Open Stage Of Harrisburg Presents JAZZ ON COURT

Open Stage of Harrisburg is proud to announce a new offering for patrons, loyal and new. JAZZ ON COURT, a series of Jazz concerts produced by Lancaster bassist Keith Mohler, will kick off this winter with three entertaining evenings of music.

"We are proud to bring Keith Mohler and these other very talented musicians to Open Stage," says Executive Artistic Director Don Alsedek. "This is a new and exciting venture for the theatre. Open Stage is a great listening room for music. JAZZ ON COURT is sure to be a highly engaging series."

Sunday, January 9, 2011 - Vocalist Ilona Knopfler

There are three JAZZ ON COURT concerts currently scheduled this Winter. The first, on Sunday, January 9, 2011, features vocalist Ilona Knopfler with Steve Rudolph on piano and Mohler on bass. The concert will begin at 6pm and ends at 8pm.

Born in France to a singer and a pianist, Ilona had traveled the world by the time she was in preschool. Ilona sings in both English and French with a pure voice and eclectic stylistic abilities. Her debut CD, Some Kind of Wonderful was lauded as "a courageous journey through the heart of pop music," and "a promising debut," and critics noted that Ilona had "the instincts of a fine jazz vocalist" and was "someone to watch in the years to come."

Friday, January 21, 2011 - Award-Winning Poet Rick Kearns

On Friday, January 21, 2011, from 6-8 pm, Open Stage joins 3rd in the Burg and presents an evening of jazz & poetry with the second JAZZ ON COURT concert. Award-winning poet Rick Kearns joins Tom Witmer on guitar, Patrick Murphy on trumpet, and Mohler on bass

Rick Kearns is a poet, freelance writer and musician based in Harrisburg, Pa. His poems have appeared in many literary journals including The Massachusetts Review, The Painted Bride Quarterly and Chicago Review. Kearns has performed his poetry throughout the nation.

"Jazz musicians are always listening to each other and responding to each other's musical ideas as we improvise in spontaneous composition," Mohler said. "Having ideas and images being expressed verbally gives another dimension to the whole of the music, similar to a vocalist, but with a greater freedom for interaction, and much less predictable."

Sunday, February 6, 2011 - Trumpeter John Swana

On Sunday, February 6, 2011, Philadelphia trumpeter John Swana joins Mohler and friends for another fantastic evening of Jazz.

Declared "one of the most exciting trumpeters to arrive for a decade" by Mark Gardner, co-author of Blackwell's Guide to Recorded Jazz, Swana was born in Norristown where he took up trumpet at the age of 11. Swana has performed and toured with the Mingus Big Band, Don Patterson, Shirley Scott, Mickey Roker, Stanley Turrentine, Trudy Pitts, Bootsie Barnes, and Robin Eubanks.

The first JAZZ ON COURT concerts play January 9, January 21 and February 6, 2011. The concerts will last from 6pm to 8pm. The series will be presented in the intimate Angino Family Theatre at Open Stage of Harrisburg, 223 Walnut Street, located on the street level of the Walnut Street Parking Garage in downtown Harrisburg. Street entrance is on Court Street. Join Open Stage for 3rd in the Burg on January 21!

Admission to JAZZ ON COURT is $10 advance and $12 at the door. Purchase Advance Tickets ONLINE 24/7 at www.openstagehbg.com, by CALLING 717-232-1505 or WALK-UP Monday-Friday 12:30 to 3:00 pm. Our new box office is in the Open Stage lobby, 223 Walnut, located on the street level of the Walnut Street Parking Garage in downtown Harrisburg.

The theatre lobby opens one hour prior to performance. This season is funded, in part, by the Cultural Enrichment Fund, the capital region's united arts fund. Open Stage of Harrisburg is a Constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for American theatre.

 

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