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One of Southern New England’s premiere jazz bands.  They present swinging up-beat tunes as well as mellow jazz moods for your dancing and listening pleasure.  Delight to your favorite standards, ballads and blues from the Big Band era, from contemporary grooves to world jazz sung in French, Spanish and Portuguese. Joie de Jazz features the sultry, sophisticated vocal stylings of songstress Micheléy Angelina and veteran jazzmen, Frank Procaccini, saxes, clarinet and flute,  Kent Hewitt, piano, Jim Hunter, stand up bass and John Moore, drums. With Micheléy Angelina’s vocals, this is an outstanding group sure to please you and your guests for weddings, anniversaries, parties or any special occasions you’re planning.

Micheley Angelina

Although Micheley primarily sings jazz she also has been a soloist in folk, classical and sacred repertory for twenty years.  As well as musical leads in operas and musicals. She has a strong performing background in classical ballet, modern, mime, jazz, character and middle eastern belly dance,  studying on Ford Foundation scholarship with N.Y.C. Ballet since the age of 14 with such greats as Marina Svetlova, George Balanchine, and Thalia Mara of NYC, Samuel Avital and Marcel Marceau of Paris.

As a singer she studied with her late mentor Prof. Emeritus, Mary Langdon of CT.  College and received an O’Neil Best Actress Award in ‘93 and 2nd place Professional Category in the National Assoc. of Teachers of Singing in ‘94 under Mrs. Langdon’s tutelage.   She is a published and awarded poet and author of several books.

Micheley works as a holistic therapist and has earned certifications in 36 Holistic Therapies, a B.S. in Psychology and an H.Ph.D. in Humanities for her writing and recording accomplishments and work with children’s rights.

She has a three octave range and sings from the heart - passionate interpretations ala Natalie Cole’s “If You Could See Me Now” to Ella Fitzgerald’s “I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart.

Scroll down to view Joie de Jazz Musicians.      Cinemystic Productions Can a young girl's love and a healer's touch reverse one family's trauma through two generations orphaned by the Holocaust? FILM COMPANY AND FIRST FEATURE FILM LAUNCHED Micheley has founded Cinemystic Productions to create independent spiritual film. She completed a year at The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University. For the past year and a half she has finished writing, directing and co-producing a full length feature film entitled "Scenes In A Mind". The Cinematographer is Shawn Bishop Schaffer from Albany, NY. The film is presently undergoing visual editing by Tony Grocki, Co-Producer, also from Albany, NY. Tony has edited for such major film producers as Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee. Tony starred in and edited a recent collaboration with Tom Lerner entitled "Uncivil Liberties" which has just been bought by the political film division of Arista Films. "Scenes In A Mind" is a narrative full length feature film about a Polish Jewish doctor haunted by mysterious blockages from WWII. A young girl's love and a healer's touch are his only support as he regresses and fights for sanity. He must also both confront and comfort a frozen father shadowed by Auschwitz trauma whose flash backs force him to engage in his own recovery work. The audience shares an inside view of both the victims and therapist dilemmas in healing critical incidents from war trauma. Even as the world celebrates the 60th anniversary ending WWII, we struggle with the trauma of victims and survivors carried down through three generations. The seriousness of this issue is amplified in the face of modern day terrorism as we see the same psychohistorcial patterns being repeated. "Scenes In A Mind" contains original music and art and is a work in progress. We are currently at the editing and fund raising stages of production. The most unique piece of this production is the dedication of all parties involved. They have worked on a deferred payment basis to bring this film through a full two years of shooting, acting, crewing, music writing, all aspects of production and the beginning of the visual editing process. Investments and donations from an interested public are welcomed and appreciated. For more information please contact Micheley at 860-701-1527 or visit Cinemystic.net. Our website is presently being created by Victor Torres, web designer for AlternativesforHealing.com and many other major nationwide sites. Please visit www.cinemystic.net after June 30th, 2007 to view our trailer and meet and support all our fantastic film family.

Kent Hewitt

Pianist, Kent Hewitt, has earned a degree in Business Administration from Boston University and a degree in Theory and Composition from the University of Connecticut.  He has studied piano and theory with Ray Santisi, Charlie Mariano, Hal Galper, Fred Hersch and Ron Brown. Kent has been musical director for numerous popular Connecticut jazz clubs.  He recorded TV jingles for Don Elliott Productions and also recorded with Michael Mussilami, Randy Brecker, Ray Drummond and Phyllis Hyman, and has performed with Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell, Steve Rossi, among many others.  He has collaborated with writer, Melanie Greenhouse and composed music for her popular theatrical production: “Point of Land”.  He has also collaborated with noted poet, Marilyn Nelson for the prestigious “Sunken Gardens” poetry festival.

As a music teacher, Kent has taught for Berklee College of Music in Boston, Hartt Community Division, The Hartford Conservatory, Trinity College, and The Music School in Providence.  He is currently writing a jazz piano instruction book for beginner to intermediate level piano students.

Kent has also earned a Science Degree in Nutripathy, a field of nutrition and bio-chemistry, and currently has a practice in holistic health counseling and natural healing.

 

James Hunter

James Hunter, Jr. received a B.S. in Music Education from Central Connecticut State College and a degree in Music Therapy from The University of New Mexico.  James studied bass with Milt Hilton at Skidmore University, Lawrence Hurst at The Univ. of Michigan and Homer Mensch in New York City. He is presently employed as a music teacher in the New London, CT. public school system working with grades six thru eight.  He has also taught bass at The Thames Valley Music School at Connecticut College.  James is a member of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and currently performs with a number of local jazz and blues groups including The Florence Adams Quartet and Johnny and The East Coast Rockers.  James is on call as a bass player frequently recording or playing for private parties with trios and quartets throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island.

James has played with such greats as Wynton Marsalis, Billy Taylor, Itzak Perlman, Paul Knopf, Walter Perkins. James versatility, creativity and strong melodic sense provide a unique foundation and tonal quality to the Joie de Jazz sound.

 

Frank Procaccini

Frank Procaccini  is a freelance woodwind performer.  He has been performing and teaching in Connecticut since 1973.  His full time profession is Director of Bands at the Clark Lane Middle School in Waterford,  CT.   He recently has been appointed to Director of Music for the  Waterford Public Schools, grades k  - 12. Freelancing in a variety of styles of music and also performing vocally have been important keys to the success he has enjoyed over the years.  The main instruments he performs on are Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone Saxophones, Clarinet and Flute.

Classical studies have been the framework of his playing experience with Frank Marinaccio, principal clarinetist from the R.I. Philharmonic Orchestra and Tom Labrodoff, clarinetist for the U.S.C.G. Band.

Frank also holds a B.A. in Music Education from the University of  Rhode Island, with post graduate degrees in School Administration from the University of Connecticut and Marketing/Business from Community College.

 

John Moore

Drummer, John Moore, maintains a busy freelance schedule with jazz and blues groups throughout Southern New England, including a jazz trio with Mike Murray and Bill Morrison and also a blues band, The Sidewinders with Pianist/Vocalist Tony Chris.   John has studied percussion with Tony Briggs of the U.S.C.G. Band, and is currently studying percussion with Artie Cabral, one of New England’s busiest jazz drummers.  His open ears, inventiveness and astute approach with vocalists are key contributions to the success of Joie de Jazz.

 

Kirk Edwards

Kirk Edwards has been featured as a soloist on the saxophone, clarinet, and flute in styles ranging from jazz, gospel, popular to classical music. Edwards as compser-arranger has put together several pieces that have been featured by the U.S. Coast Guard Band. He has a Masters Degree in Music from University of Connecticut.

ALEX NAKHIMOVSKY

Born and trained in Russia, Mr. Nakhimovsky received degrees in jazz (with Jackie McLean) theory of music (Ed Diemente) and piano accompaniment (Luiz de Moura Castro) from the Hartt School of Music in 1988 and has been performing to critical acclaim ever since. As a musical director and pianist aboard cruise ships he traveled to six continents alternating jazz and classical solo programs, as well as conducting and arranging. As a freelance musician performing jazz, classical, cabaret, Broadway and world music he performed throughout the USA, including concert appearances at Steinway Hall, the Village Gate and the Town Hall in New York City. His jazz performances include concerts with such celebrated musicians as trumpeter Valery Ponomarev, saxophonists Benny Golson, Don Braden and Bobby Watson, trombonist Curtis Fuller and drummer Jimmy Cobb of The Miles Davis Quintet. In 1998 Alex performed at The International Jazz Festival in Novokuznetsk, Siberia with The Tim Armacost Quartet and again in 2001 in Novokuznetsk and St. Petersburg with the Craig Handy Quartet. Both performances in Novokuznetsk have been recorded on Boheme Music label. In 2002, Mr. Nakhimovsky returned to Russia with Rhode Island Jazz Vocalist, Shawnn Monteiro performing seven concerts in St. Petersburg, Novokuznetsk and Moscow. The reviewer of one of these concerts noted: “Alex Nakhimovsky is an excellent pianist with his own style where everything is logical and balanced”. Later that year he toured Chicago, New York and Boston with premiere Russian jazz violinist David Goloshekin and recorded a CD with Mr. Goloshekin documenting the tour. Alex performs regularly in clubs in the New York and Connecticut region, has participated at the Hartford International Jazz Festival and Torrington Jazz Festival and currently is finishing a recording with jazz vocalist and artist June Bisantz –Evans. In July of this year he is scheduled to perform in Russia again with legendary Jazz Vocalist Sheila Jordan. As a solo pianist he has performed a number of classical programs, such as From Bach to Shostakovich, 24 Etudes of Chopin, The Romantics (featuring music of Schubert, Liszt, Chopin and Brahms), Russian White Nights (with compositions by Tchaikovsky, Scriabin and Rachmaninov), An Evening of Chopin (featuring his waltzes, nocturnes, polonaise etc) and recently has performed a program called: Rhapsody in Blue and all that early jazz (with jazz influenced compositions of early 20th century and a solo version of the Rhapsody) Mr. Nakhimovsky teaches at the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts.

Ian Frenkel

Ian Frenkel received his BA in 1994 from Manhattan School of Music and is currently in graduate studies. He has also attended Moscow Special Central Music School and Gorky State Conservatory. As a jazz and studio player he has been heard in the double role of an arranger and pianist of the USSR National TV and Radio Studio Orchestra.

 

Bronek Suchanek

Bronek Suchanek was educated at the State College of Music, Katowice, Poland with a Master of Fine Arts in Double Bass Performance.  He also attended the National College of Music, Stockholm, Sweden for the year long Teacher’s Course for Jazz Musicians. He has taught courses and ensembles in Poland, Sweden and presently teaches master classes for the University of Southern Maine in double bass in classical and improvised music. Bronek has performed and recorded in 26 recordings in Europe, and the United States with such notables as The Polish Jazz Studio Orchestra, Polski Jazz Ensemble, Tomasz Stanko Quintet, Okay Temmiz and the Jazz Ensemble, Oriental Wind, Zbigniew Seifert, Michael Urbaniak, Adam Makowicz, Art Farmer, George Russell and the Swedish Radio Jazz Group, Don Cherry, Benny Bailey, Thad Jones, Pepper Adams, Roland Hannah, Mal Waldrom, Mel Lewis, Kenny Hadley Big Band, Rick Stepton Sextet, Artie Shaw Orchestra, Rebecca Paris, James Williams, Alan Dawson, Jerry Bergonzi, Bill Brown, Mark Templeton, Jon Almark Big Band, Chris Neville, and Pat Mitchell.

He has also played in most major European Jazz Festivals over the last thirty years.  He is currently working with Micheley on some of her original music.

For booking and current show listings please contact Micheléy Angelina at (860)701-1527