Press Releases
It's More than PIE this Thanksgiving Weekend at the Grand Traverse Pie Company!
Owners Mike and Denise Busley Along With Renowned
Jazz Musician Jeff Haas Unveil Benefit CD
(Traverse City, Michigan) – November 9, 2006 – Not just fall flavors and autumn aromas will fill the Grand Traverse Pie Company this Thanksgiving weekend. Visitors will find jazz music filling the airwaves as selections from the region's newest music CD – "Your Peace Counts" are played.
A CD Release Party is slated for Saturday, November 25th beginning at 8 p.m. and running until 11 p.m. at Traverse City's own Gallerie Medici located adjacent to the Grand Traverse Pie Company (GTPC) on West Front Street. Tickets are just $15 for an evening celebrating in style, the release of "Your Peace Counts" – a new CD featuring premier northern Michigan jazz musicians. A collaborative project, Mike and Denise Busley along with producer and musician Jeff Haas are pleased to announce that the evening's proceeds will be donated to Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative – an agency aiding children in the successful transition from foster care to independence.
"Your Peace Counts" is an inspired collection of music with a message of peace, love and hope featuring many of Michigan's finest jazz musicians, all of whom live in northern Michigan. Janice Keegan belts out a hard swingin' version of Peggy Lee's hit, I Love Being Here With You as well as a Latin-tinged tune by Clare Fischer called Morning. Claudia Schmidt rocks the house with an upbeat rendition of the Miles Davis classic, Four and a couple of beautiful ballads; Peace by soul jazzman Horace Silver and the debut of a new original with words and music by Jeff Haas entitled Reach. Guitarist Ron Getz lends his incredible artistry for an engaging solo version of Prelude to a Kiss by Duke Ellington. And the Neptune Quartet with special guest Alan Epstein contribute two originals by mandolinist extraordinaire Don Julin.
"Your Peace Counts" also features the musical contributions of saxophone/flutists Laurie Sears, Nancy Stagnita and Bill Sears as well as pianists Steve Stargardt, bassist Jack Dryden, and drummers Dave Collini and John Alfieri. The CD was recorded at Interlochen Public Radio by engineer Jack Conners and produced by Jeff Haas.
The Thanksgiving weekend CD Release Party will feature live jazz performed by Claudia Schmidt, Janice Keegan, Ron Getz, Nancy Stagnita, Jack Dryden, Neptune Quartet, Jeff Haas Trio, Steve Stargardt, Bill Sears, and Dave Collini.
No party could be complete without PIE and WINE – and Why Not? Guests will enjoy handcrafted pie made from scratch that day, along with locally produced wine selections served in a commemorative "Your Peace Counts" wine glass from Old Mission Peninsula's Brys Estate Winery.
A limited number of tickets will be sold ($15) for the CD Release Party event. Advance tickets are available at Grand Traverse Pie Company, Gallerie Medici – both located on West Front Street in Traverse City; Brys Estate Winery located on the Old Mission Peninsula; and the Traverse City Visitors' Center (Friday and Saturday, November 24 & 25 only) located on the corner of Union Street and Grandview Parkway.
Tickets will also be available at the door 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, November 25 at Gallerie Medici.
The first volume of the "Your Peace Counts" CD will be available for sale in the Grand Traverse Pie Shop beginning Thanksgiving weekend and at www.gtpie.com - just in time for holiday gift giving. A portion of the proceeds from each CD sold will benefit Michigan children's non-profit organizations.
