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Saturday, August 19 at 8 p.m. |
 Advance tickets all seats $10.00, at the door $15.00. Trumpeter Ross LeCompe brings the sounds of East and West Coast jazz to Southside Virginia. After an early career in New York shows, clubs, studios and as a regular on “The Merv Griffin Show,” LeCompte moved west. He played Vegas and Hollywood, where he backed Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristophersen in “A Star Is Born.” A catastrophic accident in San Diego severed his right hand. After 12 hours of microsurgery to reattach his hand and years of grueling therapy, LeCompte bounced back — in several directions. He became a minister, taught music and directed bands at the elementary and college level, trained for and practiced as a mental health therapist/addictions counselor. He also bounced back to play to play the trumpet professionally, earning the affectionate title “San Diego’s Miracle Trumpet Player.” Now a resident of Clarksville and producer-performer for the annual Occoneechee State Park jazz by the Lake Festival, he is again devoting full time to performing and teaching jazz trumpet and nurturing the growth of jazz in Southside. 
Pianist Ed Paolantonio, a former New Yorker now based in Raleigh-Durham, has accompanied Dizzie Gillespie, Clark Terry, Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Heath and Emily Remler. He studied with Lennie Tristano, toured North Carolina with drummer Max Roach and performed in the Mid East for the USIA with vibraphonist Jon Metzger. For photos and information on his CDs “Dad’s Blues” and “Dedications,” go to paoloproductions.com. 
Joshua Walker and Myriad will be playing on Jazz night as well. Joshua Walker is a native of Richmond, Virginia currently residing in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University but his musical studies have also taken him to Baltimore, Maryland where he was a student at the Peabody Institute. His music career thus far has taken him to many different places including The Montreal International Jazz Festival, numerous other countries as a musician aboard cruise ships, and countless clubs, venues, and smaller festivals in the mid Atlantic region. The current vehicle for Joshua’s compositions is the group ‘Myriad’. This group consists of Joshua on guitar and guitar synthesizer, Russell Kirk on alto saxophone, Cameron Ralston on bass, and Shareef Taher on drums. Russell is a graduate of Peabody and Shareef is currently a student there. Both are residents of Baltimore. Matt is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and a resident of Richmond. Joshua’s compositions and the group’s sound can be described as progressive and modern. The members have been playing together regularly for some time now and have developed a group chemistry. All the members enjoy the opportunity to perform original music and improvise over these new compositions. |
The Prizery has been host to some exciting gatherings and will continue to have an impact on the community’s economy and tourism, offering both residents and tourists an opportunity to learn about the area’s history and providing cultural, educational, and recreational programs for citizens.
The Prizery, located at 700 Bruce Street in Downtown South Boston’s Tobacco Warehouse District. To learn more about the Prizery, to become a volunteer with the exciting project, or to inquire about renting the facility for your next event, email Chris Jones.