Water Street Jazz Series

If you enjoy fall weather and jazz music, find your way to the Water Street Plaza Amphitheater September 22nd-25th to enjoy four nights of live hazz music performed by some of the genres best contemporary artists.

On September 22nd, Sara Gazarek is performing. Her most recent project, Thirsty Ghost, explores a series of new instrumental colors and features several guests (Kurt Elling, Larry Goldings), new original material, contemporary covers, and jazz standards. She is hailed by the LA Times as “the next important jazz singer,” and “impeccable,” by the Winnipeg Free Press. Critics say that Sara continues to seamlessly combine the intimacy of singer/songwriter stylings with the musical and improvisational elements of jazz and yet with a renewed sound and spirit.

On September 23rd, you can see a performance by Matthew Whitaker. He has performed at many world-renowned venues such as the Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, and the John F. Kennedy Center, along with numerous international venues in in Europe, Asia, and Australia. At just 10 years old, he was invited to perform at Stevie Wonder’s induction into the Apollo Theater’s Hall of Fame. Matthew has been on national and international radio and television, which includes an appearance on the syndicated TV talk show Ellen and a segment on the most-watched news magazine on television 60 Minutes.

On September 24th, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet take the stage. Chris and Dan Brubeck have been making music together practically all their lives. Drummer Dan and bassist, trombonist, and composer Chris cut their first record together in 1966. Since then, they have played a variety of styles in a number of different groups, as well as with their father, jazz giant Dave Brubeck, and with their own Brubeck Brothers Quartet. With Dan and Chris as the foundation, guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb, complete this dynamic quartet. They perform at concert series, colleges, and jazz festivals across North America and Europe. Critics say their concerts reveal an inherent ability to explore and play odd time signatures while integrating influences of funk, blues and world music.

The final performance in the Jazz Series on September 25th is by Shana Tucker. Critics rave that her unique genre of music waves jazz, roots, folk, acoustic pop, and a touch of R&B into melodies that echo in your head for days. Shana studied cello at Howard University in Washington, DC, where she took her first dive into improvisational performance and honed her sing-songwriting skills. Cirque du Soleil recruiters heard an NPR interview with Shana about her songwriting and performance style, and invited her to be cellist/vocalist for their show KÀ in Las Vegas, where she performed for five years before returning to North Carolina.

Tickets can be purchased through the City of Henderson, here. If you purchase a pack of 4 tickets, you can use the discount code JAZZ4PACK to save 25%!