Al Chez Joined Haverford Students at 35th Evening of Jazz

The culmination of Chez's year long residency with the Haverford School District was a concert on Wednesday, April 9 

HAVERTOWN - Jazz great, Al Chez, joined students from Haverford High School and Haverford Middle School at the 35th Annual Evening of Jazz on Wednesday, April 9.  Chez has been the 2014 Artist in Residence in the inaugural year of the Jazz Residency Program at the School District of Haverford Township.  The residency program provides for an artist in residence to visit and instruct at Haverford schools four times in a school year.  The culminating visit includes a performance at the Evening of Jazz concert.

Haverford Middle School Teacher Dr. Drew Shanefield started the Jazz Residency Program.  He received a grant from the Barbash Foundation and raised the remaining funds from the Haverford Community.  Amazingly, this innovative musical education tool is funded without using curricular money.

Haverford Superintendent Dr. William Keilbaugh said, “Haverford schools have a long tradition of music in education illustrated by the fact that many of our music teachers are Haverford Alums. The Jazz Residency Program reinforces Haverfordís commitment to music education and the crucial role it plays in a student's development of personal identity, teamwork, and creativity. We are grateful to the community and the Barbash Foundation for their support in this one of a kind program.  Having Al Chez as our first artist is an amazing way to kick off this program.” 

This year's artist, Al Chez, who performs on the Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Valve Trombone and Percussion, started his extensive music career at the age of 9 when he joined his father's local drum corps, the Saints. In 1979, he joined forces with Jon Bon Jovi to create the band the Atlantic City Expressway, which played New Jersey shore clubs for years. Chez joined the CBS Orchestra in 1997 after years of sitting in on trumpet and flugelhorn with Late Night with David Letterman NBC and the Late Show CBS. Chez is devoting his time these days to his Passion, "Al Chez & The Brothers of Funk Big Band," a big band playing rock and soul music with big horn sound.