|
|
 |
All concerts at the Saugatuck Woman's Club, Butler and Hoffman, downtown Saugatuck except May 29 which will be at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver Street, Downtown, Saugatuck, 8 pm. Tickets are $18 general admission; $15, members; $10, students.
|
Jeff Haas Double Quartet |
|
 Please join us for an intimate evening of original music and jazz classics performed by the popular Jeff Haas Quartet featuring Jeff on piano, reedman Andrew Bishop, bassist Marion Hayden and drummer Alex Trajano and the Phoenix Ensemble String Quartet. The program will include Jeff's acclaimed original composition "The Age of Confluence," composed for jazz quartet with string quartet and commissioned by ArtServe Michigan. Jeff was one of 14 composers nationwide selected from a national field of over 200 applicants for a prestigious New Works Commission from Chamber Music America. "Haas has a compositional voice that allows him to meld his musical life experiences into a vibrant and coherent whole and he's chosen bandmates who can really make that voice sing. The result is jazz that is by turns as sassy as a teen with attitude, as heartwarming as a family reunion, as sophisticated a modern classic music and as accessible as 1920s dance tunes." Ann Arbor Observer This event is partially funded by a grant from the the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Humanities Council.
|
|
Paulinho Garcia and Jazzmineiro |
|
|
|
|
|
A perennial favorite, Brazilian Paulinho Garcia brings a new group this year to our Saugatuck Series. This concert takes place at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St. downtown Saugatuck, MI. Jazzmineiro features Paulinho Garcia on guitar and vocals, Heitor Garcia and Geraldo de Oliveiro on percussion, Jim Barbick on sax, Jack Zahra on bass, Dill Costa and Rita Duarte on vocals. Paulinho explains, "The name Jazzmineiro comes from a combination of two words: Jazz, that besides the obvious meaning, it also means in the countryside of Brazil any group of musicians; as a slang for Band, and Mineiro, is the given name to all people that come from my state, Minas Gerais. Also, phonetically, the word Jazzmineiro means Jasmine bush, a flower very common in my state." "Jazzmineiro presents beautiful new, originals songs alongside classic compositions blending the music of Brazil with the urban essence of American Jazz and popular music. Paulinho's guitar playing is perfect." The Brazilians Newspaper "I can't believe my ears. When I close my eyes, Paulinho Garcia's soft Brazilian voice and his gentle guitar play, pulls me back to another time, another place. Back to Rio de Janeiro, along Copacabana's palm-lined Avenida Atlantica; before both that world famous beach and the boulevard that curves around it were widened. Jazzmineiro will do that to you, even if you've only dreamed of Brazil (and who hasn't at some point?). Scott Adams, The Brazilian Music Review For more info go to: www.paulinhogarcia.com |
|
Henry Johnson's Organ Express |
Greg Rockingham, Chris Foreman, Henry Johnson, Peter Roothaan
|
Chicago-born guitarist Henry Johnson and his Organ Express brings a hard swinging jazz style to the Woman's Club. We'll have extra fire extinguishers on hand in case things get too hot! Henry Johnson's Organ Express is considered a powerhouse group that features guitar, saxophone, Hammond B3 organ, and drums. They've been exciting audiences the world over. Johnson's credits are long, performing with Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Jack McDuff, Donny Hathaway and Joe Williams among others. He's also a good friend of George Benson (that doesn't hurt). The group plays every Wednesday night at Andy's in Chicago, has toured the Caribbean and is scheduled to perform at this year's Valpariso University Jazz Festival. Featured with Johnson is organist Chris Foreman, saxist Peter Roothaan and drummer Greg Rockingham. "Henry Johnson, a fine guitarist, proved to be a compelling vocalist as well. His duets with Nancy Wilson were particularly impressive, his warm-toned phrasing a pleasant contrast to Wilson's." Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times |
|
West Michigan Jazz Composers |
|
We are very excited about our concert featuring Michigan jazz composers. "We don't get enough chances to do our own music, and it's important to keep the creative juices flowing," says LJC Artistic Director Jim Cooper. We've invited jazz composers in the state to either bring in an original tune or compose a new piece for the concert. Compositions may range from soloist to big band so this concert is really a work in progress." Composers so far include Steve Talaga, Kurt Ellenberger, Terry Lower , Carl Cafagna, Scot Cowan, Ed Fedowa, Jim Cooper, Tom Lockwood and more. Stay tuned for an update.
|
 |
|
Kirsten Gustafson and The Dick Reynolds Trio |
|
Chicago audiences first took notice of Kirsten with the release of her critically acclaimed CD You Taught My Heart To Sing in 1992. After years of vocal work with an assortment of musical configurations-everything from rock bands to jazz trios-the Atlantic recording put her on the map, literally, overnight. In 1994 she joined the latin influenced Samba Bamba as their lead singer. The wild popularity of the band led to concerts in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Along the way Kirsten had kept her love for jazz music going and in late 1996 returned to her native Northern Michigan for a brief respite before venturing off to Paris for a season working the after hours clubs along the Left Bank. The late pianist and composer Frank Mantooth chose Kirsten, among others, to sing a song on his latest release. Accompanying Ms. Gustafson is our own Dick Reynolds on piano, Kurt Krahnke on bass and Tim Froncek on drums. This is Kirsten's debut in Saugatuck and shouldn't be missed! |
Kirsten Gustafson
|