Guilford saxophonist to perform at Griffin gala in New Haven

Jazz saxophonist Billy Cofrances of Guilford recently held an impromptu show in the Griffin Hospital lobby. Cofrances is co-chair of the 2015 Griffin Gala. He will perform at the Sept. 26 event with Las Vegas and Broadway performer Rick Faugno./ Contributed photo

DERBY - The 2015 Griffin Hospital Gala will feature Vegas-style entertainment with a homegrown touch Sept. 26 at the Shubert Theater in New Haven.

Guilford saxophonist Billy Cofrances, also known as “Billy Co” on the local jazz circuit, is co-chair of the event and will lend his musical talents to the performance by the gala’s headliner – Rick Faugno, a celebrated Vegas performer and Broadway standout.

The son of saxophonist Billy Cofrances, Sr., and renowned jazz vocalist “Rainy Day,” Cofrances was born in New Haven and attended Amity High School where he honed his craft. 
He started his career as a member of the popular band Jump Street and has worked with some of the best in the jazz world, including legendary jazz pianist Sarah Cion; jazz vocalists Billy Weston and Giacomo Gates, Walt Andrus, lead singer with the Tommy Dorsey Big Band, Ralph Lalama of Village Vanguard and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and the great saxman Tony Lavorgna.

Entitled “Vintage Vegas,” the Griffin Gala will feature a cocktail reception and silent auction, a historical and architectural walking tour and dinner at nearby New Haven restaurants, and a dessert reception.

The evening will be capped off with a Sammy Davis Jr. style song and dance performance by Faugno, who was named “Best Singer” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and who recently appeared on Broadway in the Tony-nominated musical On the 20th Century.

The cocktail reception and dinner start at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 9 p.m. 
Tickets for the reception, dinner and show are $185 each and tickets for everything except the dinner are $115 each.

Proceeds will benefit essential programs and services for the Griffin Hospital community, ensuring patients have access to state-of-the-art care in a healing, patient-centered, Planetree environment.

For more information on tickets or sponsorship opportunities call 203.732.7504 or visit griffinhealth.org/gala.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.