JAZZ IT UP PHILLY Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

When Thomas Camarda launched Jazz It Up Philly November 18, 2014, he never expected to make such an impact on Philadelphia night life. He and business partner Charlie Bartlett thought they'd have four events that year - instead they had 24, all sold-out, generating over $250,000 of newly created revenue into business and the arts in Philadelphia. Now one year later, on Wednesday November 18, 2015 from 7 to 11 p.m., Jazz It Up Philly is celebrating its one year anniversary with an extravagant production featuring 35 jazz artists performing live. It will take place at Union Trust, 717 Chestnut Street, the place where it all began.

The evening will be packed with entertainment featuring the artists who have performed with them throughout the past year. Tim Brey, the music director, has put together The Jazz It Up Philly Players, an eight-piece band to include piano, bass, drum, a three-horn section, violin and guitar. Among the performers will be Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society, Laura Cheadle and the Family Blues Band, Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five, Season 12 American Idol Vocalist Kriss Mincey, Singer Paul Jost with Bassist Kevin MacConnell, Singer Eddie Bruce and many others. (See list below.)

This extravagant night of fine dining and entertainment will begin at 7 p.m. with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, continuing with a seated three-course dinner and a ceremonial cake-cutting celebration, catered by Finley Catering of Union Trust and the Crystal Tea Room. In addition, Special Honorary Jazz It Up Philly Awards will be presented. Tickets start at $100. Special VIP packages also available.

Jazz It Up Philly has been called "the best floating jazz show in Philadelphia" as Camarda and Bartlett present jazz at various restaurants in Center City. They work with restaurateurs who want to build business on quiet nights and then they produce a concert, bringing in the performers and marketing the evening. The results are always the same -- a marked improvement in revenue streams. Bar Volver, located in The Kimmel Center, has had such success with the Jazz It Up team that they have booked them repeatedly through the year. Robert Delarosa, who was the general manager of Volver who launched this relationship, raved about Jazz It Up. He said, "When we worked with them on New Year's Eve, we had the best crowd, the best night of the entire year. Throughout the year, they have helped us enhance our image as a venue that provides value and entertainment."

Camarda and Bartlett never imagined so much would happen in one year. Camarda said, "We have gone far beyond all of my wildest dreams. Our goal is to build the Philadelphia jazz scene to what it once was. Plus, we hope to give artists a reason to stay in Philadelphia and not take their talents elsewhere."

He continued talking about the support they have received since starting Jazz It Up and said, "We are thrilled to work with so many great people and the biggest honor we had this year was to be hired to produce The Philly POPS 500 Club event that took place at The Prime Rib." Philly Pops President and CEO Frank Giordano said: "We knew we wanted Jazz It Up to produce our 500 Club event because they present jazz nights like no one else in Philadelphia. It has the sophistication of a club in New York and that's just what we wanted."

For Bartlett, a musician himself, he reflects on the opportunities they are providing for talent. He said, "Not only are we hiring artists at respectable fees and giving them a place to perform, we also provide them a tool kit to help them market themselves. We give them professional photos and videos after each performance and promote them on social media. Each artist has a webpage on JazzItUpPhilly.com, too."

One of the goals of Jazz It Up is to always spotlight new jazz artists, giving them opportunities to perform. They combine ingénues with seasoned performers and the combination has worked out beautifully. In honor of their first anniversary and continuing their mission to support young artists, they are working with the Philadelphia School District and providing a prize for their All-City Jazz Competition, giving the winner a recording contract and producing a 10-track CD for them. The prize includes 300 CD's and a CD release party valued well over $10,000.00.

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