'Bobby Plays Brubeck and More'
The Kenan Center, in collaboration with The Carriage House Players, will present The Bobby Militello Quartet, featuring the music of Dave Brubeck, on June 23.
This is the second concert in the Kenan Center's 50th Anniversary Jazz Series featuring some top names in jazz - both locally and nationally. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Taylor Theater, a 153-seat converted carriage house on the center's campus, which provides an intimate, club-like atmosphere. The concert will feature two full sets of music.
Militello has played with many artists over the past five decades, along with leading his own groups. From 1982 to 2012, he played alto sax and flute with the world-famous Dave Brubeck Quartet, and recorded more than 20 CDs. He has performed with almost every major orchestra in the U.S., Canada and Europe, appeared on the stages of many international jazz festivals, on television and radio programs.
The Bobby Militello Quartet features Jim Coleman on bass, Bobby Jones on keyboards and John Bacon Jr. on drums.
Brubeck (1920-2012) was one of the most active and popular musicians in both the jazz and classical worlds. With a career that spanned over six decades, his experiments in odd time signatures, improvised counterpoint, polyrhythm and polytonality remain hallmarks of innovation.
The 1959 recording, "Time Out," became the first jazz album to sell over a million copies. Event organizers said "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and "Take Five" (now in the Grammy Hall of Fame) are as relevant today as they were nearly 60 years ago.
"Bobby Plays Brubeck and More" is part of a three-concert residency with the Buffalo Jazz Collective, which also includes The Buffalo Jazztet Tribute to Harold Arlen on Nov. 4, and a special holiday show, "Tidings of Comfort & Jazz," on Dec. 2.
The Kenan Center 50th Anniversary Jazz Series was conceived and co-produced by Kathleen Rooney, co-founder of The Carriage House Players, a group presenting plays as well as musical performances at the Taylor Theater in collaboration with the Kenan Center.
"The Carriage House Players collaboration is bringing an eclectic mix of live theater and music into our intimate Taylor Theater," Kenan Center Executive Director Susan Przybyl said. "The audiences have been overwhelmingly receptive and we're pleased to be drawing new patrons from across Western New York."
Tickets are $15 for Kenan Center members, $20 for the general public, and may be purchased online at Ticketleap, in person at the Kenan Center business office, or charged by phone. Free parking is available.
The Kenan Center Taylor Theater is located at 433 Locust St., Lockport. For more information, visit
www.kenancenter.org or call 716-433-2617.
Because seating is limited, advance tickets are recommended.
