The Sherman Chamber Ensemble will present its “Jazzing Up the Classics” concerts Nov. 25-26.
Concerts will be held Nov. 25 at 4 p.m. at Christ Church on Quaker Hill, 7 Church Road, Pawling, N.Y., and Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1 North Main St., Kent.
“This year we are featuring two exciting, young virtuosi, Eddie Barbash, alto saxophone, and Sam Reider, piano and accordion, whose brilliant original work we will be highlighting,” said Eliot Bailen, the ensemble’s artistic director.
They will join a group of accomplished New York musicians including Thomson Kneeland on double bass, Chris Parker on drums, Susan Rotholz on flute and Bailen on cello in a program that features jazz-inspired renditions of works by Gershwin, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Ellington, and Dylan, along with original compositions by Parker, Reider and Kneeland.
Barbash has performed with stars in almost every genre: jazz with Wynton Marsalis, classical with Yo-Yo Ma, rock with Lenny Kravitz, country with Vince Gill and as a member of Tres Amigos together with Reider.
This will be Reider’s first time performing with the ensemble. He is an award-winning composer, accordionist, pianist, and singer that is making waves at the intersection of Americana, jazz, and world music.
Reider was awarded “Best Americana Album” by the Independent Music Awards for his work with Silver City Bound, and has toured as musical ambassador for the U.S. Department of State in eight countries overseas.
At 19, Parker began recording and touring with blues great Paul Butterfield and then broke into the New York studio scene in 1970, doing records, movie scores and filling the drum chair at “Saturday Night Live.”
He has recorded platinum, gold and Grammy winning albums and CDs with many artists, including Bob Dylan, Cher, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Miles Davis, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett and Quincy Jones, who has written liner notes for Parker’s latest CD, ”Blue Print.”
The performance will be followed by a reception featuring light refreshments and a chance to meet and talk with the performers.
Tickets are $30 for general admission, $25 for seniors and students and free for children 15 and under who accompany an adult or senior with a paid ticket.
For more information and reservations, call 860-355-5930.
