COTA 2008

The Celebration of the Arts (COTA)* held their 31st Annual COTA* Jazz and Arts Festival September 5th - 7th in the Delaware Water Gap in PA. The concerns festival planners had regarding the weather and the recent construction soon faded as the COTA magic began to work its charm. Even the deluge of torrential rains of the Saturday Monsoon could not dampen the spirits of the jazz enthusiasts who attended the festival. The music and the friend we all met or became reacquainted with kept us all feeling great.

The festival began with the Opening Reception of the annual COTA Music Motif Exhibition held at The Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery* in Delaware Water Gap, PA on Friday September 5th. The show feature a variety of very talented artist who have created works with a musical theme. The work gathered together for the exhibition flowed like a wonderful musical composition yet there were some interesting pieces which strayed from the flow to enhance the qualities of the others.

These pieces exhibited the very same properties the art form of Jazz has been known to do. A certain flow is established among the musicians until one is inspired to offer a variation whish often takes the composition into a new direction. This enables the performers (as well as the listeners) to explore another dimension of the work. This exploration also allows and encourages those who experience it to follow it’s pathways to the deeper dimensions found within. The pieces presented at The Dutot complimented COTA* in the way it move those who experienced them just as Jazz does.

The exhibition for The Music Motif Show at The Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery* in Delaware Water Gap, PA continues until September 14th. I would recommend visiting the gallery as its exhibition will bring you to a good place. Please explore The Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery* at www.dutotmuseum.com for more information.

The evening continued across the street of the mighty route 611 at The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain (PCOM) who presented their annual Evening of the Arts featuring theatre, classical music, and some soft jazz to help set the mood for the remainder of the festival. Their evening began with The Water Gap Players collection of sketches entitled, “Rough Sketch.” Greg Back, Dennis Garrig*, and David Hymes presented their amusing pieces which was filled with the social and political commentary that delighted their audiences throughout the years.

The evening at The PCOM continued with the classical renderings of Calliope with Gina Bertucci and Barbara McMahon on flute along with Laura Goss* on Bassoon. The selection of their works ranged from sonatas composed in the 18th century to early 20th century Ragtime. The later included pieces from Joplin and Gershwin. The performance lend itself nicely as a soothing transition from the uproarious humor the audience just experienced to the soothing sounds of jazz journeys they were about to embark on.

After Garth Woods* presented The Sterling and Dorothy Strauser Award honoring the artistic contribution in the visual arts to a well deserving Jill Elizabeth of Liztech Jewelry, Saralyn Whitaker* brought the evening to its conclusion with her sweet vocalizations of numerous jazz classics. She was accompanied by Wolfgang Knittle on Piano, Paul Rostock* on Bass, and Chuck Cooper* on drums. The music moved the audience to a sweet sensation as they later went home to rest up for the promises of anther COTA* day. Please feel free to explore The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain Website at www.churchofthemountain.org for more information on everything it has to offer.

The Main Festival COTA* has become known for began at noon on Saturday September 6th. In a rare occurrence, the day was filled with rain. This would be only the third time it has rained in a way it significantly effected the presentation of the music performed at the festival. Yet, the show did go on as the audience gathered their chairs underneath the tent usually reserved for performers as they prepared to go on stage while a small but effective stage was set up to entertain the jazz lovers who braved the weather.

The first performers were Michael Stephans’ Trio Frio whose lively music set the musical tone of the day’s festival. The audience soon forgot it was raining as the drops of jazz touched their eagerly awaiting taste buds who greeted each delicious note. The long year of waiting for COTA to return was over and it was time to reap the rewards of their patience as the powers that control the rains provied them with an even more intimate setting in which they could enjoy their favorite bands.

There were many wonderful band who performed throughout the day. The included the big band known as JARO and “Library Alive” with Phil Woods and The COTA Festival Orchestra. The day ended with Nellie McKay with the Obligatory Villagers. This was a festival in itself. The huge number of musicians and vocalist accompanying Nellie McKay included Bob Dorough*, Nancy and Spencer Reed*, Eric Doney*, Jay Rattman*, Rick Chamberlain*, and Paul Rostock*. The music ranged from Swing time jazz to original works written by Nellie McKay including a biting satire of the extremes of feminism entitled, “Mother of Pearl” and a fun audience participation song entitled, “Zombie.” The later song brought all of Nellie McKay’s wit to bear and I have not seen so many Zombies since I worked at WalMart. Sorry Sam Walton.

Jazz Lovers who came to COTA* the next day were met with sunshine. The warmth of a new day filled each person with anticipation as they began their day with a spiritual respite provided by The COTA* annual Jazz Mass composed, conducted, and a lot of other stuff by Wolfgang Knittel and led by The Reverend Karen Nickels of The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain. The rousing music and the encouraging sermon enhanced the spiritual awareness of each jazz lover as they continued their pilgrimage through the jazz Mecca known as COTA.

The first performers who met their eager ears were The Daves Lantz Trio with Dave Lantz IV* on Piano, Dave Lantz III on Bass, and Joe Wolmach on Drums. Among the other performers who appeared to the delight of everyone on the COTA Stage were Marko Marcinko’s Latin Jazz Quartet, Sherrie Maricle’s Five Play, and A Piano Summit with Eric Doney*, Bobby Avey, Dave Lantz IV*, and Jessie Green* who had injured his hand recently and played for the audience with only one hand. Jessie Green‘s* performance proved to be the Jazz equivalent of the Zen concept of One Hand Playing.

Along with The Joanne Mayer Memorial COTA Volunteer Award to honor the COTA Volunteer Spirit being presented to Mert and Gloria Shane by Carol Dorshimer and the presentation of The Fred Waring Award to honor Eric Doney’s outstanding contributions to the arts and the community by Phil Woods, the Highlight of the festival was performance of the 2008 (Volume 28) COTA* Cats. The COTA* Cats consist of students from area school districts who have demonstrated considerable musical skills and a kinship to Jazz. These students are mentored by a group of Clinicians who include many of the great Jazz artists who have graced COTA* and other venues throughout the decades.

In addition to the annual performance, COTA* provides scholarships to exceptional students so they can continue their musical endeavors in an academic environment. This year recipients were Evan Wichman who is attending Syracuse University, Kathryn Vallilee who is attending Temple University Honors College, and Nicole Locilento* who is attending The University of Rochester. We at The Forwardian Arts Society would like take this moment to congratulate all the current scholarship recipients as well as those who will receive theirs for 2009. We wish you the best of luck in your meaningful endeavors and may you always go forward towards your dreams.

Other happenings around the festival site included strolling musicians Mark Hamza* on Accordion and Jay Rattman* on Clarinet, The Lost Ramblers, and The Dixie Gents. Bob Dorough performed his classic collection of songs he composed for “Schoolhouse Rock” in the children’s area while Maria Horn* shared her story telling talents with the children. In addition to all this, there was great food to be had by all and many wonderful items to be bought at the vender section. There were so many things to do the two days of the outdoor festival hardly seems enough.

However, the grand finale of this year’s COTA came with an arousing performance by Simone. The energies she and her band produced ignited the crowd as they moved and swayed to her electric beats. It was a fitting end to a wonderful experience no one wanted to end. Everyone went home in anticipation to next year’s festival so they can relive their experiences while creating new memories to sustain them throughout the year.

Still, there is much COTA* does throughout the year which helps ease the long wait for the festival to begin again in September 2009. The Sherman Theatre in Stroudsburg, PA (www.shermantheatre.com) will present The COTA* Orchestra Library Alive Series on November 10th and host one of COTA’s* favorite bands The Eric Mintel Quartet as they present a Jazz Holiday Show on December 20th. In addition to this, next summer will see a performance by the students who attend COTA’s* Jazz Camp.

It is in combining the experience of the established Jazz Master those who come to COTA* each year have come to admire with the new talent who are hovering in the horizons of their dreams that makes The Celebration of The Arts* an intricate part of everyone who love the arts lives. I enjoy going each year as there is always a new experience to be added to my mental scrap book of memories. I always make new friends and I never fail to be astonished by the adventures of those I become reacquainted with. It is especially rewarding that their numbers increase each year. I have seen many of you there and I’m glad for the time we shared this year. Please feel free to share your comments, reflections, and recollections about COTA with me. I eagerly await your words.

Please contact COTA* at 570-424-2210 or visit their website for more information. You’ll find a complete archive can be found at our Blog on Yahoo360. Please visit our website at www.forwardianartssociety.com to find a directory to all of The Forwardian Arts Society Blogs.

(*) denotes members of The Forwardian Arts Society in good standing and are considered Our Good Friends.