Event cancelled due to bad weather.
See substitute event, below.
Mile High Jazz Band Performs
"Cool Jazz in January" at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Swing into the New Year with the Mile High Jazz Band at "Cool Jazz in January," a big-band event with vocalists Jakki Ford and Cindee LeVal, at CommaCoffee.com on Tuesday, January 10, 2017, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson Street, is across the street from the state legislature building in Carson City. General admission is $5 at the door; free for age 18 and under.

The 19-member Mile High Jazz Band performs music in the spirit of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Woody Herman, and more contemporary jazz styles from their repertoire of more than 100 charts. Jakki Ford and Cindee LeVal will sing cool and hot tunes with the big band, including Orange Colored Sky, Hard Hearted Hannah, and more.

For information about "Cool Jazz in January" and other live music at Comma Coffee, call June Joplin at 775-883-2662. For information about the Mile High Jazz Band, call 775-883-4154 or see MileHighJazz.com.

Photos: Cindee LeVal and Jakki Ford will sing with Mile High Jazz Band on Tuesday.

Combo subbing for Mile High Jazz Band
at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, January 10, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band is cancelling its performance tonight (Jan. 10) due to weather conditions affecting several of the performers. However, a combo consisting of several members of the Millennium Bugs and a number of guest performers will perform starting at 7:30 p.m., at Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson Street, across the street from the state legislature building in Carson City. Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under.

"This is the first time in memory that the Mile High Jazz Band has cancelled its monthly Comma Coffee gig due to weather," said David Bugli, pianist and leader of the Mile High Jazz Band. The band has been playing gigs at Comma Coffee on the second Tuesday of every month since 2001, with a few exceptions.

The combo is composed of David Bugli on piano, Wayne Theriault and Gil Linsley on trumpet, Jacob Richetta on tenor sax and soprano sax, George Worth on bass, Neil Strocchio on drums, and Brandon Dodge on vibraphone and various Latin percussion. Some other local performers may also be participating.

This event is supported in part by public funding through a grant from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, call the Mile High Jazz Band at 775-883-4154, or visit the web site: MileHighJazz.com.

Pictured: David Bugli, leader of Mile High Jazz Band and combo.

Mile High Jazz Band Association Presents
Jazz Workshop for Students
Saturday, January 21, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band Association will hold a jazz workshop for middle school and high school instrumental musicians from Carson City on Saturday, January 21, 2017, at Carson Middle School, 1140 W. King Street, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuition is free.

The workshop will feature sessions on Jazz Rhythms, Scales and Chords, Improvisation, and Ensemble Performance. Tyler Cravines, Nat Kline, and Jef Derderian will lead the sessions, assisted by members of the Mile High Jazz Band and other professional musicians.

The workshop is intended to spark students' interest in continuing their music education, inspire them to participate in jazz band, and demonstrate that music participation is a lifelong activity. The workshop is open to all instrumental music students who want to learn about jazz. Those who are members of the Carson Middle School and Carson High School jazz bands also will have the opportunity to perform with the Mile High Jazz Band in concert on January 31.

This event is funded in part by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council.

For information and registration, contact David Bugli at 775-883-4154, email dcbugli@aol.com, or download the registration form here on the website MileHighJazz.com.

Photo: Students and leaders at Jazz Workshop last year.

Big-Band Jazz Times Three!
Mile High-Carson High Jazz Extravaganza XIV
at the Carson City Community Center
Tuesday, January 31, 2017

It's "big-band jazz times three" when the Mile High Jazz Band, Carson High Jazz Band, and Carson Middle School Jazz Band present the 14th annual combined concert, the Mile High-Carson High Jazz Extravaganza, on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the Bob Boldrick Theater at the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William Street, Carson City. The Extravaganza is sponsored by the Mile High Jazz Band Association and the Carson City Band Association as a benefit for Carson City school instrumental music programs.

Tickets prices are $10 general admission and free for youth age 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased in advance from Carson High and Carson Middle School music students, at the Carson City Visitors Bureau (716 N. Carson Street), online at MileHighJazz.com, or at the door. For information, call the Mile High Jazz Band at 775-883-4154.

The Extravaganza will feature three big bands, vocalist Cindee LeVal, combo performances, and the traditional grand finale combining the forces of all the musicians. Refreshments and raffle prizes will be on sale in the lobby. "We're so happy to perform with the high school and middle school jazz bands again," said David Bugli, Mile High Jazz Band leader and pianist. "The student music ensembles are great, and they deserve community support."

The Carson High Jazz Band, directed by Bill Zabelsky, and the Carson Middle School Jazz Band directed by Nick Jacques, attend and compete at jazz festivals each year and perform at community events throughout Carson City. The bands are zero-hour classes designed to teach students about jazz - the music that began in America and spread throughout the world.

The Mile High Jazz Band, a professional big-band, plays regularly in northern Nevada, including monthly performances and quarterly Jazz and Poetry events at Comma Coffee. They present the annual Jazz & Beyond: Carson City Music Festival in August.

This program is funded in part by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council. For more information, call Mile High Jazz Band at 775-883-4154 or see MileHighjazz.com.

Photo: Combined big bands perform in the 2016 Jazz Extravaganza.

David & Friends Play for Wine Walk
Saturday, February 4, 2017

David & Friends jazz combo will perform at the Nevada Artists Association Gallery, 449 W. King Street, Carson City, on Saturday, February 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The live music is part of the Carson City Downtown Business Association Wine Walk, to be held that day from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The Carson City Arts and Culture Coalition and the NAA Gallery will be pouring wine at two tables in the gallery, one of about 30 stops along the Wine Walk route. Wine glasses for participation are available for $15 at the Brewery Arts Center and other locations. Bring your wine glass that shows the official wine walk logo and pay only $12. The music is free.

The combo includes David Bugli, keyboard; Rocky Tatarelli, tenor sax; George Worth, bass; and Joe Briery, drums. They perform with each other and with several music groups throughout northern Nevada.

For more information about the music, call 775-883-4154. For information about Wine Walks, held the first Saturday of every month, see www.downtowncarson.org/events-2.

Pictured: Rocky Tatarelli will play saxophone with David & Friends on February 4 at the Nevada Nevada Artists Association Gallery.

Mile High Jazz Band Performs
"Jazz Sampler for Sweethearts" at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017

Treat your Valentine to a Jazz Sampler for Sweethearts, an evening of sweet and hot big-band music at Comma Coffee on Tuesday, February 14, 2017, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson Street, is across the street from the state legislature building in Carson City. General admission is $5 at the door; free for age 18 and under.

Jazz Sampler for Sweethearts features the 18-member Mile High Jazz Band presenting jazzy versions of favorite love songs for Valentine's Day, and other swinging, big-band selections. Singer Cindee LeVal will be featured on several of the tunes.

For information about the Mile High Jazz Band, call 775-883-4154 or see milehighjazz.com.

Photo: Tenor sax player, Derek Fong, with Mile High Jazz Band at Comma Coffee.

Mile High Jazz Band Association Presents
All Ages Jazz Workshops with Saxophonist Brian Landrus
Tuesday, February 28, 2017,

The Mile High Jazz Band Association will hold a two-part jazz workshop/masterclass on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at Carson Middle School, 1140 W. King Street. The afternoon session, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., is for student jazz musicians. The evening session, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., is for advanced through professional level musicians.

All are welcome to attend one or both sessions. Admission is free and music charts and music stands will be provided. Participants should bring their instruments. For information and registration, contact David Bugli at 775-883-4154, email dcbugli@aol.com.

The workshop, lead by saxophonist and composer Brian Landrus, will feature ensemble performance, solo improvisation, technique, and more. Landrus, an outstanding nationally recognized artist, was born and raised in Nevada and earned his Bachelor’s Degree at UNR. He went on to earn degrees in jazz composition and jazz saxophone from the New England Conservancy. He has toured the world with jazz superstars such as Esperanza Spalding and played in the Gil Evans Project, founded the recording label BlueLand to release his original music, and has received widespread recognition and awards, including several Rising Star awards from Downbeat magazine. Landrus is performing two of his original compositions in his first appearance with the Carson City Symphony on February 28.

The All Ages Jazz Workshop is a partnership between the Mile High Jazz Band Association and the Carson City School District, and is funded in part by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council.

David & Friends Perform During Wine Walk
Saturday, March 4, 2017

Back, by popular demand, David & Friends jazz combo will perform at the Nevada Artists Association Gallery, 449 W. King Street, Carson City, on Saturday, March 4, 2017, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The live music is part of the Carson City Downtown Business Association Wine Walk, to be held that day from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The group had visitors dancing and listening during their last performance, on February 4. A good time is almost guaranteed.

The Carson City Arts and Culture Coalition and the NAA Gallery will be pouring wine at two tables in the gallery, one of about 30 stops along the Wine Walk route. Wine glasses for participation are available for $15 at the Brewery Arts Center and other locations. Bring your wine glass that shows the official wine walk logo and pay only $12. The music is free.

The combo includes David Bugli, keyboard and trombone; Rocky Tatarelli, tenor sax; George Worth, bass; and Joe Briery, drums. They perform with each other and with several music groups throughout northern Nevada.

For more information about the music, call 775-883-4154. For information about Wine Walks, held the first Saturday of every month, see www.downtowncarson.org/events-2. Tickets may be purchased, in person, on the day of the event at The Carson Nugget, Cactus Jack's, Carson Jewelry and Loan, The Brewery Arts Center, Touched by Angels, and Comma Coffee.

Pictured: David & Friends taking a short break during the last Wine Walk, on February 4.

Mile High Jazz Band Presents
"Jazz & Poetry: Easy as Pi(e)" at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, March 14, 2017

What does the number 3.14 mean to you? To some people, it reminds them of Pi, that elusive and infinite number (3.1415....), which is very useful in mathematics. March 14 of each year is sometimes called "Pi Day" because that can be represented by 3.14 (close enough for jazz). To celebrate Pi Day, the Mile High Jazz Band performs at CommaCoffee.com on Tuesday, March 14, 2017, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The theme for the night is "Easy as Pi(e)."

Join the festivities as various poet/readers riff on the concepts of mathematics, baked goods (pies), and other associated ideas. Vocalist Cindee LeVal will be featured.

Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under.

For information about the Mile High Jazz Band, call 775-883-4154 or see milehighjazz.com.

Mile High Jazz Band Presents Big-Band Jazz
and Anniversary Cake
Tuesday, April 11, 2017

For 16 years, Mile High Jazz Band has been playing at Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson Street, on the second Tuesday of every month. Come celebrate this milestone with us on April 11, 2017. Hear sensational big-band music with vocalist Cindee LeVal and enjoy anniversary cake at intermission. General admission is $5 at the door, and it's free for age 18 and under.

The Mile High Jazz Band includes trumpets, trombones, saxophones, keyboard, guitar, bass, drums, and singers. They will play about twenty tunes from their ever-expanding repertoire of selections in the style of Basie, Ellington, and more contemporary composers and arrangers.

The performance is supported, in part, with public funding through the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

For information about the Mile High Jazz Band, call 775-883-4154, or visit their web site: MileHighJazz.com. For information about other live music at Comma Coffee, call June Joplin at 775-883-2662.

Photo: Comma Coffee owner June Joplin and Mile High Jazz Band pianist David Bugli with anniversary cake at Comma Coffee.

Mile High Jazz Band Performs
"Merry May Jazz" at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, May 9, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band performs "Merry May Jazz" at CommaCoffee.com on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. There's a big moon out there, so come out and enjoy the looniness.

Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under.

David & Friends Perform During Wine Walk
Saturday, June 3, 2017

David & Friends jazz combo will perform at the Nevada Artists Association Gallery, 449 W. King Street, Carson City, on Saturday, June 3, 2017, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The live music is part of the Carson City Downtown Business Association Wine Walk, to be held that day from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. This is the group's third appearance on the Wine Walk. A good time is almost guaranteed.

The Carson City Arts and Culture Coalition and the NAA Gallery will be pouring wine at two tables in the gallery, one of about 30 stops along the Wine Walk route. Wine glasses for participation are available for $15 at the Brewery Arts Center and other locations. Bring your wine glass that shows the official wine walk logo and pay only $12. The music is free.

The combo on this occasion includes David Bugli, keyboard and trombone; Rocky Tatarelli, tenor sax; Don Smaltz, trombone; George Worth, bass; and Joe Briery, drums. They perform with each other and with several music groups throughout northern Nevada.

For more information about the music, call 775-883-4154. For information about Wine Walks, held the first Saturday of every month, see www.downtowncarson.org/events-2. Tickets may be purchased, in person, on the day of the event at The Carson Nugget, Cactus Jack's, Carson Jewelry and Loan, The Brewery Arts Center, Touched by Angels, and Comma Coffee.

Pictured: David & Friends taking a short break during the Wine Walk on February 4.

Mile High Summer Jazz Camp in Carson City
June 7-13, 2017

Media release: May 25, 2017
Contacts:
Nick Jacques 775-283-2867 njacques@carson.k12.nv.us,
Elinor Bugli 775-883-4154 ehbugli@aol.com

Mile High Jazz Band Association, in cooperation with Carson Middle School, presents a five-day Jazz Camp with sessions for middle- and high-school musicians, weekdays June 7-13, 2017, in the band room at Carson Middle School, 1140 W. King St., in Carson City. Beginning and advanced sessions are open to students from Carson City and surrounding areas in northern Nevada and California.

The introductory Jazz Explorers Camp, from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. each day, is for middle-school students who want a sample of what playing jazz music is all about. It includes learning the blues scale, improvisation skills, and swing and rock styles. The registration fee includes music, instruction, and snacks.

The Jazz Ensemble Camp, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day, is for experienced middle-school and high-school musicians, including graduated seniors. Students will prepare songs in various jazz styles, learn solos, and perform in a public concert. Registration fee includes music, instruction, snacks, and a performance with the Mile High Jazz Band on Tuesday, June 13, at 7:00 p.m. at the McFadden Plaza stage in Carson City.

Organizer-director is Nick Jacques, band director at Carson Middle School, with guest instructors from the Mile High Jazz Band. Advance registration is required. Students can register online at www.cmsbands.org. ; Special guest instructors include UNR Professor Dr. Andrew Heglund and UNR senior Brandon Dodge, who will demonstrate mallet percussion and performance, and members of the Mile High Jazz Band.

Students may register for one or both sessions. The fee for Jazz Explorers is $25 for the week; for Jazz Ensemble is $40; and for both is $55. Payment by cash or check payable to "MHJB" is due the first day of camp. Some scholarships will be available. For more information, contact Nick Jacques at 775-283-2867 or njacques@carson.k12.nv.us.

Mile High Summer Jazz Camp is supported in part by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Photo: Middle- and high-school musicians at Mile High Jazz Camp last summer, with Jon Brill, guest instructor.

Mile High Jazz Band presents "Grading on the Curve"
An Evening of Big-Band Jazz and Poetry
Tuesday, June 13, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band with vocalist Cindee LeVal will be joined by six poets and readers for "Grading on the Curve," a lively evening of big-band jazz music and poetry. The event will be on Tuesday, June 13, 7:00-9:30 p.m., on the McFadden Plaza stage. (Please note that this special event starts at 7:00, not the usual 7:30 start time.) Admission is free, donations welcome. Public seating is limited; audience can bring lawn chairs.

The program will open with the Mile High Summer Jazz Camp Ensemble, a youth jazz band led by Nick Jacques. The poetry, beginning at 7:30 p.m., will be read by Rita Geil, Gayle Brandeis, Joe Crowley, Shepherd Darquia, Timothy Rhodes, and Amy Roby. Some of the poems are originals by the readers. Each will be followed by a big-band tune that relates to the poem.

This event is supported in part by public funding through a grant from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, call the Mile High Jazz Band at 775-883-4154, or visit the web site: MileHighJazz.com.

Photos: Cindee Leval, singer, and Rita Geil, poet, will perform with Mile High Jazz Band on June 13.

Mile High Jazz Band Assoc. Annual Meeting
for Members, Musicians, and Guests
Sunday, June 25, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band Association will be holding its Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 25, 2017, at 5:30 p.m. at a private home in Carson City (following a brief Board meeting at 5:00 p.m.). Mile High Jazz Band musicians, MHJB Association members, and guests are invited. For information, reservation, and directions, please e-mail ehbugli@aol.com or call 775-883-4154.

The meal is a potluck - please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Main dish and beverages will be provided. Musicians are invited to bring instruments for possible jam session.

Mile High Jazz Band Performs at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, July 11, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band performs at CommaCoffee.com on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under.

Millennium Bugs to Perform at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, August 8, 2017

The Millennium Bugs will be performing in Comma Courtyard on Tuesday, August 8, 2017, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under. This will be during the Jazz & Beyond Festival.

Generally, the Mile High Jazz Band performs on the second Tuesday of each month. The MHJB will be doing a special, free "113th Birthday of Count Basie" performance on Monday, August 21, at 7:30 p.m. on McFadden Plaza (Third St.) as part of the Jazz & Beyond Festival.

Millennium Bugs play for Ice Cream Social
Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017

As part of the "Jazz & Beyond Music Festival," the Millennium Bugs will play from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Foreman-Roberts House Museum on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, for the Carson City Historical Society Ice Cream Social. The event is free. Ice cream may be purchased at the event.

Mile High Jazz Band Celebrates 113th Birthday
of Count Basie on McFadden Plaza
Monday, August, 21, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band will be doing a special, free "113th Birthday of Count Basie" performance on Monday, August 21, at 7:30 p.m. on McFadden Plaza (Third St.) as the final performance of the Jazz & Beyond Festival.

Seating may be limited, so you may want to bring your own lawn chairs.

Jazz & Beyond – Carson City
Music and Art Festival
August 4-21, 2017

Media release – February 24, 2017: Mile High Jazz Band Association and Carson City present the 14th Annual Jazz & Beyond Festival. It features 18 days of Music, Art, and Film at multiple venues in Carson City, August 4-21.

"Jazz & Beyond is a homegrown event celebrating the talent of our region and relying on many local music fans who donate their time and effort," said committee co-chair David Bugli, President of the Mile High Jazz Band Assoc. "Sponsors and volunteers help us make the event one of the best in the area, and keep most performances admission free."

The festival opens on Friday, August 4, at the historic Bliss mansion, corner Mountain and Robinson Streets. An art show and sale on the porch at 4:00 p.m. features artists from the Capital City Arts Initiative and the Nevada Artists Association. Music on the lawn begins at 4:30 p.m. followed by by Cherie and John Shipley with Take This band at 6:30 p.m.

The Hohner Road Show, a 2-hour, indoor presentation hosted by blues harmonica pro Ronnie Shellist and artist manager Gizzy O'Toole will be on Sunday, August 6, at the Brewery Arts Center. The show is a mix of performance, teaching, and demonstration. It includes displays, harmonica giveaways, and hands-on instructional components. Following the road show, harmonica artist Tom Stryker will present outdoor blues and jazz band performances featuring Ronnie Shellist.

The second annual "A Day at the Silver Saddle Ranch," 2648 Carson River Road on the east side of Prison Hill, will be on Sunday, August 13, beginning at 3:00 p.m. Bluegrass and Western music, live animals, and food trucks will be featured.

Free concerts also will be held at the Legislative Plaza and Capital Amphitheater, Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson Mall, Comma Coffee Courtyard, Bob McFadden Plaza, Brewery Arts Center, and other Carson City venues. A full schedule of events will be available on the website JazzCarsonCity.com. For sponsor and volunteer opportunities, call 775-883-4154.

Pictured: Harmonica great Ronnie Shellist will perform at the Jazz & Beyond - Carson City Music Festival at Brewery Arts Center on August 13.

Mile High Jazz Band Presents "Just Sayin’"
Big Band Jazz and Poetry
Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band with vocalist Jakki Ford will be joined by several poets and readers on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 7:30-9:30 p.m., for an evening of big-band music and poetry on the theme "Just Sayin'." Each poem will be followed by a related big-band tune. The event will be at Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson Street, across the street from the state legislature building in Carson City. Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under.

Note: Weather predictions do not permit an outdoor performance in Comma Courtyard this month.

The program will feature poets and readers Rita Geil, Wayne Carlson, Joe Crowley, J.P. Horgan, Carol Kibildis Oza, Susan Sara Priest, and Tim Rhodes. "Just Sayin'" encompasses a broad variety of humorous and serious selections for the enjoyment of people of all ages.

For more information, call the Mile High Jazz Band at 775-883-4154, or visit the web site: MileHighJazz.com.

Pictured: Jakki Ford will sing with the Mile High Jazz Band on September 12

Mile High Jazz Band Performs at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band performs at CommaCoffee.com on Tuesday, October 10, 2017, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under.

Mile High Jazz Band Performs at Comma Coffee
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band performs at CommaCoffee.com on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5 general and free for age 18 and under.

Mile High Jazz Band Presents "Tidings"
Big Band Jazz and Poetry
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017

The Mile High Jazz Band will be joined by Rita Geil, other award-winning poets and readers, and singer June Joplin for an evening of big-band jazz and poetry on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Comma Coffee. General admission is $5 at the door, and free for age 18 and under.

Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson Street, is across the street from the state legislature building in Carson City.

The theme of the evening, "Tidings," relates to the holidays and to life situations. Poets and readers are Rita Geil, Wayne Carlson, Heather Firth, Susan Sara Priest, Timothy Rhodes, and "Community Spotlight" reader, Bob Hilderbrand. Each poem will be followed by a related big-band tune. Pianist and band leader, David Bugli, said, "'Tidings' encompasses a broad variety of humorous and serious selections, some based on holiday themes, for the enjoyment of people of all ages." The band will also be paying tribute to Joe Crowley, former University of Nevada, Reno President and a frequent poetry contributor since 2012 to the band's quarterly "Jazz & Poetry" events.

Mile High Jazz Band performances are funded, in part, by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, and by private donations. For more information, call 775-883-4154, or visit MileHighJazz.com.

Photo: Poet Rita Geil will perform in Mile High Jazz Band's "Tidings" Holiday Jazz and Poetry event on December 12.