Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, Pennsylvania, has been postponed until April 9-18, 2021 because of the travel restrictions and shelter-in-place rules from the COVID-19 pandemic. The same artist lineup scheduled this year will perform next year.
But the pandemic hasn’t stopped the event from executing Plan B. Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest Encore Online Concert is alive, well, and swinging to the beat with recordings from previous festival concerts.
Here’s the schedule in Eastern time.
Thursday, April 2
8:00 p.m.—Chuck Loeb Memorial All-Star Jam (2019)
Friday, April 3
- 8:00 p.m.—Remembering Grover at 75: Gerald Albright, Everette Harp, Kirk Whalum, Andy Snitzer, Gerald Veasley (2019)
- 11:00 p.m.—Rick Braun and Dave Koz (2018)
Saturday, April 4
- Noon—Saturday Brunch: Brazil & Chill featuring Ann Walsh and Tom Zink (non-Berks Jazz Festival video)
- 3:00 p.m.—Everette Harp & Friends: The Music of George Duke with Chante Moore, Phil Perry, Brian Bromberg, Brian Simpson, Rayford Griffin, Dwight Sills, and The Berks Horns (2018)
- 8:00 p.m.—Will Downing, Gerald Albright, and Alex Bugnon (2017)
- 11:00 p.m.—Berks Bop Night with Jeff Lorber, Gerald Albright, Rick Braun, Randy Brecker, Eric Marienthal, Brian Bromberg, Everette Harp, Rayford Griffin, and Paul Bollenback (2018)
Sunday, April 5
- Noon—Sunday Brunch: Brian Bromberg’s Unapologetically Funky Bombastic Big Band with Everette Harp, Ray Fuller, Tony Moore, Tom Zink, and The Berks Horns (2019)
- 3:00 p.m.—Pieces of a Dream with Kim Waters, Nick Colionne, and Eric Roberson (2018)
- 8:00 p.m.—Gospel According to Jazz 2018 with Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler, Maysa, Wycliffe Gordon, Kevin Whalum, John Stoddart, and the DOXA Gospel Ensemble (2018)
Monday, April 6
8:00 p.m.—The Allman Betts Band (2019)
If you missed any of the livestreamed recordings, look for the archived videos on the Berks Jazz Festival Facebook page. Each video in the series displays the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest Encore Online Concert logo shown at the top of this post, so they’re easy to find.