAJF. Those in attendance were mesmerized by the duo’s soulful rendition of Willow Weep For Me. Aaron, like Dominick, is now at the pinnacle of 21st Century jazz expressions.
For more information about the benefit show, please visit The Avalon Foundation’s web page at avalonfoundation.org or email Kimberly Stevens at [email protected] .
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