Lineup for 7th Annual Bickford Benefit Concert Announced

The 7th Annual Bickford Benefit Concert featuring the Bickford Benefit All Stars comes to the Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum for one night only on Monday, November 13, at 7:30 PM. The all-star ensemble, comprised of some of the best hot jazz players in the country, includes clarinetist Dan Levinson, trumpeter Mike Davis, trombonist Jim Fryer, pianist Jeff Barnhart, bassist Brian Nalepka, drummer Stéphane Séva, and guitarist/singer Molly Ryan. All of the ticket sales from this concert will go to support programming at the Bickford Theatre.

One of the most anticipated shows of the year at the intimate theater in Morristown, the Bickford Benefit Concert is always a rousing evening of hot jazz that boosts the spirits of everyone both on stage and in the audience thanks to a terrific band.

One of the most prolific musicians in the world, Dan Levinson was recently honored with the Hot House Magazine Fans Decision Jazz Award for Best Clarinet presented at a glamorous ceremony in New York City. He has performed on more than 150 CDs, can be heard on numerous movie soundtracks, and on the Grammy Award -winning HBO television series Boardwalk Empire.

Trumpet player Mike Davis is one of the vanguard of young musicians bringing traditional jazz to prominence in the New York City music scene. The Wall Street Journal called this Manhattan School of Music graduate an "eloquent trumpet prodigy."

The trombonist Jim Fryer hails from Boston but is now based in New York where he tours internationally both as a sideman and a bandleader. He is comfortable in all styles of music but is particularly well-known in hot jazz circles where he works with artists such as Dan Levinson, Cynthia Sayer, Jon-Erik Kellso, and Randy Sandke.

Sirius/XM Radio called pianist Jeff Barnhart "the premier stride pianist in the USA" and he has become a mainstay at many jazz and ragtime festivals. On bass, the group features New Jersey-born Brian Nalepka and on drums, it's the French musician Stéphane Séva best known for his work with the group Paris Washboard making a rare US appearance.

The popular Molly Ryan will be the featured singer with the band and will play guitar. Critics have raved about Molly's ability to evoke the big band singers of the 1930s and she can be heard regularly at the most prestigious venues in New York including Birdland, the Iridium, and the Café Carlyle.

Tickets for the Bickford Benefit All Stars are $20 for museum members, $22 in advance, and $27 at the door. All seats are reserved. Tickets may be purchased online at morrismuseum.org/jazz-showcase, by phone at (973) 971-3706, or in person at the Bickford Theatre Box Office. The Morris Museum's Bickford Theatre is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morristown, NJ, and offers free parking and full accessibility. Box office hours for phone sales are Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Walk-up hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

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