The Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC) welcomed jazz quartet Open Ears Open Hearts to their Dartmouth headquarters on Friday, April 25. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)
ACUSHNET — Brian Rodriguez bopped his head and clapped his hands hard throughout last week’s jazz performance.
He left the show with his ears and heart wide open. Mission accomplished.
“I love the jazz,” he said, laughing and telling friends on the way out of the performance. “I really enjoyed the drums. I liked that jazz.”
Executive Director Catherine Cooper is excited to announce that the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC) welcomed jazz quartet Open Ears Open Hearts to their Dartmouth headquarters.
The four musicians played three mini-concerts for collaborative clients throughout the morning of Friday, April 25.
“The vast majority of our students and consumers love music,” Executive Director Cooper said as the second show was set to begin. “They find it very therapeutic and enjoyable. A lot of them love to sing and dance. We have aficionados of all sorts of genres here.”
Brian has become well known throughout the collaborative for his love of not only jazz, but also the late musician John Denver. Brian can often be heard belting out verses from Denver’s hit, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” throughout the SMEC hallways and activity rooms.
Friday’s jazz program was funded by a grant from the Dartmouth Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
The Open Ears Open Hearts quartet lineup included: Cameron R. Siegal, a full-time PreK–5 music teacher in the Dartmouth Public Schools system, on drums; tenor saxophonist John McKenna, a teacher in the Jazz Program at the University of Rhode Island; and acoustic and electric bassist John Lockwood, and guitarist Jim Robitaille, founder and director of the Performance Jam Session Series, and member of the Jazz Faculty at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
“We are very excited that they chose us to benefit from their talent,” Executive Director Cooper said. “We’re all very thankful for their visit.”
About SMEC
The Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative is a public education collaborative established in 1975. SMEC is an extension of 10 public school systems, which make up its membership. The present membership includes the Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, Rochester and Old Rochester Regional public school districts. SMEC accepts students for enrollment in its programs from school systems throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. The Collaborative’s programs and services are locally based and locally directed and are designed to supplement the special education resources of its member districts. SMEC offers a variety of services for students with special needs aged 3-21 as well as adults with developmental disabilities. To learn more about the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative, visit smecollaborative.org.
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Brian Rodriguez, at left, bopped his head and clapped his hands hard throughout the quartet’s performance. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)
At the SMEC show, the Open Ears Open Hearts quartet lineup included, from left to right, drummer Cameron R. Siegal, bassist John Lockwood, guitarist Jim Robitaille and tenor saxophonist John McKenna. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)
The Open Ears Open Hearts quartet played three mini-concerts for collaborative clients throughout the morning of Friday, April 25. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)
Friday’s jazz program was funded by a grant from the Dartmouth Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. (Graphic Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)
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