Lenox Jazz Stroll Begins Sept. 15

Print Story | Email Story

LENOX-- The third Lenox Jazz Stroll will kick off at the Lenox Library this week, running from Sept. 15 to 17.

The event is a collaboration with the Milltown Foundation, Berkshire Jazz Collective and the Lenox Chamber of Commerce. The festival will begin Thursday with a screening of a documentary film by George Schuller, The Modern Jazz Quartet: From Residency to Legacy.

Friday Night launches the musical performances at The Gateways Inn at 6:00 p.m. with a performance by the Ted Rosenthal Trio. The actual stroll is on Saturday, Sept. 17, with performances throughout the day in various locations in downtown Lenox. 

The Lenox Jazz Stroll started in 2020, organized by Andy Wrba, Founder, Berkshire Jazz Collective and Program Manager, Milltown Foundation, also a local musician and music teacher.

“The Lenox Jazz Stroll continues to evolve from its inception in 2020. In that first year, we were restricted to gathering in small groups in outdoor settings so the idea of having several jazz performances in walkable locations was a welcomed idea by both musicians and listeners alike. Now in its third year, the Jazz Stroll has quickly become a staple of the regional music scene with performances from top musicians from the Berkshires, Boston, and New York.” -Andy Wrba 

The Lenox Cultural District is a supporter and sponsor of the event.

Performance Schedule - Saturday, September 17

Gateways Inn         12:00-1:00 pm     Richard Stanmeyer Quartet

Lilac Park                1:00-2:00 pm      Don Mikkelsen Quartet

Campfire                 2:00-3:00  pm     Dave Bartley Trio

Lilac Park                3:00-4:00  pm     Dominique Eade with The Armen Donelian Trio

Campfire                 4:00-5:00  pm     Suzi Stern

Gateways Inn         5:00-6:00 pm      Jeanne Laurin, John Sauer, Bob Ferrier

Lilac Park                6:00-7:00 pm     Mukana

Gateways Inn         7:00-9:00  pm     Green Street Trio

Firefly                     8:00-11:00 pm    Wanda Houston Band

 

For more information: Jenn Nacht at jenn@lenox.org or (413) 637-3646. For more general information please go to https://lenox.org/jazzstroll


Tags: Lenox Jazz Stroll,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Settles on $786K Reimbursement in Cannabis Dispensary Lawsuit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city will refund a sum of more than $786,000 to three local cannabis dispensaries for allegedly "unreasonable" Host Community Agreement fees, a lawsuit that has popped up around the state.

On Tuesday, the City Council approved the transfer and appropriation of $786,625 from free cash for the legal settlement that is years in the making. Temescal Wellness will receive $360,375, Berkshire Roots  $341,000, and  Bloom Brothers $85,250 as legal settlements for the repayment of a portion of fees collected between the fiscal years 2019 and 2022.

Officials report that Pittsfield has so far gotten the "best deal" in the state, representing a 77.5 percent reimbursement.  

"Like many communities in Massachusetts that were faced with the lawsuits for community host agreements, we had been served by all three cannabis companies and settled it," Mayor Peter Marchetti explained.

"We took all the information in the court into account and was able to negotiate the best deal so far that we've seen in the commonwealth."

He said the settling is less than what each of the companies paid into and if the city went to trial and lost, the reimbursement conditions would be "far greater."

This resolves the lawsuits filed by the dispensaries because they believed they were "not reasonably related to the costs imposed upon the city or incurred by the city" as a result of their operations. It also resolves the claims without an admission of liability.

The process began a few years ago when the first company came forward with the complaint, followed by the other two. The parties began aggressively negotiating this year, with the council going into executive sessions to receive updates.

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories