Free Christmas Jazz Concert Coming To Chagrin Falls

CHAGRIN FALLS, OH — A free Christmas jazz concert will be held December 14 at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Chagrin Falls. A delightful, swinging medley of traditional holiday tunes, sacred and secular, will be played.

The Gateway Band will lead the third-annual concert. The group is led by vocalist Jennifer Cochran, and her thundering vocals. All of the musicians int he band have extensive performing, recording, touring, and teaching careers in the Cleveland area. They perform regularly at the Mostly Jazz Mass at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Cleveland.

The free concert is suitable for all ages and begins at 7 p.m. St. Martin's is at 6295 Chagrin River Road. More details on the incredible band are below.

Cochran has taken part in operas and musicals at Cain Park, in Cleveland Heights, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Cleveland Opera. She is the soloist and cantor at Trinity Cathedral and the director of the Mostly Jazz Mass.

Pianist L.R. Smith is a native Clevelander and has been playing piano since the age of 5. He's worked in several music genres and for several bands, including the International Society Pianist Peter Duchin.

Saxophonist Christopher Burge moved to Cleveland in 1998 and has worked with several internationally renowned artists. He is active in recording studios, playing sax, flute, and clarinet for American Greetings e-cards. He also wrote and performed the theme song of the WVIZ-PBS show "Applause."

Bassist George Lee plays both the electric bass and the double bass. He travels around the nation and into Canada to play with numerous well-known jazz combos.

Finally, percussionist Michael Janowitz is the band director for the Maple Heights City Schools and previously taught both band and choir in the Cleveland Municipal School District. He has performed and toured with numerous blues, jazz and rock bands in the Cleveland area.

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Photos from St. Martin's Episcopal