Jazz Club of Sarasota announces events for February and March including 37th Annual Sarasota Jazz Festival
Spring schedule brings world-class musicians for 16 jazz-related activities including renowned Sarasota Jazz Festival, March 5-11, and two new events
SARASOTA, FL: The Jazz Club of Sarasota, one of the most active jazz societies in the United States, continues its busy schedule through February, then swings into March with the 37th Annual Sarasota Jazz Festival, a celebration of the life of internationally prominent and locally based musician Dick Hyman. In addition to its weekly Jazz at Two series on Friday afternoons, the Club will present two new events–a Sunday afternoon of jazz at Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key on February 12 and a New York Jazz Evening on Thursday, March 9, as well as two free Sunday afternoon concerts, one in Venice on February 19 and one in Sarasota on March 5.
The popular Jazz at Two concerts present renowned musicians, some with international reputations, in a highly affordable series of afternoon performances on Fridays from 2-4 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church, 3975 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota. Parking is free. Tickets are sold at the door: $10 members; $15 guests, with $1 of every ticket sale allocated to the Club’s Scholarship Fund. Information: www.jazzclubsarasota.org, [email protected] and the Jazz Club office (941-366-1552, Wed.-Fri., 9-5).
FEBRUARY
- Friday, February 3, Jazz at Two:Drummer, vibist and vocalist Dave Morgan heads a quartet with Billy Marcus, piano; Mark Neuenschwander, bass; and Evelyn Thomas, vocalist.
- Friday, February 10, Jazz at Two:With his “Underherd Heard,” popular drummer Al Hixon introduces newcomers Steven Van Loozenoord, keys; Professor Pete Carney from Chicago, tenor saxophone; vocalist Jordana Talsky from Toronto; bassist Isaac Mingus; and Dave DeWitt, trombone.
- Sunday, February 12,***NEW EVENT*** 2 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Jazz All-Stars at Temple Beth Israel. 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. The Jazz Club of Sarasota and Temple Beth Israel have teamed to present a quintet of nationally recognized musicians for an afternoon of jazz in a social setting that includes snacks and a cash bar. The Jazz All-Stars in the quintet are Nate Najar, guitar; Eddie Metz Jr., drums; Don Mopsick, bass; Joe Delaney, piano; and Bob Bowlby, saxophone.
Admission: Tickets are $25, available from the Jazz Club office* and jazzclubsarasota.org.
- Friday, February 17, Jazz at Two:Outstanding reed player Tom Ellison fronts the Tom Ellison Quartet, which includes his talented friends Judi Glover, piano; David Pruyn, trumpet and vocals; and Joe Porter, bass.
- Sunday, February 19,Joy of Jazz Concert, 2-4 p.m. FREE! Bill Buchman & the Art of Jazz. Pianist Bill Buchman and his group perform an afternoon of jazz favorites in a lovely outdoor setting for this concert, co-sponsored by the Gulfcoast Community Foundation. Centennial Park Gazebo, 200 W. Venice Ave, Venice, FL (between West Venice Avenue and West Tampa Avenue).
- Friday, February 24, Jazz at Two:The Billy Marcus Trio. Acclaimed pianist Billy Marcus, a member of the South Florida Jazz Hall of Fame, rounds out his trio with Don Mopsick on bass and Stephen Bucholtz on drums.
MARCH
- Friday, March 3, Jazz at Two:Skip Conkling Dixie Mix. Drummer Skip Conkling’s septet plays Dixieland favorites and the New Orleans Jazz sound. Joining Skip are Joe Bruno Sr., trumpet; John DeWitt, bass; Bill Carmichael, clarinet and sax; Keith Carman, keyboard; Mike Evans, banjo; Marv Luckett, trombone;
- Sunday, March 5, through Saturday, March 11:
37th ANNUAL SARASOTA JAZZ FESTIVAL, A CELEBRATION OF THE CREATIVE LIFE OF OUR OWN DICK HYMAN, A JAZZ LEGEND
o Sunday, March 5: Jazz in the Park • FREE! Outdoor concerts with area-based jazz bands, 12-4 p.m., Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231
Greg Nielsen Band ● Pine View High School Band under director Victor Mongillo
Food and beverages are available for purchase ● No coolers, please. ● Bring blankets and chairs. ● Information: Jazz Club office.*
o Tuesday, March 7, Evening Concert: Musical Biography of the Legendary Dick Hyman, 7:00 p.m., Riverview PAC**
Dick Hyman, 2017 Sarasota Jazz Festival Honoree and music director, has assembled this special evening to take us down his Memory Lane accompanied by some of his favorite musicians: pianist and Grammy winner Bill Charlap; West Coast singer Clairdee; St. Petersburg-based drummer Mark Feinman; long-time Ellington bassist John Lamb; multi-award-winning jazz guitarist Russell Malone; and Randy Sandke, named “one of the best trumpet players around” by the Chicago Tribune. Dick will add multimedia elements from his career including posters of some landmark performances and clips from films he’s done including Moonstruck and ten films by Woody Allen.
Admission: Jazz Club members $35; Guests $45; Students Free (at the door) ● Tickets: 800.838.3006, http://www.brownpapertickets.com. Information: jazzclubsarasota.org or the Jazz Club office*
o Wednesday, March 8: 19th Annual Jazz Trolley & Pub Crawl, 6-10 p.m., Downtown Sarasota
Ride the very popular Sarasota Jazz Trolley to eight downtown nightclubs where jazz combos will swing the night away. Park at the north end of Van Wezel PAH Parking Lot, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, and board a trolley for a night of fun.
Admission to all eight clubs (with wristband): Advance $20 from Jazz Club office*; $25 at event. Entry to individual clubs (without wristband), $5 at the door. Tickets and information: https://jazzclubsarasota.org/events–2 or the Jazz Club office.*
- Thursday, March 9,***NEW EVENT***: New York Jazz Evening with Dick Hyman & Ken Peplowski; 6-10 p.m., Michael’s On East, 1212 S. East Avenue. Sarasota, FL
Enjoy a fabulous dinner at the award-winning Michael’s On East while the inimitable Dick Hyman and Ken Peplowski serenade appreciative fans. The superb private concert is just the frosting on the cake, so to speak, of an elegant dinner with open bar and special dessert.
Admission: $125 • Cocktail Attire • Attendance limited by size of the venue. ● Tickets and Information: Jazz Club office* or jazzclubsarasota.org.
- Friday, March 10, Talk and Book Signing: Alfred Green; 2-4 p.m.;Gelbart Auditorium at Selby Public Library, 1331 1st St., Sarasota, FL 34236
Alfred Green, the son of rhythm guitarist Freddy Green, signs Rhythm Is My Beat, his book about his father, and talks about the man whose guitar work served as the pulse of the Count Basie Band.
Admission: Free. Information: Jazz Club office* or jazzclubsarasota.org.
- Saturday, March 11, Evening Concert: “A Salute to Jazz History” featuring Dick Hyman with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, 7:00 p.m., Riverview PAC**
The Jim Cullum Jazz Band is renowned worldwide for playing the classic jazz associated with King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Bix Beiderbecke among others, plus music by such great American composers as Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin. The musicians performing for in the band are Cullum, cornet; John Sheridan, piano; Allan Vaché, clarinet; Mike Pittsley, trombone; Phil Flanagan, bass; and Kevin Hess, drums. Pianists Hyman and Sheridan were frequent guest performers and played many piano duets with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, which was featured nationally on the weekly public radio series “Riverwalk Jazz” for 23 years and is still available on the internet.
Admission: Jazz Club members $35; Guests $45; Students Free (at the door). Tickets: 800.838.3006, http://www.brownpapertickets.com. Information: www.jazzclubsarasota.org or the
Jazz Club office*
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*Jazz Club office: To learn more about the Sarasota Jazz Festival, the Jazz Club of Sarasota and memberships, visit http://jazzclubsarasota.org/, e-mail [email protected] or phone 941.366.1552 (Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Monday-Friday during Festival Week).
**Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way (2452 Proctor Rd., Sarasota). Tickets are available online at brownpapertickets.com and by phone at 800.838.3006. Prices vary by concert and are listed with each event.
FESTIVAL SPONSORS
- Friday, March 17, Jazz at Two:The Jerry Eckert Trio presents an afternoon of lively jazz with Jerry on piano, Rich Mac Donald on drums and Bruce Wallace on bass.
- Friday, March 24, Jazz at Two:Marc Mannino & Friends. Guitarist Marc Mannino heads up a quintet with George Mancini, trombone; John Miller, bass; Bob Lunergan, drums; and Shari Morningstar, vocals.
- Friday, March 31, Jazz at Two:Patricia Dean Trio. Patricia Dean handles drums and vocals in her trio, which includes William Evans on piano and Joe Porter on bass. As a drummer, Patricia Dean has been called an inspiring and supremely tasteful time-keeper, accompanist and soloist. As a jazz vocalist, she is swinging, sensitive and wonderfully musical.
The Jazz Club of Sarasota, founded in 1980, is dedicated to preserving, promoting and presenting jazz, America’s original musical art form. The Club has provided over 50 jazz-related events annually for more than 35 years. Chief among them is the highly respected Sarasota Jazz Festival, including the 37th Festival set for March 5-11, 2017. In addition to producing numerous jazz events, over the years the Club has granted approximately $200,000 to aspiring young jazz musicians. To learn more, visit www.jazzclubsarasota.org, email [email protected], or phone the Jazz Club office at 941.366.1552 (Wed.-Fri., 9-5).
