1.  On Friday, April 9, vocalist Michelle Grace and pianist Chris Coogan return to SoundWaters for another wonderful evening of standards and Broadway selections. Michelle Grace has gained an acclaimed regional reputation for her interpretations, which she performs totally in synch with well-know pianist Chris Coogan.  The concert takes place at the SoundWaters Coastal Center in Cove Island Park, 1281 Cove Rd. at Exit 9, I-95, in Stamford. Doors open at 7:00 pm for bring-your-own dinner. Shows start at 8:00 pm. Sit back; and experience the joy of an evening well spent. All tickets are $25.   (Seating is limited and the room fills quickly. Reservations must be prepaid and received a day before the performance to confirm a seat. Reservations made the day of the performance must be made by phone to confirm availability. There are no refunds. If you cancel by 12:00 noon the day of the performance, you may reschedule for another performance).  For reservations call 203 406 3336. 2. Saturday, April 17th, 2010 Chris Coogan Quintet – Jazz at the Grange Norfield Grange, 12 Good Hill Road, Weston, CT Concert Seating - $25 at the door/ $20 seniors Doors open at 7:30pm 8:00pm – 10:30pm   Chris Coogan - piano and vocals Dave Daddario – acoustic bass Rex Denton - trumpet and flugelhorn Jim Clark - saxes Jim Royle - drums   Directions to the Grange: Merritt Parkway South to  Exit 42, head north on RT 57 approximately 2 miles Turn right onto Good Hill Road – Norfield Grange is on your left PRESS RELEASE FOR COOGAN QUINTET NORFIELD GRANGE CONCERT Jazz enthusiasts who have been searching for a venue in Fairfield County will be pleased that pianist Chris Coogan is developing a monthly concert series to be presented in Weston.   Jazz at the Norfield Grange featuring the Chris Coogan Quintet takes place at April 17th at 12 Goodhill Road in Weston.   Jazz standards and new compositions will be performed by Coogan on piano, drummer Jim Royle, John Mobilio on bass, Jim Clark on sax and Rex Denton on trumpet. The performance takes place 8-10:30 p.m. Coogan plans to offer a monthly concert series that feature a variety of musicians.    The concerts will fill a void in the community, Coogan explained. “When Silvermine Tavern closed its doors, there were very few venues left where jazz was offered,” he said. “With the monthly concert series, we hope to provide jazz lovers with something that has been lacking in this area.”   During the Jan. 23 performance, audience members will be treated to original compositions written by Coogan as well as jazz standards from the Great American Songbook. “We will perform works by Cole Porter and George Gershwin, and will play a variety of songs, including Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Georgia, Ain’t Misbehaving, Honeysuckle Rose and Take 5 by Dave Brubeck.” The quintet also will be open to audience requests. “We want to create the feel of the Preservation Jazz Hall in New Orleans,” said Coogan. “The Norfield Grange is a great place to re-create this. The building has a quirky 1950s vibe to it. This will be a fun, lively event. We will definitely bring the audience into the spirit of the music.” A local jazz venue is an idea whose time has come, states Rozeanne Gates of Westport. “It is important to create a go-to destination for jazz in Fairfield County before people in this area forget what jazz sounds like,” she said. “There are few locations in this area to hear great live jazz performances. And, there is nobody out there who is better than Chris. He is a great showman and a wonderful musician. He has great scope as a performer and he is a gentleman with a big heart. He recognizes that jazz is a metaphor for life and he gives the audience a world-class performance.” Gates is a jazz enthusiast with a background in the music business. She has served as the program director of the Lynne Thigpen-Bobo Lewis Foundation in New York, which helps university-trained actors enter show business. She is also a former production manager at the Westport Arts Center and has held positions at Fairfield Theater Company and First Night Westport/Weston. Area musicians applaud Coogan’s forward-thinking. “This is a wonderful idea,” reports professional drummer John Cutrone of Norwalk. “There are literally no other places to go and hear jazz music. Some restaurants and bars may try to present jazz, but when there is television on and people are talking, it’s not a place to hear music. Chris is creating a new environment to hear jazz music and he is not trying to compete with the bar crowd . You have to hear a concert to appreciate the music and his is presenting a new place for jazz to be played and heard. It’s an excellent idea.” The quintet is hoping to make jazz more popular in this area, notes saxaphonist Jim Clark of Norwalk. “We are always looking for new places to perform,” he said. “Jazz helps to make a community culturally vibrant. We want jazz music to contribute to the identity of this area. We want to keep it as a thriving genre and help the community recognize jazz music as the treasure that it is.” Admission to the performance is $20 with general admission seating. For information call 203-454-4695, e-mail chris@cooganmusic.com or visit www.cooganmusic.comchurch in Old Greenwich ave.  ph: Peggy at 203-977-8627