2010 Jazz Festival

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Jan. 7 & 8 brought the 11th Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival, one of the highlights of each year in Cherokee. Things started off with a Clinic for area high school music students on Friday at the Cherokee Middle Scxhool, faciliated by veteran jazz men Jim Oatts and the Jim Oatts Quintet, from Des Moines. Friday night brought pub crawls at several local venues. Saturday brought a jam session at The Gathering Place and a Youth Music festival at The Spice Rack, followed by the concert at WITCC and more pub crawls. Sunday's entertainment, the Gospel Choir from Sioux City, did not appear as scheduled due to impending inclement weather.

Jim Oatts of the Jim Oatts Quintet of Des Moines is pictured giving some tips to several aspiring Jazz musicians from Cherokee Washington High School during the 2011 Jazz Clinic held at the Cherokee Middle School on Friday. The Jazz Clinic is part of the annual Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
The Cherokee Washington High School Jazz Band was the first of several groups that participated in the 2011 Jazz Clinic held at the Cherokee Middle School on Friday Jan. 7. The students learned valuable techniques from legendary jazz performer Jim Oatts and members of the Jim Oatts Quintet. Other school bands that participated in Friday's Clinic included the Cherokee Middle School, Kingsley-Pierson, and Sioux City West. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
The 11th annual Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival kicked off on Friday Jan. 7th, with six bands playing at venues around town. Pictured is Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bob Dorr, leader of The Blue Band, who rocked the VFW Club that night. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Friends indeed Featured in this photo of the band 'Jimmy Davis and Friends' are Theodore Brooks Begay, left, Andy Juhl, center, and Steve Alingh on the keyboards as they played at The Gathering Place on Friday. Others in the band included Dave Hinners, Jimmy Davis (right) and Laura Bernhardt. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Bassist Theodore Brooks Begay grooves during the Jimmy Davis & Friends set. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Keyboard player Steve Alingh of Jimmy Davis and Frends is viewed from above. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Super Dave - Dave Hinners is the multi-talented drummer who helps drive the band Jimmy Davis and Friends, and he kept the beat on Friday as the band played at The Other Place during the 11th annual Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
The Jazz Express - Performing at The Spice Rack on Friday was Dr. David Klee and the Jazz Express. Making up the band were David Klee on flute, Michael Klee on drums, Michael Schreier on Keyboards, and Jameson Hooton on Bass Guitar. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Rocking 'The Other Place' - David Zollo and the Body Electric rocked The Other Place on Friday. Zollo is pictured delivering his deep bag of keyboard chops to the delight of Festival goers. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Erick Hovey Band - The Erick Hovey Band rocked the Blue Room at The Cherokee Bowl on Friday, as part of the 11th Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival. Hovey is a songwriter, guitarist, singer and fifth generation farmer from Fort Dodge. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Sound of perfection - The Northwest Iowa Musicians delivered their sounds of perfection on Friday as the master musicians made their performance look easy, to the delight of those in attendance at The Copper Cup. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Sweet sax - Stephen Smith of the Northwest Iowa Musicians is pictured playing his saxophone on Friday at The Copper Cup. (Photo by Mike Leckband)
Jamming with Levee Town - Members of Levee Town rocked The Gathering Place Saturday afternoon during the Jam Session during the 11th Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival. (Photo by Vanessa Reusch)
Youth talent - The Spice Rack held the first youth talent showcase event during the 11th Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival on Saturday afternoon where youth performed for an audience, and received constructive advice from judges David Klee and Amy Sarchet. The six participants for the event are pictured with Judy Klee, left, receiving their participation certificates and their written criticisms from the judges. (Photo by Vanessa Reusch)
Veteran Sound Man Wayne Morris manned the sound board at the Jazz and Blues Festival.
Davies - Mary Bridget Davies and her band got the Other Place shaking during the Saturday Pub Crawls of the 11th Cherokee Jazz & Blues Festival. (Photo by Vanessa Reusch)
Jazzy saxophone - Adam Schroeder opened the Saturday night concert with jazzy sounds of his baritone saxophone melodies during the 11th Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival (Photo by Vanessa Reusch)
Levee Town - Headliner Levee Town got the Western Iowa Tech Community College Conference Center swinging Saturday at the Main Concert during the 11th Cherokee Jazz and Blues Festival. (Photo by Vanessa Reusch)
Breakfast at the Depot - Musicians and volunteers sat down for a bountiful breakfast Sunday morning after the Pub Crawls came to a close at 1 a.m. (Photo by Vanessa Reusch)