Allan Harris Quartet: Music of Nat King Cole & Eddie Jefferson
WHEN: August 24, 2018, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
WHERE: Rutherfurd Hall, 1686 Route 517 - Allamuchy
TICKETS: $30 in Advance or $35 at the Door
(908) 852-1894 Ext 338
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
Tickets available locally in Hackettstown NJ at Mama's Cafe, Baci &
Panther Valley Pharmacy
The outstanding and internationally renowned vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris sums up his personal perspective on music in clear and straightforward terms. “There is nothing that I have found that defines and gives credence to my place in this wild and mysterious universe than this thing called music.”
Over the past 20 years, Harris has steadily developed his reputation as one of the finest vocalists of his era. Aptly described by the Miami Herald as an artist blessed with, “the warmth of Tony Bennett, the bite and rhythmic sense of Sinatra, and the sly elegance of Nat ‘King' Cole,” the ample and aural evidence of Harris’ moving and magisterial artistry can be heard on his ten recordings as a leader; his far-flung and critically-acclaimed concerts around the world, from Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, and Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, to the 2012 London Olympics, and a number of prestigious bookings in Europe, The Middle East and Asia, and his numerous awards, which include the New York Nightlife Award for “Outstanding Jazz Vocalist” – which he won three times – the Backstage Bistro Award for “Ongoing Achievement in Jazz,” the Harlem Speaks “Jazz Museum of Harlem Award” and the DownBeat Critic’s Poll Award “Rising Star Vocalist.”
Drummer, educator, clinician, author and health coach, Shirazette Tinnin was born and raised in North Carolina. Her early influences were gospel music, R&B and soul music. Her stylistic influences would eventually expand into jazz, rock and music from many parts of the African diaspora.
A graduate of Appalachian State University, Shirazette studied with Todd Right, Dr. Rob Falvo, Rick Dilling and Scott Meister. She studied and continues to be mentored by drummers Cindy Blackman, Lewis Nash, Terri Lynne Carrington, Ernie Adams and more. Shirazette received a full scholarship for drum set and jazz pedagogy from Northern Illinois University, where she studied under professor Ron Carter.
A 2008 recipient of The Sisters in Jazz Collegiate All-Stars for IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) Award, Shirazette has also taught on the collegiate level at Columbia College in Chicago. Currently residing in New York City, Shirazette was the house drummer for The Meredith Vieira Talk Show, Season 1 on NBC.
Known for her innovative ability to incorporate contemporary melodic, rhythmic and harmonic devices in both her playing and writing, New York-based jazz pianist, composer and educator Arco-Iris Sandoval hopes to promote environmental and social awareness through her music.
Born into a musical family, Arco-Iris began studying piano as a young child, giving her first recital of original compositions and Bach Preludes when she was 6 years old. At the age of 12 she orchestrated and performed an original composition with the Tucson Symphony and Tucson Pops Orchestra. By high school ArcoIris was performing regularly with professionals in the area and was the pianist for the Tucson Jazz Institute’s award winning Ellington Big Band. She was also featured twice in 2004 and 2007 performing original solo piano works in high school and then in college on a nationally televised event held at the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix, AZ called "Cox Everyday Heroes.”
While attaining a bachelors degree in piano studies from the University of Arizona under the tutelage of jazz pianist Jeff Haskell and classical instructor Paula Fan, Arco-Iris had the opportunity to perform at major festivals throughout the U.S., Mexico, Europe, and China including the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Telluride Jazz Festival. She is a recipient of the 2013 and 2015 ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award and she also participated in the 2013 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. under the artistic direction of Jason Moran. In 2016, she was awarded a Fulbright grant from the US Embassy for traveling abroad with Camille Thurman's stet.
Philly-born bassist Nimrod Speaks certainly has kept his ears open. According to Homer Jackson of the Philadelphia Jazz Project, “Speaks is one of the most in demand bassists in the Mid-Atlantic region and a powerful songwriter." Speaks started his musical progression at the age of 16 years old. First learning the electric bass with Ricardo Jackson and eventually adding the upright double bass upon entering college. While obtaining his Bachelor’s in Music from Kutztown University and a Masters in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University, Nimrod continued his musical journey on the bandstand and honed his craft in not only jazz, but gospel, classical, soul, R&B and African Rhythms. Speaks splits his time between teaching privately, ministering with nonprofit organizations and traveling with Greg Osby, Ronnie Burrage, Doc Gibbs, Hanible Lokumbe, Jerry Topinka, Shirazette Tinnin, Dr. Matthew Clayton and others. Most recently, you can hear Nimrod as part of the Allan Harris Band or locally with the Leon Jordan Sr. Trio and also as part of the Luke O’Reilly Trio.
Nat King Cole (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965) was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He recorded over one hundred songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first black man to host an American television series.
Eddie Jefferson (August 3, 1918 – May 9, 1979) was a jazz vocalist and lyricist. He is credited as an innovator of vocalese, a musical style in which lyrics are set to an instrumental composition or solo. Jefferson himself claims that his main influence was Leo Watson. Perhaps his best-known song is "Moody's Mood for Love", though it was first recorded by King Pleasure, who cited Jefferson as an influence. Jefferson's songs "Parker's Mood" and "Filthy McNasty" were also hits.
Nan Ring has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards for her artwork, including a Vermont Studio Center Fellowship, a Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s Creative Fellowship, and a New York Foundation for the Arts Artists’ Fellowship Award in Drawing. Her paintings and drawings have been exhibited at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, where she was awarded an honorable mention in painting at the Art Center’s 25th Silver Anniversary Juried Exhibition. Additionally, her work has been displayed at Drawing Rooms in Jersey City; 73 See Gallery in Montclair; The Drawing Center and Gallery Henoch in New York City; and Hudson River Museum in Yonkers.
Asha Ganpat is a New York City-area artist, originally from Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies. Ganpat has shown at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum of Art; Queens Museum; Exit Art and the Nathan Cummings Foundation in Manhattan; Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University, in Galloway Township, NJ; and Jersey City Museum. Her work was cited as one of the “10 Best Interactive Summer Art Installations” in New York City by Complex Magazine in 2012. She has participated in the Emerge program at Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art, which focused on strategic career management for emerging artists; ChaNorth, ChaShaMa’s upstate artist residency located in the Hudson Valley; and the Alice Yard residency program in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. She is a professor of sculpture at Montclair State University and co-founder of Red Saw Gallery in Newark.![clip_image001[5]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0pKx7N9CMtw/W2iwt65C1GI/AAAAAAAAoH4/0OeFriyUd9EAAwT0ETaq00hikyeoPq8iwCHMYCw/clip_image001%255B5%255D_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800 "clip_image001[5]")
This year’s festival begins at noon with Rhythm in Blue, the dynamic new jazz ensemble from the United States Air Force. Comprised of 14 talented musicians, the jazz band draws on a classic well-known big band repertoire with an unparalleled level of excitement and versatility. 
At two o’clock a New Jersey Jazz Society favorite, trumpeter, singer and songwriter Bria Skonberg returns to the Green for the first time in three years, taking over the slot held for the past several years by Bucky Pizzarelli. Unfortunately, the hot sun of August has become too much for the legendary nonagenarian so the mantle has passed to the young musician who continues to win critical acclaim and more awards. 
Following Bria will be New Jersey’s own LaBamba and the Hubcaps. Led by long-time Conan O’Brien band member Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg, this explosive ensemble has been a fixture on the Asbury Park music scene for many years and was the stage band for the first five induction ceremonies of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Equally at home with swinging jazz, and blues and funk, the Hubcaps provide a perfect transition from hot swinging jazz in the afternoon to steamy blues at night. 
At six o’clock, the music turns to the blues with the European-based Bernard Allison Group. Born in Chicago in 1965, Bernard Allison was first introduced to the blues by his father, the legendary guitarist Luther Allison. Bernard developed his guitar chops with the Koko Taylor Blues Machine as well as the legendary Willie Dixon. A star in Europe, Bernard is beginning to get a lot of notice here in America through appearances at Festivals and radio airplay. 
Wrapping up the day is blues guitarist Davy Knowles who may just be in his early thirties, but has been turning heads with his mature playing. He has toured with a long list of top blues guitarists and has headlined at festivals such as Lollapalozza, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits. He is praised by guitar greats such as Joe Satriani who proclaimed Knowles his “favorite modern bluesman” and Peter Frampton who called him “the gunslinger guitarist of the 21stcentury.” 
Summer Breezes Orchestra Concert 
The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey was founded in 1996 with music of the 17th and 18th century at its core. The group performs a variety of genres from concertos to symphonies to operas. Under the auspices of its Pearl and Julius Young Music Competition, the organization has nurtured the talent of many promising young musicians. Under the auspices of its Artistic Director Maestro Butts, the orchestra’s repertoire has expanded to include 20th century and modern pieces by the likes of Joaquin Rodrigo and others.
MONMOUTH CIVIC CHORUS SUMMER SING: Mozart’s Requiem 
Choreographers Sarah Weber Gallo and Whitney Jacobs join forces for this evening-length devotion to all things FUN. As the dancers careen through layers of excess, effort, risk, messiness, laughter, extreme embarrassment, and the inevitable morning after, The Sarah and Whitney Show makes space for our collective need to seek pleasure, companionship, and debauchery. Because WE WANT YOU TO HAVE MORE FUN! 
