Jazz at Sunset Series
June 13th
Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas
Nathan Williams plays zydeco, the fast and furious accordion-driven dance music of the Creole people of South Louisiana, a relatively modern style that emerged after the Second World War. With its trademark rubboard percussion, electric guitars and R&B influences, zydeco is distinct from the fiddle-driven music of neighboring Cajuns. Zydeco is now a familiar sound to many, heard in commercials for mainstream companies such as Burger King and Toyota, and there are pockets of devoted zydeco dancers throughout the world.
June 20th
Houston Person
Dubbed “the natural heir to the Boss Tenor crown worn so long and so well by Gene Ammons” (Bob Porter, liner notes for The Party), 70-year-old global performer Houston Person knows the music business inside out, from booking his own tours to producing his own albums. As eclectic as he is talented, Person has recorded everything from disco and gospel to pop and r&b, in addition to his trademark, souful hard bop. After years as producer and house tenor for High Note Records and touring with the late Etta Jones, Person is getting renewed recognition as a master of popular songs played in a relaxed, highly accessible style.
The Jazz at Sunset Concert Series
Jazz at Sunset is WICN's annual outdoor summer concert series that features nationally-acclaimed jazz performers and local jazz legends. For six weeks every summer, thousands of people flock to the grounds of Worcester's EcoTarium to enjoy the beautiful scenery, relaxed atmosphere, and of course, the great music! The shows take place on Friday evenings in June and July from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
June 27th
Kendrick Oliver
Their music is inspiring, their performances - captivating. It is no wonder why audiences young and old, black and white, sacred and secular continue to sing the praises of the 19 young swinging players and vocalist. Whether it's the assurance and precision in which they play their instruments, the invigorating pulse of energy present in each performance, or the fact that the average age of the band is barely 24-years-old - "New Life's hard-swinging joy is undeniable... they deserve national fame", and lovely vocalist Monica Lynk (of the New Life Jazz Orchestra) is a star in the making”, declared the Boston Herald.
July 11th
Janiva Magness
Los Angeles based Janiva Magness is one of today’s most talented and recognized blues and roots vocalists. A three-decade darling of the blues genre, Janiva currently resides at the top of the genre. In May 2007, Janiva won her second consecutive Blues Music Award for Contemporary Female Artist of the Year beating out contemporaries Susan Tedeschi, Shemekia Copeland and Marcia Ball.
July 18th
Worcester Jazz Orchestra
More information to come
July 25th
Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Sultry chanteuse Lavay Smith evokes a sensuous era of glamorous Jazz divas and sexy pinups adding a modern, feminist twist. Whether singing her own compositions or drawing on a large repertoire of classics, Lavay and her all-star 8-piece band bake up an instant recipe for good times.
