Festival 19 is dedicated to the memory of Bob Lehr, COTA Board of Directors Chairman and owner of the Deer Head Inn for forty years, who passes away in 1996. In honor of the man variously described as our "resident poet" and "consummate volunteer," "who did more for the arts in this community than anyone," COTA temporarily retires all of its awards. The Phil Woods Quartet, with Bill Charlap on piano, movingly remembers Lehr this year with a rendition of Woods' elegy for pianist Bill Evans. The Bill Goodwin Trio performs this year, plus the Cartwright/Oppenheim Quintet. Bob Dorough and Reunion play, and the Riverside featuring Kate & Richie Roche.

The COTA Cats, augmented by a string section, perform works composed orchestrated by Phil Woods which honor the memories of musicians such as Willie Dennis, Paul Desmond, Oscar Pettiford, and Charlie Parker. Flo Cohn, singer, composer, wife of tenor sax great Al, passes away in 1996 as well, and is remembered in the program by Dave Frishberg.

Here's John Donne from 1635:
Since I am coming to that Holy room
Where, with Thy choir of saints for evermore,
I shall be made Thy music; as I come
I tune the instrument here at the door,
And what I must do then, think here before.