Virginia Stage Company Introduces New Tazewell Lounge Series

Virginia Stage Company will introduce a new concert series called Tazewell Lounge Series at the Wells.  The inaugural performance to kickoff this series is An Evening with the John Toomey Jazz Quartet on Saturday, July 27th at 8pm.  This intimate performance will take place at the Wells Theatre in the Tazewell Lounge. John and his quartet will perform 2 sets, opening at 8pm, with a cocktail hour starting at 7pm. 

Professor John Toomey has been recognized for excellence in teaching several times, including his designation as University Professor for Excellence in Teaching, an honorary title awarded to less than 2 percent of the faculty at the university.  Other honors include TELETECHNET Professor of the Year, and winner of the prestigious  SCHEV Award for Excellence in Teaching.  In 1991, Professor Toomey was designated a cultural specialist in Jazz by the United States Information Agency, and was sent to Botswana, Africa in this capacity to both teach and perform.  In the area of research, Professor Toomey serves as both director and performer for the Attucks Jazz Series under the umbrella of the Virginia Arts Festival, performs often on the Diehn Concert Series with various jazz artists, and served as performer and Music Director for Havana Nights, a state of the art jazz club in the Tidewater region.  In all of these venues, he has performed in concert with nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz artists, such as Randy Brecker, John Fedchock, John Abercrombie, Terrell Stafford, and others. Professor Toomey has toured with jazz vocalist Rene Marie, including appearances at the JVC Festival in France and the Monterey Festival in California, and is featured on the recording Live at the Jazz Standard. The original score he composed for The Boys of H Company was recently aired in Singapore and Japan, and was featured on national television dozens of times during the past few years. Professor Toomey is currently featured on two recordings that were released in early 2015, Timely, with Glenn Wilson and John Dearth, and Fluidity, with trombone great John Fedchock.  Before his tenure at Old Dominion University, Professor Toomey performed and toured the world with jazz trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson with whom he recorded two cds, High Voltage 2, and Big Bop Noveau. His most recent release is a live quartet recording with jazz trombone legend John Fedchock entitled Reminiscence, released on the Summit label.

An Evening with John Toomey Jazz Quartet will play only at the Wells on Saturday, July 28th in Norfolk, Virginia. There are an extremely limited number of tickets available now on sale and can be purchased online at www.vastage.org or by calling the box office at (757) 627-1234 (Monday - Friday from 10am -3pm).  General admission tickets are $20 each.  There are also a limited number of  lounge tables of 4 seats total for $100 for each table.  Doors open at 7pm for a cocktail hour before the 8pm concert.

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