Take a music tour with ‘The Modernistics’

MIDDLETOWN — The Greater Middletown Concert Association will present “The Modernistics, Song and Dance from the Great American Songbook,” on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Middletown High School Performing Arts Center.

The Modernistics are the charismatic singing and dancing team of Ted and Pamela Powers with virtuoso jazz musicians Peter H. Bloom on flute, Mark Leighton on guitar, and Dave Zox on doublebass. The group, based in Boston, will make its debut with the Middletown Concert Association on Saturday at the new, stateof-the art MHS Performing Arts Center, 200 LaRosa Lane, opposite 680 Newfield St. (Route 3), Middletown.

The renowned quintet will provide a whirlwind tour of the Great American Songbook with music by Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, and other master tunesmiths. Crowdpleasing favorites will include “Sunny Side of the Street,” “Paper Moon,” “Bye-Bye Blackbird,” “Top Hat,” “Skylark,” “Crazy Rhythm” and “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.” Also on tap are sizzling bebop numbers by Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon and Bud Powell.

The Modernistics are Peter H. Bloom, flute; Mark Leighton, guitar; Ted Powers, guitar, ukulele, tap

and vocals; Pamela Powers, tap and vocals; and Dave Zox, string bass. The five artists have taught and performed extensively in the United States and abroad.

Peter H. Bloom, praised for his “hip, jazzy flute work” (Allaboutjazz.com), has performed in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand and is featured on more than 40 CDs. He has shared the stage with Charles Neville, Sheila Jordan, Jaki Byard and other jazz greats, and is a veteran of the illustrious Aardvark Jazz Orchestra (45th season). Mark Leighton is acclaimed as a jazz and classical guitarist, performs widely, and serves on the faculties of Colby College and St. George’s School. Ted Powers’ career in jazz, blues,

and pop includes several years as a solo performer in the south of France and tap-dancing in the U.S. with the legendary Jimmy “Sir Slyde” Mitchell. Pamela Powers has performed and taught in the United States, Germany and England. She studied with Harold Nicholas of the iconic Nicholas Brothers and with renowned Broadway choreographer Charles Hughes. Bassist Dave Zox has performed with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Artie Shaw Band, Herb Reed and the Platters, John Abercrombie, Kenny Werner, Phil Woods and other notables.

The Modernistics are managed by Americas Musicworks, Rebecca DeLamotte, director. For information, email delamotte-amw@comcast.net.

For tickets, call 860-3437555.

Photo courtesy of The Modernistics The Modernistics will celebrate music from the American Songbook on Saturday night at the Middletown Performing Arts Center at Middletown High School in a concert presented by the Greater Middletown Concert Association.