Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents
The Dave Bennett Quartet:
A Tribute to Benny Goodman and Friends
March 22 at North Port Performing Arts Hall
Dave Bennett is lauded as a musical prodigy and clarinet phenomenon. Add in piano, bass and drums and audiences will be treated to an afternoon of inspired music—from classic standards to Elvis and beyond. This third concert closes the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s inaugural series in the North Port Performing Arts Center.
(Sarasota, Florida) Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s inaugural 2014-2015 North Port concert series concludes with the Dave Bennett Quartet, with Dave Bennett on clarinet, Tad Weed on piano, Don Mopsick on bass, and Tony Vigilante on drums, performing such popular favorites as “Moonglow,” “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” and “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” Sunday, March 22, 3 p.m., at the North Port Performing Arts Hall, 6400 West Price Boulevard, North Port. The concert is under the artistic direction of Dr. Joseph Holt. Individual concert tickets are $25. Tickets can be purchased online at www.artistseriesconcerts.org; by calling the North Port Performing Arts Center’s box office at 941-426-8479; or by visiting the box office in person at 6400 West Price Boulevard, North Port.
Dave Bennett doesn’t fit the mold of most contemporary jazz clarinetists. For starters, you don’t find many jazz clarinet players who name Alice Cooper, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Chris Isaak among their influences. You won’t find many musicians under 30 who are equally conversant with the music of Benny Goodman and Roy Orbison. In fact, you may not find even one other clarinet virtuoso who occasionally breaks from his swing era repertoire to sing rockabilly hits while accompanying himself at the piano—where he can play a mean barrelhouse boogie-woogie. In the early days of jazz, the clarinet joined with trumpet and trombone to create the music’s signature sound, and it ruled the roost in the swing era, when jazz was America’s popular music and dance-party soundtrack. If anyone can return the clarinet to its heyday, it’s Dave Bennett, who fuses serious jazz improvisation with a host of modern pop influences.
Add in the talents of Tad Weed, Don Mopsick and Tony Vigilante and you understand why the Dave Bennett Quartet has a zealous bevy of fans of all ages. Backed by its full repertoire of swing, Dixieland and Benny Goodman standards, the quartet often branches out with Bennett singing Elvis, Roy Orbison and Chris Isaak.
Since 1996, Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota has presented an ever-expanding annual season of concerts by globally renowned and celebrated emerging artists. The 2014-2015 season runs through May 2015 and includes six concerts in its “Classical Recital Series,” four concerts in its “Pop Series,” three special concerts and the inaugural North Port concert series. Three “Lunch, Look and Listen” events were also scheduled. For more information about the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s 2014-2015 season, visit www.artistseriesconcerts.org or call 941-306-1202.
The 2014-2015 Season at a Glance
Classical Recital Series
Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. at the Historic Asolo Theater; 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota.
- Ying Quartet with Ayano Ninomiya, violin, Janet Ying, violin, Phillip Ying, viola, and David Ying, cello, performing works by Haydn, Auerbach, and Beethoven. March 14 and 15.
- Bion Tsang, cello, and Adam Neiman, piano, performing works by Faure, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. April 18 and 19.
- Adrienne Danrich, vocalist, and Djordje Nesic, May 30 and 31.
Pop Series
At the Historic Asolo Theater; 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota.
- “Trumpet Invasion” with Brandon Ridenour, trumpet, Mara Bonde, soprano, and Rich Ridenour, piano. May 2, 7:30 p.m., and May 3, 2 and 7:30 p.m.
- “A Romp With Gilbert & Sullivan” with Tracy Olivera, soprano, Bob McDonald, baritone, Steve Cramer, tenor, Joseph Holt, piano, and the Gloria Musicae Singers performing highlights from “Pirates” “The Mikado,” and “Pinafore.” May 9, 7:30 p.m., and May 10, 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Lunch, Look and Listen
One-hour concerts at 11 a.m. followed by lunch at 12:15 p.m. At Michael’s On East Ballroom, 1212 East Avenue South, Sarasota.
- Samus Haddad, baritone, and Lee Dougherty Ross, piano, performing spirituals and songs by Weill and Hoiby. March 19.
Soiree Series
Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. and Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. At the Weisenborne/Fischer residence. Call for address.
- Jennifer Kim, classical guitar. April 26 and 27.
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota was formed in 1996 as the Artist Series of Sarasota. The group is a non-profit corporation based in Sarasota, FL, that prides itself on presenting several major national and international varieties of concert, opera, orchestral, Broadway and film performances throughout their season. The majority of the performances are staged at the restored Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling.
Photos courtesy of the artists.
