justin kauflin presents JAZZ NIGHTS
Justin Kauflin presents Jazz Night Concert Series to students and the wider community, featuring high-caliber local & international jazz artists up-close and personal!
Admission is donation-based, with proceeds supporting the Jazz Program at the Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA.
Unless otherwise noted, concerts are held at:
The Governor's School for the Arts
Miner Music Hall, 3rd Floor
254 Granby St., Norfolk, VA
TIME: 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm
Parking available at the MacArthur Center parking garage
past JAZZ NIGHTS
Jimmy Masters, Frank Russo, JK
DUE to the inclement weather, the 6th installment of "GSA Jazz Night" was held at Cafe Stella in Ghent and it was a blast! Featuring bassist Jimmy Masters, one one of VEER magazine's 2024 Lifetime Achievement winners who is also the curator for the Sandler Center TowneBank Jazz Series in Virginia Beach. We also welcomed great drummer Frank Russo coming all the way down from Baltimore, Maryland! Thanks to all who braved the rain. I hope you enjoyed the impromptu concert at Stella's! (And, thank you Cafe Stella!! Check them out at Cafe Stella Roasters)
Alan Parker | Liz & Brydge | JK
FOR the 5th installment of the GSA Jazz Night series, I selfishly invited some of my favorite people and musicians. Liz Terrell married Mr. Brydge, so it's now Liz Brydge, and they've been a performing duo all over the City. I've played here and there with Alan Parker for nearly 2 decades, both of us being alums of Betty Carter Jazz Ahead. He's on a couple of my CDs (Silent Night & Coming Home), as well as on Chris and Liz's CDs ("It's All Right with Me" & "Sun Song"). Thank you to everyone who came out, especially my students. I hope you're enjoying this. Special thanks to Amanda Gates, Sound Man Roy Muth, and Mark Robbins Photography for all your support and talents!
John Toomey & JK Duo Pianos
WHILE I was a student at the Governor’s School, I was given the opportunity to spend time with this month’s featured guest, John Toomey. To say I was scared is an understatement. He is an absolute monster on the piano, and I’m so grateful to have had him as a teacher. We have performed in this Duo Piano format a few times, and it has always been a true thrill. Tonight's performance was no exception, and a lot of fun! Special thanks Henry Faivre for making the pianos sound SO GOOD! and to former GSA Instrumentals teacher, Patty Watters, for your presence, and to Mark Robbins, photographer extraordinaire!
Fonnesbaek & Kauflin Duo Bass/Piano
FOR the third Jazz Night we went "international!" and featured my good friend and amazing bassist all the way from Copenhagen, Denmark, Thomas Fonnesbaek. Thank you to everyone coming out, it was another very full house and it was good to see the students, former teachers and jazz-loving friends from all over! Thanks also to Mark Robbins for his article in All About Jazz as well as the photos.
The Eddie Williams Quartet
FOR the second installment of GSA Jazz Nights, we featured an awesome band that I’ve been playing with for a few years now. When I first heard Eddie Williams performing with John Toomey, Howard Curtis, and Jimmy Masters, I was blown away. I couldn’t believe a player of his caliber was living here in the 757. He’s got an incredible approach to playing and I love the vision he has for creating a group sound. The band also happens to feature some of my favorite people and musicians - Chris Brydge on bass and Emre Katari on drums. Thanks to everyone for coming out, it was a full house with SRO! Very special thanks to Roy Muth, GSA audio engineer
Jeff Smith | Billy Williams | Joe Bussey | JK
FOR the first-ever GSA Jazz Night, we featured a very special band. Not only do I love playing with these guys, but they all have a special connection to the Governor’s School as well. Jeff Smith was one of my first jazz instructors, and it’s been amazing to continue making music with someone who helped me take my first steps in this music. I met Billy Williams a little later when he joined the GSA ranks, and he’s been putting up with my nonsense ever since. That’s my brother right there. Fast forward about 20 years to meeting Joe Bussey and joining him here at the school to help bring this music to a new generation. It has been a tremendous gift to work alongside Joe and you couldn’t ask for a more swinging bass player. Thank you Eddie Williams Photography for the pics!
