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LeBlanc Quintet Brings Jazz Age to Arts on the Lake
Imagine sitting lakeside on a Sunday afternoon in September listening to the sometimes smooth and sometimes sassy sounds of live jazz. Sound good?
Well, don't just imagine it. Attend it. join Arts on the Lake as they welcome Come to the Lake Carmel Center for the Arts and attend it.
Join jazz vocalist Michelle LeBlanc on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 3pm when Arts on the Lake welcomes LeBlanc and her quintet as they recall musically the historical era known as the Roaring Twenties. Incorporating her love of history into her jazz performances LeBlanc developed and produced her first history themed show entitled, Jazz: The American Story. From there LeBlanc created a series of concerts that traced the development of jazz by recounting events that impacted significantly upon its creators. In her 2007 show entitled The Jazz Age, LeBlanc introduces the clash between the Victorian and Modern Ages, the genesis of the Harlem Renaissance and the influence of Sigmund Freud and the Lost Generation. LeBlanc, who has performed on concert stages and in clubs throughout the Hudson Valley region as well as in New York City, enjoys playing with some of the valley's top jazz musicians in small combos as well as in big bands.
Members of her quintet include Bill Crow, Ed Xiques, Tom Kohl and Ron Vincent.
Bill Crow is a legendary jazz string bass player whose career has included performances and recording with jazz greats like Benny Goodman, Stan Getz, Marian McPartland, Mose Allison, Zoot Sims, Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry and Milt Jackson. His first book on jazz, Jazz Anecdotes, was voted Best Jazz Book in the 1991 Jazz Times Reader's Poll. He has toured in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Putnam Valley resident and sax player Ed Xiques has performed and recorded with Jaki Byard, Woody Herman, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis, McCoy Tyner, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. He has toured regularly with Liza Minnelli since 1983. When he's not touring, Xiques freelances in the New York area. He also performs and writes for the Westchester Jazz Orchestra and Diane Moser's Composer's Big Band.
Tom Kohl has performed, recorded and taught throughout the Northeast since 1982. He has worked with great artists including Quincy Jones, Clark Terry, Richard Davis and Marc Johnson. His Voice of Choice CD on Mothlight Music features 7 original compositions and showcases his richly harmonic writing style as well as his ability to lead very interactive and creative jazz trios.
Ron Vincent was a member of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet with whom he recorded 4 CDs. He has also recorded with Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Randy Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Charlap, John Lewis and Slide Hampton. His own trio and quartet are active in the New York City area and his quartet has toured the United States and Europe. In 1996 Vincent was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant for jazz performance. He teaches percussion at Manhattanville College.
Partial funding for this 2007 concert series is provided by the Putnam Arts Fund. Admission is free. For additional information on this and upcoming Arts on the Lake events check the website calendar at: www.artsonthelake.org.
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