All that jazz: Zoot Fest coming to ESU and the Deer Head Inn

DELAWARE WATER GAP — Zoot Fest 2016, a benefit for the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection at East Stroudsburg University, will be held on Sunday, Nov. 13, both at the university and the legendary Deer Head Inn.
It will be held at two locations:
The Cecilia S. Cohen Recital Hall in the Fine and Performing Arts Center at East Stroudsburg University, from 3 to 5 p.m.
The Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, where an after-concert party, dinner, and VIP reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.
Tickets are $40 for the ESU concert alone, or $80 for an all-inclusive VIP ticket to both events.
Al and ZootRepresenting all forms of jazz from all eras, the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection was founded in 1988 and named in honor of the award-winning Al Cohn — legendary saxophonist, arranger, composer and conductor. Zoot Fest was named in honor of Al’s longtime partner and fellow saxophonist, Zoot Sims. The Collection is housed in Kemp Library on the ESU campus and consists of jazz recordings, oral histories, sheet music, photographs, books, videos, and original art and memorabilia donated over the years by its many supporters.
The 3 p.m. concert will feature tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin joined by pianist Bill Dobbins, bassist Bill Crow, and drummer Bill Goodwin performing “Remembering Al and Zoot," a set of standars.
The second half of the concert will showcase members from the COTA Festival Orchestra to perform the music from the Zoot Sims recording, “Hawthorne Nights,” arranged by Bill Holman and directed by Bill Dobbins.
The after-concert party and VIP reception will feature a meal catered by the Deer Head Inn as well as a performance by pianist Jon Ballantyne joined by Bill Crow, Bill Goodwin, and various guests from the ESU performance.
Tickets are available at the door or in advance at esu.edu/jazzatesu or by calling 570-422-3156. Student discounts are available at the door.
For more information about Zoot Fest and the Al Cohn Collection, contact Jazz Program Coordinator, Matt Vashlishan at 570-422-3828 or alcohncollection@esu.edu.