Edhat StaffSource: Rona Barrett Foundation
Over five hundred jazz aficionados filled Santa Barbara’s historic Lobero Theatre this past weekend to celebrate one of America’s most honored jazz ensembles and to launch the fundraising campaign of the Rona Barrett Foundation’s new “Harry’s House at the Golden Inn & Village” – A Home for Alzheimer’s and Assisted Living at The Golden Inn & Village. The compassionate campus is already acknowledged as a new paradigm for treatment of Alzheimer’s and respectful care of indigent seniors.
Rona Barrett, the pioneering initiator of television entertainment news coverage whose style, consummate journalism, humor and wit set high bars for the industry she created, evoked tears, laughter and commitment as she told the story of how she came to dedicate her life to this new model of dignified life for a neglected part of our population.
The evening’s parade of standing ovations began with her revelation of the dreams she, her staff and board of directors are bringing to reality –at the Golden Inn and Village, a campus in Santa Ynez, which will soon begin development of its planned Alzheimer’s facility to further advance the treatment of the illness.
Under the baton of Music Director Scotty Barnhart, the legendary Count Basie Orchestra riveted the responsive audience with performance continuing the greatest tradition of jazz orchestral brilliance. Adding vocal astonishments were guest vocalist and Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, Paula Cole and the ensemble’s vocalist Carmen Bradford who had personally been discovered and developed by the group’s founder, Count Basie.
Achieving full fundraising target, the evening reminded the audience that American philanthropic compassion and the world-changing brilliance of American orchestral jazz are as alive and well as ever.
The Count Basie Orchestra has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once; won 18 Grammy Awards; performed for Kings and Queens and royalty around the globe; appeared in several movies, television shows and at every major festival and major concert hall in the world. As Ms. Barrett pointed out “Under the leadership of Mr. Barnhard, the Count Basie Orchestra, continuing the virtuoso genius of each musician, is traveling the world and continuing its tradition of being the most explosive force in jazz.” Ms. Cole, Grammy Award winner and a seven time nominee, recently celebrated her 20thanniversary as a Jazz great with the release of her sixth solo album, “Raven.” Next month, Ms. Cole will release her seventh, “Ballads.”
Please find a link below to photos with captions from the remarkable evening:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/
