Contemporary, Pop, and Jazz Music
Marilyn Maye
and Her Trio of World-Class Musicians
Saturday, February 11, 8 PM
Grammy Award nominee Marilyn Maye returns to BIG ARTS by popular demand. Maye has been heralded for her amazing vocal dexterity, the sheer excitement, boundless energy and authenticity of her performances, as well as the unique party atmosphere she creates wherever she appears. Stephen Holden, in a recent New York Times review declared, "As Marilyn Maye threaded her way from the stage through a packed house of cheering admirers; I overheard comparisons to Judy Garland's 1961 concert at Carnegie Hall. You can sense a similar electric connection between singer and audience." In a 2010 Wall Street Journal profile, Will Friedwald raved, "Marilyn Maye is pretty much every singer you ever wanted to hear: She has the rhythm and the musicianship of a great jazz singer, the projection and personality of a heavyweight Broadway diva and creates the intimate bond with her audiences that we demand from a cabaret artist."
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Child 17 & Under: $15
Island Jazz
Sundays in February:
February 5, 12, 19 and 26 at 3 PM
The band, comprised of talented amateur, semi-professional, and professional musicians, performs Big Band and Dixieland-style music in Boler Garden. In case of rain, the concert will move to the Gainer Veranda.
Concerts are free. Beach chairs recommended.
Riders in the Sky
Saturday, February 18, 8 PM
Known for their rich blend of Western harmony and unique sense of humor, Riders in the Sky are the two-time Grammy Award-winning group that has captivated audiences of all ages for more than three decades. They are keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, but are best known to younger audiences for their performance of Woody's Roundup in 1999's Toy Story 2. 2011 rang in the group's 6,000th live show, celebrating a career run that boasts 700 separate appearances at Nashville's Grande Ole Opry and even a special engagement at Carnegie Hall. Riders in the Sky have released more than 30 albums and have also enjoyed television success as comedic hosts of their own weekly CBS and TNN programs. They have been guests at major events like the Hollywood Bowl and featured on television shows Barney & Friends and Penn & Teller.
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Child 17 & Under: $15
The Sedaka Show
Starring Jim Van Slyke
Friday, March 2, 8 PM
Critically-acclaimed and award-winning singer, songwriter and recording artist Jim Van Slyke has headlined concert stages around the globe. Neil Sedaka himself has not only joined Van Slyke on stage for a duet in The Sedaka Show in Hollywood, San Francisco, and New York, but has also highly endorsed the tribute. After seeing the show, Sedaka gushed, "I had the great pleasure of seeing Jim Van Slyke perform a revue of my songs. It blew me away! The voice, the stage presence, the thought and preparation that went into the show were all superb. I've seen many singers over the years do my songs, but nobody has moved me more than Jim. His performance exceeded my expectations ... " Slyke ranks performing with Sedaka and receiving his personal endorsement as one of his greatest career highlights, along with a solo performance at The White House, and being a featured entertainer for President Clinton's second Inaugural Ball.
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Child 17 & Under: $15
Island Jazz
Sundays in March:
March 4 and 18 at 3 PM
The band, comprised of talented amateur, semi-professional, and professional musicians, performs Big Band and Dixieland-style music in Boler Garden. In case of rain, the concert will move to the Gainer Veranda.
Concerts are free. Beach chairs recommended.
Chaplin: A Life in Concert
Composed and Performed by
David Pomeranz
Friday, March 9, 8 PM
"Chaplin: A Life in Concert" dramatizes, through song, the life story of the brilliant and controversial artist, Charlie Chaplin. The show stars multi-platinum, award-winning performer/composer David Pomeranz, who also penned the music and lyrics. The show opens backstage as Chaplin is to receive an honorary Academy Award. Having been falsely accused of being a Communist and banned from re-entry into the United States 20 years earlier, Chaplin is both bitter and afraid. He recalls how his early childhood on the impoverished streets of London led to his creation of one of the world's most iconic characters and his ultimate legacy ... The Little Tramp. Of the show, Michael Feinstein said, "Part concert; part stage musical, "Chaplin: A Life in Concert" is an imaginative, emotional and inspiring journey that leaves the audience walking on air, humming its tunes, and in love with the artistry of the great Chaplin. The score is a knockout ... wonderful!"
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Child 17 & Under: $15
Bay Street Brassworks
Friday, March 16, 8 PM
Performing a wide variety of musical genres ranging from classical to Dixieland, show tunes, classic rock, swing, big band, and everything in between, Bay Street Brassworks performances have included opening ceremonies at National League baseball games and a special engagement alongside the American Brass Quintet. They will be playing music from their new album, Brass on Fire, including songs played on a 12 foot-long alphorn. Among its numerous awards, the Bay Street Brassworks received the Grand Prize at the New York Brass Conference International Brass Quintet Competition in 2003.
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Child 17 & Under: $15
Island Jazz
Sundays in April:
April 1, 8, 12, 15 and 22 at 3 PM
The band, comprised of talented amateur, semi-professional, and professional musicians, performs Big Band and Dixieland-style music in Boler Garden. In case of rain, the concert will move to the Gainer Veranda.
Concerts are free. Beach chairs recommended.
Past Events:
Back by Popular Demand:
Singer Songwriter Livingston Taylor
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Livingston Taylor returns to BIG ARTS this fall for a very special Thanksgiving weekend performance. Liv's long career in music includes Top Forty hits I Will Be in Love with You and I'll Come Running; and for his brother James he wrote, I Can Dream of You, and Boatman (off the double Grammy-winning album Hourglass).
General seating: $37, Loge: $42, Student: $15
The Mills Brothers
Saturday, January 14, 8 PM
For nearly eighty years, The Mills Brothers have commanded the jazz and pop stage with their unmistakable and unforgettable repertoire of harmonies and hits. Formed in the late 1920s by four brothers from Piqua, Ohio, the band and the magic of its music continue today under the leadership of John Mills III, surviving son, grandson and nephew to three of the group's original members, and veteran musician Elmer Hopper, who spent 21 years touring with The Platters. Honored with a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998, The Mills Brothers have released more than 2,000 recordings that combined have sold over 50 million copies. Memorable hits include Tiger Rag, Cab Driver, Glow Worm, Lazy River, Yellow Bird, Basin Street Blues and Paper Doll, all of which today's touring duo recreate with inimitable sound for a new millennium of audiences.
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Student: $15
Brassy, Sassy & Classy -
The Songs of Ethel Merman
and Mary Martin
Thursday, January 19, 8 PM
Joan Curto breathes new life into classics from the celebrated catalogues of Broadway legends, Ethel Merman and Mary Martin in this one-woman show that Chicago Tribune jazz critic Howard Reich calls "an uncommonly effective homage." Described as "a seasoned interpreter who makes every note count," Curto is the recipient of a Chicago After Dark Award for Outstanding Cabaret Artist and has performed at many of the country's most prestigious music venues, including New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center. Curto channels Merman and Martin to capture the energy with which they commanded their roles in musicals composed by Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and Rodgers and Hammerstein.
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Child 17 & Under: $15
Richie Cole and Five By Design in
Cool and Swingin'
Saturday, January 28, 8 PM
Combining warm, well-rounded vocals with vintage fashions and a touch of comedy, Five By Design's harmonies have made them a favorite of BIG ARTS audiences. Their latest production, "Cool and Swingin'," features alto sax legend, Richie Cole. Set in the format of a radio broadcast, the production touches upon Cole's 40-year career in music from his early days touring with Buddy Rich, to Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show Band, to the present day. A reviewer in All About Jazz wrote, "Richie Cole is the last of a breed, a fast and competitive musical gunslinger acquiring legendary status for his willingness to demonstrate his command of Charlie Parker's bebop language by taking on all comers at any speed ... "
General seating: $42, Loge: $47, Child 17 & Under: $15
