Jazz quartets highlight fundraiser for Foundation of the Monroe County Bar

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MCBA Foundation President Scott A. Forsyth and Jazz for Justice Committee Chair Elaine Z. Cole took the stage at the Harro East Ballroom for less than five minutes – just enough time to draw a raffle ticket for a basketful of lottery chances. For 80 lottery tickets and two bottles of wine, the $1 ticket pricing inspired many to take a chance.

“There’s no boring dinner, no rubber chicken entrée, but lots of smooth warm jazz to enjoy while trying food from an assortment of local vendors,” noted Cole when asked about the continued success of the event. “We won’t have final numbers for a few days, but we are on track to net $30,000 this year for Jazz for Justice.”

Top-tier sponsors for this year’s event included Genesee Regional Bank, Harris Beach PLLC and Nixon Peabody LLP. Constellation Brands sponsored a wine pull, and many other local firms, organizations and businesses provided financial sponsorships and in-kind donations.

Programs supported

This is the eighth year the Foundation of the Monroe County Bar and Eastman School of Music have partnered to raise money for program funding that is awarded annually to important community programs that send high school mock trial participants into real courtrooms, put first-time nonviolent offenders on a path to a crime-free future through Teen Court, provide skilled interpreters to deaf and hard of hearing clients, and comfort families of deceased lawyers in an annual ceremony.

This year’s musicians

The Grace Frarey Quartet opened the evening, featuring Canandaigua native Grace Frarey on saxophone. Her colleagues in the group include Gary Versace, Ian Carle and Steve Parisi.

The Jack Courtright Quartet is composed of three seniors and master’s degree student Andrew Dill on bass. Jack Courtright studies trombone at Eastman with Mark Kellogg, and Garret Mader (guitar) and drummer Andrew Tachine complete the group.

The final quartet of the evening was the Naomi Nakanishi Quartet, featuring pianist Naomi Nakanishi along with master student Robert McPartland on jazz bass, Ray Logan on saxophone and drummer Ryan Barski.

Committee and board

This year’s Jazz for Justice Committee, headed by Cole, included Sid Bahl, Patti-Carter-Morrison, Bridget O’Toole, Christine Redfield, David Ross, Debbie Ryan, Stacey Trien and Lauren Whiting.

Foundation Board members under President Forsyth include President-elect Ross, Treasurer Pamela Reynolds, and Secretary Christin Cornetta. Peter Abdella, Sid Bahl, William Bauer, Penny Dentinger, Timothy Fitzgerald, Harold Kirland, Shani Mitchell, Laura Myers, Rita Nischal, Barbara Orenstein, Bridget O’Toole, Christine Redfield, Joseph Rossi Jr., Michael Schnittman, Kara Stoddart and Stacey Trien make up the rest of the board.