The Inaugural Winter Jazz Series wraps up with a Soiree with Bill Cunliffe performing The Music of Broadway at the home of Wing and Maureen Mayer in Singletree. This nearly sold out event takes place on Thursday, March 29th from 6 – 8 pm.
Bill is a pianist, composer, arranger, author and educator. Additionally, he is a four-time Grammy nominee (having won a Grammy for the 2010 Best Instrumental Arrangement) and a two-time Emmy nominee. Arrangement), as well as two-time Emmy nominee. Bill’s professional accomplishments are extensive and include: winning the Thelonious Monk piano competition, the most prestigious piano competition in the world of jazz; touring with Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich; and performing with many of the legendary jazz greats including Ray Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Art Farmer, to name just a few. For the past 17 years Bill has performed at the Vail Jazz Festival and has been a dedicated teacher for the Vail Jazz Workshop since its inception in 1996.
“We are thrilled to have Bill Cunliffe entertain us for our wrap up to our first winter series,” said Robin Litt, Executive Director of the Vail Jazz Foundation. “Having Bill perform in such an intimate setting will be very memorablel. His clever arrangements of Broadway show tunes is sure to be entertaining and his extraordinary talent will shine. ”
The music of many famous Broadway shows has made its way into the jazz canon. Many of the most performed “jazz standards” were created for Broadway musicals. The 1920s were known as the “Jazz Age” and as jazz was entering the mainstream of American culture, Broadway was enjoying its most productive years with unprecedented number of musical productions opening each year. It is no coincidence that musical theater and jazz would influence each other ever since.
The Winter Jazz Series began with a Benefit Dinner & Concert featuring Curtis Stigers and a joint event with the Vilar Performing Arts Center with Ann Hampton Callaway’s Multi-Media Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. The line-up of musicians for the 18th Annual Vail Jazz Festival will be announced soon. With forty shows over a twelve week period in a variety of exciting venues, the Vail Jazz Festival will be hard to miss this summer.
Only a few tickets are still available for the Soiree with Bill Cunliffe and can be reserved at www.vailjazz.org or 970-479-6146.