KICKOFF: August 2, 2007

Here at last is what should be a near-accurate schedule for the 2007 Great River Jazz Fest. There are a few pots still boiling which might cook into some minor changes, but that's life.

There may be changes, especially on Sunday, when air travel schedules are determined; or when it is discovered that, despite the care taken in laying all this out, we have asked one or more musicians to be in two places at the same time.  It has been our experience that musicians do not like doing this because, they say, they cannot reach peak performances under these conditions.  So, there may be changes, but probably not big ones.

Oh, yes, the Jam Session players have not been plugged in yet.  They will be added as soon as the person doing this gets a medical release from The Home.

But first a word about Sponsors which include two businesses who have joined in year-around support of the La Crosse Area Jazz Society.  They are Degen Berglund Pharmacies in La Crosse and the Thorson Funeral Home in Viroqua, owned by Thor J. Thorson, a community supporter, jazz loyalist and life-long pal of Viroqua native Bob Hirsch. Recently Dahl Automotive has also joined this elite crew of Sponsors in no small part due to the life-long love of jazz held by family patriarch Kenneth Dahl.

City Brewery of La Crosse has also provided big support, so you will find their beverages on sale at our venues and also three of their brands shown as stage sponsors.

So, you will see the following stage sponsor designations:

Concert Stage - La Crosse Lager and Degen Berglund

Cabaret Stage - KUL Light and Dahl Automotive

La Crosse Center Ballroom - Golden Leaf and Festival Foods

Freight House - Golden Leaf  - Thorson Funeral Home

With one notable exception, we hope you patronize them all while you are here!

Okay, now on to the Schedule!

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La Crosse, Wisconsin Great River Jazz Fest - 2007

Thursday Night - August 2, 2007

Pre-Fest Kick-Off Sampler - $5 at the gate at the South Side Oktoberfest Grounds

Cabaret Stage - Fest Grounds - Pre-registered Patron & VIP packets will be available.

• 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.     Coulee Region High School All Stars
• 7:45 - 8:45 p.m.     Royce Murray Jazz Ensemble
• 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.   Golden Gate Rhythm Machine

NEW This Year! Thanks to a grant from the La Crosse Community Foundation there will be a downtown stage right across from the La Crosse Center at the foot of Pearl Street which will feature both festival bands and a sampling of area high school jazz bands.

And it's all free from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 3rd. But wait, there's more! It coincides with the La Crosse Mainstreet, Inc's "First Friday's" promotion in which stores stay open late. So have the best of all worlds: Free music and bargains!

• 3:00 - 3:50 p.m.   SHiZ   
  
• 4:00 - 4:50 p.m.   Golden Gate Rhythm Machine                                                                                                               
• 5:00 - 5:50 p.m.    Coulee Region High School Jazz All Stars
• 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.   Price-Gullion Quartet

La Crosse Center Ballroom

• 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.    "Meet-the-Musicians" Reception -  Gate City Jazz Band
  
• 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.     Stardust Big Band
• 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.     Rick Carlson Trio with Ginger Commodore
• 9:15 - 10:15 p.m.   Wonderful World Jazz Band with Tom Saunders - Special Tribute to Kenneth Dahl
  

Freight House Dock

• 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.  Wonderful World Jazz Band with Tom Saunders - outdoors on the Dock. 

Cabaret Stage - South Side Fest Grounds

• 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.      Great River All Stars
• 8:15 - 9:15 p.m.      Royce Murray Jazz Ensemble
• 9:30 - 10:30 p.m.    Hedges' Milwaukee Connection

Concert Stage - South Side Fest Grounds

• 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.       Hedges' Milwaukee Connection
• 8:45 - 9:45 p.m.       Paul Asaro Trio
• 10:00 - 11:00 p.m.   Golden Gate Rhythm Machine

After Hours Jam Session - Freight House Dock - 10:30 p.m. - ???

• Jam Session started by: Eddie Higgins, Bobby Lewis, Chuck Hedges, Rich MacDonald, Terry Grosskopf & Reuben Ristrom

After Hours Jam Session - Buzzard Billy's Flying Carp Restaurant - 10:30 - ??? 

• Jam Session started by: Paul AsaroTrio with Dick Bortolussi, Russ Phillips, & Steve Clay

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Downtown Mainstreet, Inc. Sponsored "Street Corner Jazz"
3rd and Main Street

• 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.     Dick Chaffee Combo
• 11:00 - Noon           Coulee Region High School Jazz All Stars

La Crosse Center Ballroom

• "Pianorama" (Solo piano concerts)
• 10:00 - 10:25 a.m.  Chuck Chihak - (Wonderful World Jazz Band)
• 10:30 - 10:55 a.m.  Ray Templin (Golden Gate Rhythm Machine)
• 11:00 - 11:25 a.m.  Rick Carlson (Rick Carlson Trio)
• 11:30 - 11:55 a.m.  Paul Asaro ( Paul Asaro Trio)
• Noon - 12:25 p.m.   Larry Price (Price-Gullion Quartet)
• 12:30 - 12:55 p.m.  Bob Hirsch (Golden Gate Rhythm Machine)
• 1:00 - 1:25 p.m.      Eddie Higgins (Great River All Stars)

• Regular Sessions Start

• 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.     Great River All Stars
• 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.     Rick Carlson Trio with Ginger Commodore
• 4:15 - 5:15 p.m.     Price-Gullion Quartet

                              --- Dinner Break Until 6:30 p.m. ---

• 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.     Stardust Big Band
• 7:45 - 8:45 p.m.     Royce Murray Jazz Ensemble
• 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.   Golden Gate Rhythm Machine

Cabaret Stage - South Side Fest Grounds

• 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.  Paul Asaro Trio
• 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.    Wonderful World Jazz Band with Tom Saunders
• 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.    Hedges' Milwaukee Connection
• 4:15 - 5:15 p.m.    Golden Gate Rhythm Machine

                             --- Break until 6:15 p.m. ---

• 6:15 - 7:00 p.m.      Wonderful World Jazz Band
• 7:15 - 8:00 p.m.     Rick Carlson Trio with Ginger Commodore 
• 8:15 - 9:00 p.m.     Price-Gullion Quartet
• 9:15 - 10:15 p.m.   Hedges' Milwaukee Connection

Concert Stage - South Side Fest Grounds

• 12:15 - 1:15 p.m.   Stardust Big Band
• 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.     Royce Murray Jazz Ensemble
• 2:45 - 3:45 p.m.     Walker West Jazz Ensemble
• 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.    Great River All Stars

• 5:15 - 6:15 p.m.    West Salem Community Jazz Band

• 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.     Paul Asaro Trio
• 7:45 - 8:45 p.m.     Great River All Stars
• 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.   Judi K and the Chicago FiveStars
 

Dedication of the International Gardens - North end of Riverside Park

• 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Paul Erickson's Phat Cats

• 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. - "Two Guitars and a Bass"  (reunion of Pete Pancrazi and Mike James with Larry Dalton on bass)

• Jam Session started by:  Rick Carlson, Keith Boyles, Charlie Braugham, Eric Schneider, Dick Oakley, Chris Stewart, joined by Ginger Commodore

After Hours Jam Session - Buzzard Billy's Flying Carp Restaurant - 10:30 p.m. - ??? 

• Jam Session Started by:  Bob Hirsch, Tom Saunders, Bob Schulz, Ray Templin, Jim Rothermel, & Eric Graham

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Bandshell - Riverside Park 

• 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.  Ecumenical Jazz Church Service - Rev. Allan Townsend and 
  the Wonderful World Jazz Band with vocalist Wilma Scheffner.

First Lutheran Church in Onalaska - 410 Main Street

•  Two services:  8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Royce Murray Jazz Ensemble (both services)

Jazz Brunches

  Radisson Hotel - three jazz rooms
        All from 10:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

• Wisconsin Room... Eddie Higgins & John Bany
• Ballroom... Rick Carlson Trio with Ginger Commodore
• Three Rivers Lodge... Guitar Special with Dave Sullivan and Reuben Ristrom

  River Jacks in Midway Best Western Hotel
        1835 Rose Street

• 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. - Paul Asaro Trio

      La Crosse Center Ballroom

Freight House Restaurant - Hiawatha Room

• 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.    Price-Gullion Quartet
  
• 2:15 - 3:15 p.m.    Hedges Milwaukee Connection
• 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.    Dick Chaffee's Stardust Big Band

Cabaret Stage - South Side Fest Grounds

• 12:15 - 1:15 p.m.  Goldern Gate Rhythm Machine
  
• 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.    Great River All Stars
  
• 2:45 - 3:45 p.m.    Rick Carlson Quartet with Ginger Commodore
• 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.    Wonderful World Jazz Band with guest Dick Oakley

Concert Stage - South Side Fest Grounds

• Noon - 1:00 p.m.  West Salem Community Jazz band
• 1:15 - 2:15 p.m.    Royce Murray Jazz Ensemble
• 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.    Paul Asaro Trio
• 3:45 - 4:45 p.m.    Bobby Lewis Quartet

Volunteer Afterglow Party at the Freight House Dock - 6:00 p.m. or so

The End!   Come again next year - August  7 - 10, 2008