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| Darryl White inaugurates Sheldon's 17th Jazz in June season Now in its 17th season, the Jazz in June concert series promises great jazz and great food in the great outdoors on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus this summer. Organized by the Sheldon Art Association, this year's free jazz series kicks off on June 3 with the UNL School of Music's accomplished jazz trumpeter, Darryl White. The concerts, which begin at 7 p.m. and draw thousands of music and art lovers each week, are held under the trees on the plaza west of Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R streets. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs for a relaxing and enjoyable evening surrounded by jazz, outdoor sculpture and sweet summer skies. Before each performance, families are invited to special children's concerts beginning at 6:15 in Sheldon's auditorium. On June 3 and 10, Lincoln folk singer Chris Sayre will perform, and on June 17 and 24, the popular String Beans play. Jazz in June performances are free to all, but concertgoers are asked to make a minimum donation of $1 per person to continue the series. In conjunction with the performances, the Jazz in June Market is the ideal place to select dinner or do midweek shopping. Dinner items, fresh produce, baked goods, ice cream from the UNL Dairy Store and many more delights are available for purchase. The market opens at 5 p.m. on 12th and R streets and is organized by the Downtown Lincoln Association, the City of Lincoln, and UNL. For more information, visit www.jazzinjune.com. The jazz lineup for the series this year is: June 3 - Darryl White Group: White nourishes hungry listeners with shining solos on pieces ranging from classical standards by Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk to his own compositions. Special guest recording artist, saxophonist Dave Pietro, deftly complements White's sound, while Jeff Jenkins on keyboards, Craig Akin on bass, Michael Pujado on percussion, and Brandon Draper on drums carry on the provocative discourse. A professor of trumpet at UNL since 1997, White has been playing the horn since age 10. Trained as a classical musician, White found his passion in jazz. His experiences include a wide range of idioms, including guest soloist with the Omaha Symphony, the Lake Forest Chamber Orchestra, and a variety of venues, including the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City and Nebraska's statewide NET Radio. His albums include "In the Fullness of Time" and "Ancient Memories, " and his 2007 classical release "Resonance" with ECM recording artist Art Lande. The Darryl White Sextet last played at Jazz in June in 2003. For more information, visit www.darrylwhite.com. June 10 - The Dan Thomas Quintet: The Dan Thomas Quintet delights audiences with evolution and creativity. "Jazz is about creation and things being new and fresh, " says saxophonist Thomas. "We don't try to re-create moments. We make new ones." Although the material is original, the quintet focuses on the hard bop East Coast tradition, and at times, reaches into the full spectrum of jazz from early swing, bop, free jazz, postmodern bop, and eastern music. The Kansas City-based group includes Joe Parisi on trumpet and flugel horn, Brandon Draper on drums, Roger Wilder on piano and Bram Wijnands on bass. In addition to playing hundreds of gigs each year, the quintet has recorded two CDs: "City Scope" in 2003 and "Musical Sanctuary" in 2005. Thomas teaches jazz saxophone and jazz history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Alto sax veteran Bobby Watson says of the Dan Thomas Quintet, "The writing is strong, the musicians are world-class, and the spirit in all of the playing by all of the players is uplifting and inspired." For more information, visit www.danthomasjazz.com. June 17 - The Dynamic Les DeMerle Band featuring Bonnie Eisele: Led by DeMerle's explosive drumming and Eisele's swinging vocals, this Florida-based band delights audiences with its special panache. This experienced, high-energy ensemble has performed in venues from Florida to Singapore. Of the group's numerous CDs, the most recent are: "Cookin' at the Corner, " Volumes 1 and 2. A Brooklyn native, DeMerle toured 12 years with big band trumpet master Harry James and has played with jazz stars including Lionel Hampton, The Manhattan Transfer and Red Allen. James once said, "Les DeMerle is the best all-round drummer I've ever had, and that's saying a lot when you remember that ( drum virtuosos ) like Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson manned that post ( before him. )" Eisele provides mesmerizing renditions of jazz classics and breezy Brazilian ballads. Joining the headline couple on the bandstand will be pianist Mike Levine and bassist Jamie Ousley. For more information, visit www.lesdemerlemusic.com. June 24 - Lao Tizer Band: From Hollywood, contemporary keyboardist Tizer flows with rhythms that have made him a torchbearer for a new jazz generation. Backed by his handpicked band, Tizer has played at premier musical events alongside artists including Isaac Hayes, Wayne Shorter, George Benson, The Rippingtons, Bruce Hornsby and Spyro Gyra. Among the venues the band played last summer were: Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Cherry Creek Arts Festival ( Denver ), Jazz on the Green ( Omaha ), Summer Sizzle ( Milwaukee ) and Liberty Jazz Festival ( New York ). In 2006, the Lao Tizer Band recorded "Diversify" on Yse Records. Produced by long-time friend and guitarist Jeff Kollman, the album displays Tizer's broad artistic influences while remaining rooted in his benchmark smooth jazz style. The album reached Billboard's Top 50 Contemporary Jazz chart. Jazz Monthly wrote, "After way too many years in the shadows of more popular jazz performers, Tizer makes a case for becoming one of the genre's headliners with 'Diversify, ' a multi-faceted project that displays his talent for everything from in the pocket funk to exotic fusion and ballads that stay in the heart." For more information, visit www.laotizer.com. The Jazz in June series receives generous support from its sponsors. They are: Baylor Evnen, Berman Music Foundation, KFOR, Firespring, University Program Council, Daily Nebraskan, Lincoln Journal Star, Downtown Lincoln Association, Union Bank & Trust, Time Warner Cable, Lincoln Benefit Life, Whitehead Oil Co./U-Stop, Scheels and Wal-Mart. Sheldon Museum of Art houses a permanent collection of more than 12, 000 objects focusing on American art. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For information or to arrange a tour, call ( 402 ) 472-2461. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |