February 12, 2017 at the Doubletree by Hilton
New Bern’s annual Sunday Jazz Showcase commences February 12th this year at the Doubletree by Hilton. This year’s lineup includes Bria Skonberg, Jack Wood, Elisa Pruett, Jonathan Wacker, and Lenore Raphel. The two performances will kick of at 1:30pm and 7pm, with tickets available from Bank of the Arts.
The Jazz Showcase was started in 1989 by John and Hanna Sturman, a couple devoted to jazz and bringing world class talent to New Bern. The Showcase is sponsored by the Craven Arts Council and Gallery, whose mission is to advance arts and cultural in the community, including music and performing arts.
This year’s lineup will be led by trumpeter and Showcase veteran Bria Skonberg, one of jazz’s rising stars. Describing herself as a small town girl from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Bria is noted as a Millennial “shaking up the jazz world” by Vanity Fair, and one of the “25 for the Future” by Down Beat Magazine. The Wall St Journal states she is “poised to be one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation.”
Vocals will be provided by Jack Wood, a singer with an impressive list of credentials, including being invited to sing the hits of Sinatra with a 66 piece brass band at Brigham Young University at the request of Old Blue Eye’s former Music Director.
Bassist Elisa Pruitt has performed at festivals around the world from South America to Japan. She had performed on BET Jazz, and her trio has opened for Herbie Hanncock and played at the Kennedy Center.
Lenore Raphael has performed at the Sunday Jazz Showcase a number of times, as well as at Craven Arts Council’s signature “At the Gallery” series. She hosts a popular jazz podcast “Lenore Raphaels’ JazzSpot” on a number of digital venues, and teaches Jazz Master classes world wide.
Dr. John Wacker is a professor at East Carolina University, where he teaches both classical and jazz styles. John was formerly the house drummer for the MGM Grand Casino in Reno and Harrah’s Casino in Lake Tahoe, where he played with a number of stars such as Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennet, and Debbie Reynolds.
Tickets to the Jazz Showcase are available in person at Bank of the Arts or over the phone at 252.638.2577. Tickets to the 1:30 performance at $35/members, $40/ nonmembers. Tickets to the 7pm show are $30/members, $35/nonmembers. Seating is assigned by table and limited to ten per table.
For more information please contact Jonathan Burger, Marketing and Gallery Director
Craven Arts Council & Gallery, Inc. at the Bank of the Arts, 317 Middle St.
Submitted by: Jonathan Burger