When classic Christmas songs are dipped in the sweet, luscious swing of jazz music, the results are always as warm and soothing as hot cocoa and chestnuts. Top that with a vocal performance from an artist who has perfected the art of songbook standards, and you've got all the ingredients for holiday delight.
A celebrated New England saxophonist, flutist, and composer, Greg Abate has an impressively diverse international career, including playing for the Ray Charles Orchestra and the Artie Shaw Orchestra. With over 24 recordings and collaborations with jazz greats like Phil Woods and Kenny Barron, Abate is a significant force in jazz, touring extensively and teaching. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and recently ranked in the Downbeat Readers Poll. The quartet for this show includes Kent Hewitt on piano, Paul Del Nero on bass, and Gary Johnson on drums. The performance will feature selections from the American songbook, jazz standards, popular tunes, and Abate’s original compositions. “It will be swinging,” Abate said.
Grammy- and Emmy-winning ensemble Time For Three (TF3) defies conventions with their genre-bending excellence. Comprised of Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals), the uniqueness of the trio’s instrumentation well matches their sound, which blends eras, styles, and traditions from classical to Americana to singer-songwriter. TF3’s collaborations with Pulitzer Prize winners Jennifer Higdon and Kevin Puts resulted in the Grammy Award-winning album, “Letters for the Future,” conducted by Xian Zhang and featuring the Philadelphia Orchestra.
The Tony Holiday Band: Memphis Soul & Blues. With Special Guests: One Dime Band
There’s something about Tony Holiday that draws people together. In fact, community has been at the core of Holiday’s young career from the beginning. Since relocating from Salt Lake City to Memphis in 2017, Holiday has been at the center of a soul blues revival in Memphis, anchored by a contingent of young, savvy well-schooled musicians with a “family-like” attitude and a strong belief in one another. Mentored by past legends, Holiday and this loose Memphis collective are building on the city’s rich traditions and carrying them forward.
