Raise a glass to love!

You don't need to travel out to Napa Valley or along the Connecticut Wine Trail for tantalizing tastings and creative pairings. Celebrate love right up the road from ConnectiKids at our tasting event at New Park Brewing this February!

Tired of the same old flowers and dinner to celebrate love? Why not think outside the box and enjoy a tasting event while sending love to the community at the same time? The ConnectiKids Share the Love Fundraiser is your ticket to all that love has to offer. You can sample a variety of wines, enjoy great beer, listen to awesome live entertainment, and score fabulous silent auction items! It's the perfect choice for date night, friends night out, or just me time.

Our featured talent for the evening is Steve Davis & Friends!

STEVE DAVIS is widely regarded as one of today's leading voices on the trombone. Raised in Binghamton, NY, Steve is a longtime resident of Connecticut. Over the years, Davis has maintained a longtime commitment to music education and nurturing the local jazz scene by helping young musicians develop their craft both on the classroom and on the bandstand. In 2008, Davis originally began the weekly jam session at Black-eyed Sally's in downtown Hartford which continues to thrive under the direction of Haneef Nelson every Wednesday! Prior to that, Steve ran a legendary Tuesday night jam session at Kenney's (now Red Rock Tavern) from 2002-06. For our Share the Love Fundraiser, Steve's group includes a multi-generational band of Hartford area musicians including Hartt Professors Matt Deschamplain (keyboard), Brian Jenkins (bass), Hartt graduate Jimmy Gavagan (drums) and WCSU freshman, Nicky Davis (tenor saxophone).

For the past ten years, Steve has been a www.smokesessions.com recording artist. Davis' extensive has performing & recording resume includes work with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Jackie McLean, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, Cecil Payne, Horace Silver, Cedar Walton, Slide Hampton, Hank Jones, Larry Willis, Harold Mabern, Mike LeDonne, Peter Washington, Renee Rosnes, Nat Reeves, Willie Jones III, Avishai Cohen, One For All feat. Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, David Hazeltine, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth and with big bands led by Jimmy Heath, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove & The Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars. Steve has appeared on The Jimmy Fallon Show with Stevie Wonder and at The White House Tribute to Ray Charles (PBS). Davis appears on over 150 recordings, including 20 as a leader. His new 2024 release "We See" (Smoke Sessions) features Davis in a live setting along with a stellar lineup including Eddie Henderson, Ralph Moore, Renee Rosnes, Essiet Essiet and Lewis Nash and has garnered broad critical acclaim. Davis' 2022 release "Bluesthetic" (Smoke Sessions) includes an all-star band featuring Steve Nelson, Peter Bernstein, Geoff Keezer, Christian McBride & Willie Jones III playing a program of Steve's originals. Steve appears on his wife Abena Koomson-Davis' 2023 release, "Where Is Love" (WJ3) and his son Tony Davis' 2020 release "Golden Year" (Positone). In 2019, Steve appeared on Chick Corea's Grammy Winning Spanish Heart Band CD, "Antidote" and toured Europe with the group. A longtime jazz educator, Davis currently serves as Professor of Trombone at The Berklee College of Music. His prior teaching experience includes a long tenure at The Hartt School's Jackie McLean Institute, University of Hartford where he was recently honored for over 30 years of service and as '23 Alumni Of The Year. Other prestigious educational affiliations have included the San Francisco Conservatory's RJAM faculty, Jamey Aebersold’s Summer Jazz Workshops, Skidmore Jazz Workshop, Jazz in July at UMASS Amherst, Stanford University Jazz Workshop. www.stevedavismusic.com

Get your tickets today and lock in a fantastic start to your 2025 Valentine’s weekend!

This event is generously sponsored by New Park Brewing and Missing Link Wine Company!

All proceeds support high-quality educational and enrichment programs at ConnectiKids, a non profit positive youth development agency in Hartford. ConnectiKids, founded in 1978, is celebrating 46 years of improving the lives of Hartford children. The organization provides multiple schools with both afterschool Tutoring and Mentoring and Enrichment Programs, as well as a Summer Program for over 500 children annually. The mission of ConnectiKids is “connecting students facing systemic inequities and other barriers with people, places, and experiences that level the playing field and inspire academic achievement, positive life choices, and big dreams.” The passion of the staff, volunteers, donors, and community has enabled ConnectiKids to impact over 15,000 children's lives. We look forward to your part in our story as we continue to educate, enhance, and empower young people.

ConnectiKids 2025 Share the Love Fundraiser

Sip and savor your way to Valentine's Day while supporting youth and the community!