Jon Cleary to headline Jazz Fest Shabbat
By ALAN SMASON
The Jazz Fest Shabbat Committee didn’t know what a coup they pulled off when they announced early in the year that the headliner for this year’s Jazz Fest Shabbat event at Touro Synagogue would be British-born and longtime New Orleans resident Jon Cleary.
Jon Cleary, left, and The Absolute Monster Gentlemen will be headlining this year’s Jazz Fest Shabbat being held the second weekend of the 10-day event. (Courtesy joncleary.com)
That’s because it wasn’t more than a month later that Cleary and his group, The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, received a Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album during the daylight portion of the annual awards show in February.
“That obviously was not something we could have anticipated,” said Cantor David Mintz, who is the titular head of the volunteer committee. “We try to have an artist each year that we haven’t had in the past,” he explained. This year, the committee could claim precognition and no one could dispute that they did well.
Unlike many of the past several years, David Hammer will not be leading the committee. Congregant volunteer John Antonucci and Aaron Ahlquist are taking over as chairs this year, but Hammer will continue to advise the committee and everyone will work with Mintz.
“He’s obviously an incredible musician and one of the greats of New Orleans and we’re just thrilled to have him,” Mintz continued. “The facc that he was nationally honored is a feather in our hat; but that gives us another reason to celebrate.”
Typically, the Friday night of the first of the two Jazz Fest weekends is when Touro holds its special concert featuring the Panorama Jazz Band, the Touro Choir, the cantor and the clergy, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. But because the first weekend also coincides with the first nights of Passover, the rule is that the Jazz Fest Shabbat is held the second and final week.
Mintz said this is both good and bad news. It means, he said, that many of the regular attendees coming in for the first week will be disappointed. However, the opportunity for second week attendees to attend the event will now exist.
The poster announcing the 25th annual Jazz Fest Shabbat.
As in last year’s inaugural Jazz Fest Shabbat for Mintz, he promises there will some new special pieces in addition to old favorites. He expects to meet with Cleary and his band very soon.
Rabbi Alexis Berk and Assistant Rabbi Todd Silverman will also lead worship services that night.
The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first served basis. Patron tickets at all levels include a special private concert by Cleary and his band, a Shabbat meal and reserved seats in the front of the sanctuary.
For more information check out the Touro Synagogue or new JazzFestShabbat.com website. For more information, call 504-895-4843.
