Jazz and Chocolates Fundraiser Benefits Chelsea Center for the Arts

Students and faculty from the Chelsea Center for the Arts will present an entertaining weekend of jazz music beginning Jan. 11.

The event opens with "Jazz and Chocolates" at Silver Maples Retirement Community, an evening of American jazz, blues, and standards, from 6-8:30 p.m.

A popular annual community event, Jazz and Chocolates raises money for CCA's student scholarship and tuition assistance fund, which provides thousands of dollars to students seeking lessons and classes in music and visual arts.  

This year's event will showcase beginning to advanced music students, along with CCA instructors.

"We're really looking forward to sharing this evening with the community. It's an important way for students to connect their music with an appreciative audience, and we have always had a warm welcome from everybody at Silver Maples," Lisa Hinz-Johnson, director of music programming said.

With a variety of music, sweet treats, and music-themed raffle items, Jazz and Chocolates has become a popular fundraiser in the Chelsea community.

"I think that what makes this evening so special is the wide array of musicians, performing together. You'll see musicians as young as 9, performing for the first time alongside their instructors, and then we have adult musicians who have been doing this for years," Hinz-Johnson said.

"This combination is what makes CCA a special place to create art--students of all levels and abilities taking the leap and putting their music out there, with the support of professional instructors who know how to nurture and bring out the best in each student," she said.

The CCA Jazz Ensemble, directed by Ben Jansson and Alex Anest, will also be on hand to perform jazz classics from Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane. CCA alumna Charlotte Prenevost will also take the stage with a handful of jazz standards.

The second portion of the weekend is a free event for children on Jan. 12 from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Chelsea Center for the Arts, 400 Congdon St.

Jazz Jam Junior, directed by instructor Tara Vesprini, is a lively jazz and improvisation workshop for children ages 3-6. This workshop gives very young children a first taste of jazz through body rhythms, movement and creating improvisational riffs together.

The workshop is free, however families must first register their children by calling 734-433-2787. Space is limited to the first 12 registered students.

Tickets for Friday evening's Jazz and Chocolates at Silver Maples will be available at the door. Tickets are $10 per person or $25 per family. For more information, call 734-433-2201.