Hatfield, Wilson, and Castrillo on the Bill of Vineyard Vibes Festival
Singer Juliana Hatfield and her band will perform at the famed Martha's Vineyard club the Hot Tin Roof on August 6 as part of the Vineyard Vibes Festival that runs August 4 through August 9.
The first weekend in August will feature the return of Vineyard Vibes to the premier summer vacation destination of Martha's Vineyard, 15 miles off the Cape Cod shorleline. Vineyard Vibes 2005 will be four days of Berklee-sponsored music events showcasing the talents of Berklee students, alumni, and faculty and will feature a variety of musical genres. Since Vineyard Vibes began four years ago, the concerts have attracted near-sell-out summer crowds, and this year's line-up promises to do the same.
Thursday night, August 4, the Vineyard will be treated to a special performance by Berklee faculty trombonist Phil Wilson and the Berklee Rainbow Band of The Wizard of Oz Suite, arranged by Phil Wilson and featured on his 1993 CD of the same name. Opening the evening will be Berklee vocal sensation Jeremy Ragsdale '05 and his quartet. Each year, Vineyard Vibes raises money to further the music education of Vineyard-area students. This year, funding supported a special educational outreach program for Martha's Vineyard high-school students who will attend clinics at Berklee and perform one selection with Phil Wilson at Thursday night's concert.
Friday evening, August 5, Latin percussionist and faculty member Eguie Castrillo will lead his 18-piece Latin big band in a tribute to the Mambo Kings, Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Machito at the storied Martha's Vineyard nightclub the Hot Tin Roof. Salsa dancers will fill the club's dance floor as this group of world-class Latin musicians invokes the spirits and legacies of these legendary Latin bandleaders.
On Saturday night, August 6, the Hot Tin Roof will have a different vibe. This concert will be an all-ages show, headlined by Berklee alumna, singer/songwriter Juliana Hatfield and her rock band with special guests and native Vineyarders the Unbusted.
Sunday evening, August 7, at the Whaling Church in Edgartown, back by popular demand will be the Berklee College of Music Reverence Gospel Ensemble with featured guest soloist Renese King directed by Dennis Montgomery, III. The concert will open with a special musical tribute to the women of Darfur by two Berklee students who participated in a special recording project at the college to raise awareness and support for the victims of violence in Sudan.
Each year, BR Creative Group, the firm that creates recruitment advertising for the college, coproduces Vineyard Vibes with Berklee's Office of Student Affairs. "Berklee continues to provide a limitless pool of extraordinary musical talent that we are thrilled to present it to Vineyard summer audiences," says Dick Weisberg, BR Creative's managing director. "We believe it's an exceptional way to demonstrate what Berklee is all about."
Steven Lipman, assistant vice president for Student Affairs/enrollment mangement and executive producer of Vineyard Vibes explains, "As the concerts bring together various generations of Berklee musicians to showcase their talents, the variety and depth of the many contemporary music genres that Berklee offers becomes undeniable."
Berklee's Office of Alumni Affairs is offering an expanded get-away package for alumni who wish to attend Vineyard Vibes, including an alumni/VIP cocktail reception and other special opportunities. Information will be forthcoming. In the meantime, contact alumniaffairs@berklee.edu or at 617-747-2556 for more details. For general information about the festival and ticket reservations, visit www.vineyardvibes.com or call 508-693-0305.
