Dear reader,
My connection to CNY Jazz goes way back to the great year 2002 when I first attended the CNY Jazz Camp over the summer along with my good friend and trumpeter Nick Frenay. I think it’s safe to say that being at the camp that summer changed the entire course of my life. I met many people there who would become very influential to me as both friends and mentors. Two of these people were Joe Colombo and Rick Montalbano.
That summer, Nick and I were both incredibly excited to be meeting Joe, who would become our new band director at Manlius Pebble Hill school that same year. From that year all the way until we graduated high school, the three of us spent time learning and talking about music together on a daily basis. Joe helped us grow from the little jazzers we were into the “grown up” (I can’t help but say that with skepticism) young men that we are now.
I met Rick for the first time at the CNY Jazz Camp concert that year. I remember that after hearing me play he told my mom that I sounded like a professional musician who just didn’t know how to pick the right notes just yet, or something along those lines. When I go back and watch videos from around that time, I know exactly what he meant. I played a thousand notes with the confidence of a jazz master… except that the notes themselves made no sense! Nonetheless, Rick took me on as a student, and until I graduated high school, Rick changed me as a person and as a musician, all for the better.
Along with Rick and Joe, Nick and I had the opportunity to meet Larry Luttinger, the man behind the scenes at the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation. Larry and my family have developed a close relationship over the years, and at this point, the entire CNY Jazz community now feels like my family. My mom, who recently became a member of the Board of Directors at CNY Jazz has always been a strong supporter of the organization, even before becoming officially involved.
As a whole, I feel that it is my duty to highlight and share the many wonderful people and experiences that have resulted and will result out of the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation. I want this blog to serve as a place where our CNY family can enjoy themselves, keep track of each other, and support a wonderful organization that is constantly improving our lives. I hope to see alumni getting involved with this blog, and I hope to hear from community members and anyone else who desires to offer stories, advice, pictures, videos, or simply comments. This blog is meant to be a CNY family project, so please contact me anytime.
Sincerely,
Noah Kellman
