The Westport Arts Center located on 51 Riverside Ave. is once again hosting a series of jazz concerts in January, February and March.
The new year kicks off with the sounds of Brazilian Samba and Bossa Nova as performed by Ali Ryderson and Joe Carter on January 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Jazz flutist Ali Ryerson teams up with longtime duo partner, guitarist Joe Carter, along with bassist David Finck and Brazilian percussionist Ze Mauricio, to perform an exciting program of Brazilian favorites from master composers Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa, Carlos Lyra and more. Admission is $30.
On February 1 from 3 pm to 5 pm, the Westport Arts Center is hosting a "Jazz Jam." Admission: $15.00 WAC Members and $30 for non-members. Guests are invited to join the Center's Artistic Director Brian Torff, for a free-wheeling jam session with some of the community's most active musicians. The sessions are intended to be a spontaneous exploration of Jazz, Blues, and other music styles. The Center encourages students and semi-professionals to drop in and jam for free!
On March 22, the Center is hosting the Hartford Jazz Orchestra at the Pequot Library on 270 Pequot Ave. in Southport from 3 pm - 5 pm. The Hartford Jazz Orchestra will perform songs from the great American songbook with vocalist Nicole Pasternack. Since it's inception in 1965, the Hartford Jazz Orchestra has performed concerts with the Woody Herman, Stan Kenton band along with joint appearances with jazz greats Zoot Sims and Clark Terry. Among its notable band members was Chic Cicchetti, who joined them as a trombone player and later rose to lead the HJO. Admission is $30 for non members and $25 for members of WAC.
For more information and to register for these events visit http://westportartscenter.org/programs/jazz
