Jeff Kashiwa to Perform Benefit Concert Saturday

Enjoy an affordable Saturday evening of smooth jazz from renowned saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa for a benefit concert titled Boplicity 2011 (inspired by Miles Davis’ song, Boplicity) at Cal State Long Beach.

The show benefits the Jazz Angels, a non-profit organization which provides music education and encouragement for aspiring young musicians from Long Beach and neighboring communities. The organization gives youth ages 11-17 the opportunity to perform with professional jazz musicians while enriching their musical abilities and learning about jazz culture.

“Just a few of the right words from the right person can create the right inspiration to build confidence in a musician,” says Jazz Angels’ director of programs, Barry Cogert. The organization also presents week-long sessions in local schools, funded by PTAs, and you will find students can converse about an array of jazz music and greats).

At the concert, several young and talented musicians from Jazz Angels will have the unique opportunity to play their instruments alongside jazz sensation Kashiwa, who is popularly known for his involvement in jazz groups called The Rippingtons and The Sax Pack. For a time, Kashiwa followed a solo career but recently reunited with his band in 2007 and is still creating unique sounds from his saxophone while touring with his band, The Sax Pack.  

Cogert is excited to watch live jazz performances and see some of his own musicians from Jazz Angels perform. He is also extremely proud and happy about the progress and support the organization has made over the years. “When we started this organization, it wasn’t that we were going to try to help create the next Gershwin or Herbie Hancock.....We hope that our musicians enjoy music and that they gain confidence in themselves .... We’re helping to create happy people that can achieve goals and have a safe, creative outlook in their lives,” says Cogert.

At Boplicity, Kashiwa will play different music from various albums. There will also be a live auction and plenty of dessert for the evening. If interested in attending the concert, check out the Boplicity tab on www.jazzangel.org for more details. Tickets start at $25.

Disclosure statement: Patch editor Nancy Wride's son has previously been a Jazz Angels musician so she is openly supportive and fond of their gigs at area restaurants and coffee houses (they have even performed at the Jewish Community Center in Long Beach and earned applause from the swim lanes).