The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘Jazzing Up the Classics’ comes to Kent
KENT — Thanksgiving is full of annual traditions – and a favorite tradition for the Sherman Chamber Ensemble and audiences is its annual “Jazzing Up the Classics” concerts.
Artistic Director Eliot Bailen said, “This year we are featuring two exciting, young virtuosi, Eddie Barbash, alto saxophone, and Sam Reider, piano and accordion, whose brilliant original work we will be highlighting.”
They join a most talented group of accomplished New York musicians including Thomson Kneeland (double bass), Chris Parker (drums), Susan Rotholz, (flute) and Bailen (cello) in a program that features jazz-inspired renditions of works by Gershwin, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Ellington, and Dylan, along with original compositions by Parker, Reider and Kneeland.
The concerts will take place on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 4 p.m. at Christ Church on Quaker Hill, 7 Church Road, Pawling, NY and on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Church, 1 North Main Street, Kent.
Barbash, a founding member of the Jon Batiste and Stay Human Band, of Late Night with Stephen Colbert fame, appeared with the Sherman Chamber Ensemble earlier this year to rave reviews and standing ovations, playing diverse styles of music from Debussey to Mozart, Rossini to blue grass and Roy Orbison tunes. Barbash has performed with stars in almost every genre: jazz with Wynton Marsalis, classical with Yo-Yo Ma, rock with Lenny Kravitz, country with Vince Gill and as a member of Tres Amigos together with Reider.
This will be Reider’s first time performing with The Sherman Chamber Ensemble. He is an award-winning composer, accordionist, pianist, and singer that is making waves at the intersection of Americana, jazz, and world music.
He has been featured on NPR's "Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland," won "Best Americana Album" from the Independent Music Awards, and has performed and recorded with artists ranging from Jon Batiste and Stay Human to viral YouTube group CDZA, from legendary NY Philharmonic composer David Amram.
Reider was awarded "Best Americana Album" by the Independent Music Awards for his work with Silver City Bound, and has toured as musical ambassador for the U.S. Department of State in eight countries overseas.
At 19, Chris Parker began recording and touring with blues great Paul Butterfield and then broke into the New York studio scene in 1970, doing records, movie scores and filling the drum chair at Saturday Night Live.
He has recorded platinum, gold and Grammy winning albums and CDs with many artists, including Bob Dylan, Cher, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Miles Davis, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett and Quincy Jones who has written liner notes for Parker’s latest cd, ”Blue Print.”
The performance will be followed by a reception featuring light refreshments and a chance to meet and talk with the performers.
General Admission tickets are $30; senior and student tickets are $25, and children ages 15 and under are admitted free with the purchase of a paid ticket.
Tickets may be purchased online at ShermanChamberEnsemble.org or at the door on the afternoon of the performance.
For information or reservations, call 860-355-5930.