Jazz group will ‘Impact’ audiences

TORRINGTON — A live, local jazz ensemble will belt out arrangements by Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane March 24-25 during Impact 2018, Nutmeg Ballet’s annual dance showcase of classical and modern choreography.

The ensemble, Jinqs, led by Charles Patterson, of Torrington, will close a two-hour program held at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre.

“Jinqs is a backronym, which means I thought of what it stands for after I came up with a name,” Patterson said. “So it stands for Jazz Instrumental Noteworthy Quartet and Syndicate.” The “Noteworthy” is a nod to Jinqs musician Drew Chadwick, owner of Noteworthy Music, a music school in Torrington. Chadwick plays guitar, piano, drums or “pretty much whatever,” Patterson said.

“The ‘Syndicate’ in the name means we bring in whoever we please, as we find them and meet them, so on this occasion we have a saxophonist, Jeff Boratko, that we brought in and who also works at Noteworthy Music,” he said.

Andrew Muench, a former roommate of Patterson’s at University of Hartford, will play bass.

Gavin Smart, who is in a jazz band at Torrington High School, will play drums. “So it will be a quintet this time, not a quartet,” Patterson said.

Jinqs will play Coltrane’s “Equinox,” a minor blues jazz standard first recorded by Coltrane in 1960 and released on the album “Coltrane’s Sound” in 1964. The original recording is nearly nine minutes long. It will be shortened to about seven minutes.

Monk’s “Well, You Needn’t” was rearranged for Impact, he said. The original 1947 jazz standard featured piano and bass.

Charles Patterson is employed at the family’s business, Patterson Oil of Torrington, a corporate sponsor of Nutmeg for more than 36 years.

Also featured are excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” staged by Eleanor D’Antuono, Alexei Tchernichov and Denise Warner Limoli. Kirk Peterson will present original choreography for excerpts from “Carmen.” There will also be a new modern work by Kate St. Amand.

Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s artistic director, will present original choreography for Jinqs. Mazzarelli said, “It is always a pleasure watching the students’ artistry develop as they take on different types of movement. Our Impact performances this year will be especially exciting because we will be performing with live music performed by Jinqs. I love challenging our dancers to find freedom within the choreography while retaining their technique and musicality.”

Impact 2018 will be performed March 24, at 7 p.m. and March 24, at 2 p.m.

For ticket information, contact www.warnertheatre.org or call 860-489-7180.

Photos by Jack Sheedy Local jazz ensemble Jinqs accompanies a rehearsal for Nutmeg Ballet’s Impact 2018, set for March 24-25 at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Theatre. At piano, Charles Patterson; Andrew Muench, bass; Gavin Smart, drums; and Jeff Boratko, sax.

Local jazz ensemble Jinqs accompanies a rehearsal for Nutmeg Ballet’s Impact 2018.