While the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, the Choral Society of the Hamptons is not to be upstaged. Eighty years after its own founding, the choral society will present “Jazz X Chorus,” its spring concert, on April 11 at 5:30 p.m. at LTV Studios in Wainscott.
In a nod to this country’s sesquicentennial, “We determined that all of the music of our three concerts this year will be American,” said Marcia Previti, a vocalist and board member of the choral society, during a conversation joined by Sara Davison, the choral society’s president, and David M. Brandenburg, one of its three resident conductors. And what could be more American than jazz.
“The program was one of several I proposed to the music committee of the chorus,” said Mr. Brandenburg, whose jazz background includes directing the Yale Jazz Ensemble for 11 years and leading Island Jazz Express, an 18-piece big band based on eastern Long Island. “It’s something I’ve always thought would be fun to do with the choral society. The chorus has done a few jazz things and a few musical theater pieces over the years, but hasn’t done a thoroughly jazz concert before.”
The performance will open with “Everybody’s Boppin’ ” — a “barnburner,” said Mr. Brandenburg. It was written by Jon Hendricks and performed by his group, Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross, who were pioneers of “vocalese,” which is setting lyrics to existing jazz instrumentals. Count Basie’s band performed it with the trio.
Other standards include “Li’l Darlin’ ” and “Splanky,” both with music by Neal Hefti for the Count Basie Band; “Every Day I Have the Blues,” which Basie performed with Joe Williams, and “One O’Clock Jump,” with music by Basie, words by Hendricks, and an arrangement by Mr. Brandenburg for Randy Brecker, a trumpeter, and Lauren Lee, a vocalist.
The program also features two Cole Porter numbers, “Night and Day” and “Too Darn Hot,” the latter from the musical “Kiss Me, Kate,” as well as the jazz classic “ ’Round Midnight,” with music by Thelonious Monk and Cootie Williams and words by Bernie Hanighen. One of the pieces, “Bluesette,” has lyrics by Norman Gimbel and music by Jean (Toots) Thielemans, a noted harmonica player and longtime Montauk resident who contributed to Billy Joel’s 1983 album “An Innocent Man.”
“Lover, Come Back to Me,” by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein, was published almost a century ago, in 1928. Mr. Brandenburg said the contemporary arrangement by Kristin Korb, a jazz double bassist, “will still be very accessible.” Rounding out the program is “Satellite” by Laila Biali, a contemporary Canadian singer-songwriter.
In addition to its own members, the choral society will be joined by several acclaimed musicians and vocalists. Mr. Brecker, a jazz trumpeter, composer, and East Hampton resident, has won seven Grammy Awards and performed on albums ranging from James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, and Parliament/Funkadelic to Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, and Frank Zappa.
Bill O’Connell, a jazz pianist, composer, and Grammy nominee from Montauk, performed for two years with Mongo Santamaria’s group as keyboardist and de facto music director, as well as with the Fort Apache Band and on Richard Baratta’s album “The Reel Deal.” And speaking of Mr. Baratta, the noted drummer (who took a 35-year break to produce films) has over the past decade returned to jazz and played with Mr. O’Connell, Essiet Essiet, Eric Alexander, Vincent Herring, Jeb Patton, and many others.
Vocals will be provided by Ms. Lee, a jazz singer based in New York City who likes to mix modern jazz with other genres and styles. With two albums to her credit, she has been called “one of a new breed of singer-songwriters” by All About Jazz.
East End audiences are familiar with Peter Martin Weiss, a bassist, and Jane Hastay, a pianist, both of whom have cut their jazz chops on the New York scene at venues such as Birdland, Tavern on the Green, the Village Vanguard, the Five Spot, and the Blue Note. The married couple has produced two CDs.
Information about the season’s two following programs is closely guarded, but Ms. Davison did say that the summer show will be held at the end of June in the Avram Theater at Stony Brook Southampton and feature works by composers who have lived on Long Island. The concert in December, she said, will include all-American traditional holiday songs, including a spiritual, a Jewish anthem, and Christian carols.
The choral society was founded in 1946 by Charlotte Rogers Smith and her brother Henry Fordham. “Not many choruses formed that early,” Ms. Davidson observed. “There are one or two in New York that are as old, but most are more recent.”
The brother and sister were affiliated with the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, she as the organist, he as the choir director. “There was no classical music out here at all then. They weren’t sure what would happen, but it was a sensation.” Two hundred fifty people came to the first performance, and the choral society was launched. That church has been the society’s home base ever since.
Most choruses have a music director, in addition to a board and an administrator. The choral society has had some music directors in the past with local connections, but issues related to geography and housing have made it more difficult to fill the position here, Ms. Davidson said, especially since the death of Mark Mangini, who held the job for more than 20 years.
A music director’s job, she said, is to provide “the musical leadership for an organization in terms of its growth, its performances, and its collaborations and commissioning work.” The choral society has gone in a new direction, deciding instead to “create resident conductor positions that would help with the music vision and leadership, but not be the same person.”
In addition to Mr. Brandenburg, the other resident conductors are Judith Clurman and Walter Klauss. “The benefits are fresh ideas, and new pushing and testing of the chorus. The downside is that administratively it’s more challenging, because the administrator has to work with three or four or five musical personalities.”
Ms. Previti said that she and her colleagues on the society’s board of directors agree that the resident-conductor arrangement has been working successfully.
Another choral society initiative, its Young Singer Awards program, begins on Wednesday. Suzanne Nicoletti, who heads the Pierson School chorus in Sag Harbor, asks her colleagues at other local schools to recommend their noteworthy choristers, who are then encouraged to audition for awards averaging $500 apiece.
“Young voices are important to add to the chorus,” said Ms. Davison. “This is seen as a way to nurture and encourage singers, and we’ve had some who have sung with us and some who have gone on to get jobs singing in churches. It’s a small program, but it’s important, and we’d love to grow it.”
Tickets for “Jazz X Chorus” are $40 in advance, $45 the week of the concert. Private tables for two with two glasses of Channing Daughters wine are available for $200. Preferred seating tickets are $80 in advance, $85 the week of the concert, $10 for students. Tickets are available on the choral society’s website or by calling 631-204-9402.
