PoJazz

About PoJazz

PoJazz is sponsored by the Writing and Literature Department of Johnson State College and is inspired by the college's commitment to interdisciplinary studies in the arts and humanities.

The ensemble features JSC community members (faculty, staff and students), as well as other poets and musicians As PoJazzer Tony Whedon puts it: "PoJazz is fluid jazz theatre, and we are constantly changing, inviting new poets and musicians to join us in new shows."

PoJazz

The PoJazz ensemble showcases the best of Northern New England's jazz musicians and poets in a cabaret format. PoJazzers believe that jazz, especially "the blues," tells stories and that poetry, at its lyrical best, is never far from music and dance. In each PoJazz performance, poets read from their own written work while musicians interweave riffs that erupt from both the rhythms of a poetic line and the musical phrase.

PoJazz has made numerous appearances in the North Country. These include performances at Johnson State College, Champlain College, SUNY-Plattsburgh, Vermont College, Nectar's, The Island Arts Festival, Montpelier's First Night, The Black Door, Halvorson's and many small venues in northern Vermont.

Listen to PoJazz


The Poets

David Budbill
David Cavanagh
Geof Hewitt
J.C. Ellefson
Jody Gladding
Neil Shepard
Tony Whedon
Xu Xi
And JSC Writing and Literature Students

The Musicians

Steve Blair: guitar
Tom Cleary: piano
Laurence McCrorey: tenor sax
Jeff Salisbury/Gabriel Jarett: percussion
Daniel Silverman: trombone
Clyde Statts: bass
Tony Whedon: trombone

For More Information

To learn more about PoJazz, or for booking, contact Tony Whedon at 802-326-4105.

English class