NYS Music 202​0

Tag: Bela Fleck

  • Jon Batiste, Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Pedrito Martinez Headlining “Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions”

    Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Absolutely Live Entertainment and Caffè Lena have announced the first ever “Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions” to take place June 26 -28 at 8 p.m. est. The series will feature pre produced videos from national artists along with live performances on Caffè Lena‘s stage from local favorites. Each session will be hosted through Caffè Lena’s “Stay Home Sessions” Youtube channel. “Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions” have replaced the 2020 Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival usually hosted at Saratoga Performing Arts Center that was cancelled due to health and safety concerns as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

    Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of  Saratoga Performing Arts Center gave this statement in a press release; “Freihofer’s has been a generous and steadfast supporter of Jazz Fest for the last 23 years. When presented with the possibility of creating a Virtual Jazz Fest, they didn’t miss a beat – pledging to support our efforts to bring great musicians and audience together despite the challenges of COVID-19.  Being able to create connection for jazz lovers – and support both national and local musicians, the latter performing from Caffe Lena — is a privilege.”

    The series is broken down into three themed nights. Kicking things off with a Cuban-themed evening will be previous headliner, Grammy nominated Pedrito Martinez with local artists Chuck Lamb and Jorge Gomez. Bringing the sounds of folk and jazz together will be husband and wife duo Bela Fleck (four time headliner and winner of 15 Grammy awards) & Abigail Washburn followed by Saratoga Spring’s own Skidmore Jazz Institute Alumni Trio. Closing out the weekend long event with some smooth sounds from Detroit will be Garland Nelson’s Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble” opening for musician and television personality Jon Batiste.

    Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions Lineup:

    *all performances at 8 PM EST

    June 26

                Pedrito Martinez

                Chuck Lamb & Jorge Gomez

    June 27

                Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn

                Skidmore Jazz Institute Alumni Trio

    June 27

                Jon Batiste

                Garland Nelson’s “Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble”

  • Bela Fleck & The Flecktones Add Four New York Stops to 30th Anniversary Tour

    In celebration of 30 years of being a innovative quartet, Grammy winners Bela Fleck & The Flecktones have added several new stops to their summer 2020 North America tour. Four stops along the way will be in New York including March 25 in Ithaca, March 28 in Stony Brook, and June 3 in Albany before their tour concludes on June 5 in Port Chester.

    Formed in 1988 by NYC native Bela Fleck for a PBS series special Lonesome Pine Special, the group consists of banjoist Bela Fleck, harmonica and keyboardist Howard Levy, bassist Victor Wooten, and percussionist / drumitarist Roy “Future Man” Wooten. A year later in 1989 is when the group began touring, creating a sound that could never be labeled. Playing all manners of genres – from classical and jazz, to bluegrass and African music, to electric blues and Eastern European folk – breaking music barriers has been the common denominator propelling this group forward.

    “The band is a creative idealistic project, one that somehow connects with people in a profound way,” says Béla. “Nothing about any of that has changed in 30 years.   The Flecktones are touring for the sheer love of playing and celebrating our friendship. That’s why we get together these days.”

    “What I needed,” replied banjo innovator when asked about the 1989 formation of Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, “were people that were kind of freaks.  Each person had to be an equal or more, and that’s what made it work when I ran into these guys and we started playing together.”

    See the full list of tour dates below. Tickets are on sale now.

    Béla Fleck & The Flecktones 30th Anniversary Tour

    March 21 – Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park – Live Oak, FL 

    March 22 – Jefferson Center – Roanoke, VA 

    March 24 – Community Arts Center – Williamsport, PA 

    March 25 – The State Theatre of Ithaca – Ithaca, NY 

    March 26 – The Capitol Center for the Arts – Concord, NH 

    March 27 – Berklee Performance Center – Boston, MA 

    March 28 – Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University –   Stony Brook, NY 

    March 29 – Santander Performing Arts Center – Reading, PA

    Apr. 4 – Savannah Music Festival – Savannah, GA 

    Apr. 5 – Belk Theater – Charlotte, NC 

    May 23 – Delfest – Cumberland, MD 

    May 24 – The Clay Center – Charleston, WV 

    May 26 – The Southern Theatre – Columbus, OH 

    May 27 – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – Asheville, NC 

    May 28 – Paramount Bristol – Bristol, TN 

    May 29 – The Carolina Theatre of Durham – Durham, NC 

    May 30 – Harrison Opera House – Norfolk, VA 

    June 2  – Lebanon Opera House – Lebanon, NH 

    June 3 – The Egg Performing Arts Center – Albany, NY 

    June 4 – Garde Arts Center – New London, CT 

    June 5 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY 

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