Glenridge Performing Arts Center, South County Jazz Club Offers New Jazz Series
The Glenridge Performing Arts Center Is Partnering With The South County Jazz Club And Will Be Offering A New Jazz Series
The Glenridge Performing Arts Center (7333 Scotland Way, Sarasota) is partnering with the South County Jazz Club to offer a new Jazz series this coming season. The series presents five concerts from November through April and it is anticipated to attract a large and loyal following.
“We are excited about partnering with the South County Jazz Club, as its members and leaders have a wealth of jazz world contacts and the ability to bring in some of the top musicians found anywhere”, says Ben Turoff, General Manager of the Glenridge Performing Arts Center. “The energy in the club is very strong and extremely supportive of great jazz. It also helps that many of its members are musicians themselves, some who are at the top of the jazz world!”
The South County Jazz Club is still new, having formed a little over two years ago. Its mission is to defend and promote pure, mainstream jazz, the style from the late thirties to the early sixties, when jazz was front and center as a major influence in the world of entertainment. From the original five charter members, to now more than 280 members, the South County Jazz Club will present more than 80 concerts this season. The Club’s weekly Tuesday night jam sessions, now at Allegro Bistro in Venice, has sold out every night for more than 17 straight months, even during the normally slow summer months.
Last season the South County Jazz Club proposed that the Glenridge Performing Arts Center bring five-time Grammy nominee Ira Sullivan in for a performance. It was an audience thriller and a resounding success. As a result, the Glenridge Performing Arts Center suggested that the two organizations create a series featuring artists who don't normally appear in this area. Virtually all of the coming season's headliners are internationally known. Several have spent most of their careers in New York or Los Angeles, and will be appearing in southwest Florida for the first time.
The Glenridge Performing Arts Center is an intimate, state of the art theater seating 250, with acoustics perfect for mainstream jazz concerts. It’s a performing venue easily accessible to the residents in the Venice community and communities up and down I-75 as far north as Bradenton and south to Port Charlotte.
The South County Jazz Club’s scheduled line-up for the series includes legendary names and highly acclaimed performers. The Glenridge Performing Arts Center expects to sell out every concert this year. The 2012-2013 series schedule includes the following:
November 10th at 8:00 pm
Dan Miller and Lew Del Gatto will open the series. Trumpeter Miller was with Harry Connick for ten years, and played for Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson and many other major groups. Tenor saxophonist Lew Del Gatto was with the Saturday Night Live band for 25 years. He also appeared with the Tonight Show band, and worked with Doc Severinson's small band, with Clerk Terry, Buddy Rich and Frank Sinatra. Tickets are $15.00 and are discounted at $10.00 for GPAC family members.
January 19th at 8:00 pm
One of the world's leading jazz banjo players, and a top-flight vocalist, Cynthia Sayer. Sayer boasts a star-studded resume, including appearances with Marian McPartland, Milt Hinton, Bucky Pizzarelli, Wynton Marsalis, Ken Peplowski and the list goes on. She has also been a mainstay of Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band, has performed for two U.S presidents as well as a White House appearance. Tickets are $20.00 and are discounted at $15.00 for GPAC family members.
February 9th at 8:00 pm
Five-time Grammy nominee Ira Sullivan is back. Ira is a virtuoso on the tenor, alto and soprano saxes, trumpet and flugelhorn, flute and occasionally takes a turn on drums. He's one of the most respected jazz players ever to take the stage. He played with Charlie Parker in his native Chicago, and later formed a group with Parker alum, Red Rodney. Sullivan has influenced virtually every jazz player on the scene today. His busy schedule includes being a counselor and clinician at schools and universities at home and abroad. Tickets are $20.00 and are discounted at $15.00 for GPAC family members.
March 16th at 8:00 pm
Johnny Varro's Swing 7 has been a jazz mainstay group for more than 20 years. Mentored by Willie "The Lion" Smith, Varro was house piano at Eddie Condon's in New York where he played with the top jazz artists of the era. Then he went on to gigs with Bobby Hackett, Ken Perlowski, Harry Allen, Warren Vache, Phil Napolean, Peanuts Hucko and a host of other major jazz names. He remains much in demand at festivals in the states and in Europe and Asia. The Swing 7's unique arrangements are a major part of the bands appeal. Tickets are $20.00 and are discounted at $15.00 for GPAC family members.
April 6th at 8:00pm
The series finale features Marlene VerPlanck. The New York Times said of Marlene, “She may be the most accomplished interpreter of popular material performing today...” The Wall Street Journal wrote, "VerPlanck has the kind of sweet, strong voice and straight ahead approach that sounds just right on a wide range of excellent songs that are slightly to the left of the really well known standards. Her latest album is filled with obscure gems to delight a song-hound's heart." In her two previous Sarasota appearances, VerPlanck quickly demonstrated her crowd-pleasing popularity. Tickets are $15.00 and are discounted at $10.00 for GPAC family members.
Glenridge Performing Arts Center, 7333 Scotland Way, Sarasota, 552-5325 or www.gpactix.com Get social with GPAC at www.facebook.com/glenridgePAC
Glenridge Performing Arts Center is open to the public, providing the greater Sarasota area with a chance to regularly experience spectacular performances from jazz to classical and theater to barbershop. For additional information on The Glenridge please visit theglenridge.com and for tickets visit www.gpactix.com.
About The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch:
The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch is the nation's first Life Fulfilling Community, focusing on lifelong learning and optimum health for members coupled with the security of long-term care and rehabilitation services. The multi-million dollar Glenridge Performing Arts Center, distinguished among area performing halls with its picturesque setting and elegant yet modern interior, plays a huge role in Glenridge's community model, providing members with an opportunity for continued involvement in the arts. Residents can enjoy performances year-round or get involved in whatever way suits their talents, like singing, acting, building sets or managing the house.
About The South County Jazz Club:
Membership in the South County Jazz Club is just $25 for a full year. In addition to its GPAC partnership, SCJC will present at least 16 weekday afternoon concerts at the Venice and Englewood art centers this season. Admission prices are $5 members, $10 non-members. Along with the weekly Tuesday Jam sessions, several other events are in the planning stages for the coming season. Please visit southcountyjazz.org for additional information about Memberships and the events calendar.
