News Release

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May 25, 2005

Jazz At The Bistro Continues Downtown Broadcast on Idaho's Jazz Station

Jazz at the Bistro returns for a third year starting Thursday, June 2. As part of First Thursday events downtown, throughout the summer Idaho�s Jazz Station and the Brick Oven Bistro will present four concerts featuring The Paul Tillotson Trio, The Chuck Smith Jazz Band, Cherie Buckner and the Billy Mitchell Jazz Band. Janie Harris, Idaho�s First Lady of Jazz and host of Jazz Straight Ahead on Idaho�s Jazz Station, will host the events. Jazz at the Bistro is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. June 2, July 7, Aug. 4 and Sept. 1. The 7-8 p.m. hour will be broadcast live on Idaho�s Jazz Station.

June 2: Billy Mitchell and Cherie Buckner.

July 7: The Paul Tillotson Trio.
Aug. 4: The Chuck Smith Band and New Trio Plus.

Sept. 1: Billy Mitchell, with special guest Stacy Rowles.

Billy Mitchell came from a musical family in Montana. After graduating from the University of Montana, Mitchell moved to Boise to raise his family. His love of jazz always kept him within jazz circles and performing. With the addition of Gene Harris to Boise�s jazz mix in the late �70s, Mitchell started his long association with Harris. A banker by day, his first love has always been jazz performance and education. He has performed every year at the Gene Harris Jazz Festival and is a regular at the Swing �n� Dixie Jazz Jamboree in Sun Valley and performs with the Capital City Jazz Band. He has performed with such notable jazz artists as Red Holloway, Paul Tillotson, Ernie Watts, Arturo Sandoval and Chuck Mangione.
 

Cherie Buckner was raised in a musical family and began singing in church as a child. She was raised in the gospel singing tradition, which has an undercurrent of blues. She began her professional singing career in 1975 and has performed throughout the Northwest, singing blues, pop, jazz, gospel and spirituals. Buckner recorded and performed with Gene Harris on many occasions and has performed at the last nine Gene Harris Jazz Festivals. She has a new gospel CD and is a soul-filled dynamic singer.

Boise resident Chuck Smith is active throughout the Northwest as both a jazz pianist and a music educator. He currently teaches music in the Boise schools and as an adjunct piano faculty member at Boise State University. Smith worked as musical director for Paul Anka for eight years, performing throughout the world. He conducted for Anka at many notable functions, including appearances at the Reagan White House and with the Atlanta Symphony. As a pianist, Smith has played with the Jazz Under the Stars series, the Riverside Jazz Orchestra and a host of other jazz artists. His recordings include �New Territory,� an on-going project he co-leads with Sandon Mayhew, and �Baker Sings Out,� a project he arranged and recorded for Jeff Baker.

Originally from Boise, Paul Tillotson is a graduate of William Patterson College in New Jersey. He has played at the piano over the last 28 years with some of the top names in music, including Gene Harris, Vernel Fournier, Lynn Seaton, Luther Hughes, Red Holloway, Ernie Watts, Chris Minh Doky, Matt Wilson, Anton Fig (David Letterman Band), Chris Bodi (Sting), Lenny Picket (Saturday Night Live Band), and Shawn Pelton (Saturday Night Live Band). Paul was a close friend with his mentor, the late Gene Harris. The two were often seen playing piano together at various concerts in Boise. When Tillotson played with Gene�s band at a memorial concert, the Los Angeles Times declared, �...the spirit of Gene Harris is alive.� Tillotson has participated in the annual Gene Harris Jazz Festival in Boise since its inception nine years ago. The third year of the festival, Harris passed away and the festival committee honored Tillotson by asking him to take Harris�s place at the piano.

Jazz vocalist Diana Krall raves over Stacy Rowles: �Incredible! There is something about Stacy � she understands the beauty of the music. And, she�s a great singer too.� Rowles, the daughter of pianist Jimmy Rowles, is a mellow-toned fl�gelhornist who emphasizes ballads. Rowles has recorded for Concord and Delos, and became a fixture in the Los Angeles area with her work in the group Jazz Birds. During recent visits to Boise, Rowles has performed with her band on Club Night at The Gene Harris Jazz Festival and at the Downtown Gene Harris Block Party.
 

Jazz Straight Ahead with Janie Harris is heard at 8 p.m. every Saturday on KBSU-FM and at 11 a.m. every Sunday on Idaho�s Jazz Station.
 

Idaho�s Jazz Station is a service of Boise State Radio and airs in partnership with the College of Southern Idaho on KEZJ-AM 1450, Twin Falls. Idaho�s Jazz Station is also heard on KBSU-AM 730, Boise and KBSK-FM 89.9 McCall. http://radio.boisestate.edu
 

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Contact: Jim East, Associate General Manager, Network Programming, Boise State Radio, (208) 947-5659, jeast@boisestate.edu

Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, communications and marketing, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu

The Office of Communications and Marketing - Boise State University
1910 University Drive - Education Building, #726 - Boise Idaho 83725-1030

208-426-1577
(fax)208-426-4001

email newservices@boisestate.edu

Last reviewed on Thursday, December 22, 2005