Music

The Christine Correa Ensemble will highlight Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite and Percussion Bitter Sweet at Next Stage Arts on Sunday, March 10th, at 7:00 pm, at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets are $20 in advance / $25 at the door / $10 livestream, and may be purchased at nextstagearts.org.

“Max Roach broke the mold with his ‘We Insist!’ record in 1960, being one of the first jazz records that publicly proclaimed racial injustice. Christine Correa is bringing an all-star lineup of New York-based Jazz musicians to play Roach’s album live, allowing the audience to hear its ferocity and message live,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “Through the generosity of Chamber Music America, we’re able to bring this to our region.”

The Christine Correa Ensemble will highlight Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite and Percussion Bitter Sweet in order to celebrate the creative and activist legacy of Max Roach, a high-profile artist who was an outspoken civil rights advocate and who used the arts as a catalyst for change.

Next Stage Arts presents Biribá Union, a dynamic musical trio featuring Grammy Award-winning cellist Mike Block, Progressive Hip-Hop artist Christylez Bacon, and electric bass player Patricia Ligia, at Next Stage Arts on Sunday, March 3rd, at 7:00 pm, at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets are $20 in advance / $25 at the door / $10 livestream, and may be purchased at nextstagearts.org.

Mike Block (Cello, Vocals), Christylez Bacon (Beatbox, Guitar, Rhymes), and Patricia Ligia (Electric Bass, Pandeiro, Vocals) form a dynamic trio, blending original music with global influences to form a fresh and accessible sound. Each member of the collective brings influences and repertoire from their diverse backgrounds, such as Brazilian, Hip-Hop, Classical, Jazz, Bluegrass, Funk, and Pop styles, synthesizing them through original compositions and songs that highlights their improvisational spontaneity and high energy stage presentation.

Piers Morgan interview with Dr. K. (At the time of this interview, the public piano had been put off limits by the London police, who caved in to Chinese Communist demands to silence Dr. K.)

Next Stage Arts presents improvisational artist and musician Lonnie Holley in performance with multi-generational, gender, genre non-conforming amalgam of Black culture Mourning [A] BLKstar at Next Stage on Friday, January 19 at 7:30 pm 

Since 1979, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity. His art and music, born out of struggle, hardship, but perhaps more importantly, out of furious curiosity and biological necessity, has manifested itself in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, performance, music, and filmmaking. Holley’s sculptures are constructed from found materials in the oldest tradition of African American sculpture. Objects, already imbued with cultural and artistic metaphor, are combined into narrative sculptures that commemorate places, people, and events. His work is now in collections of major museums throughout the world (The Museums of Fine Arts, San Francisco; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Smithsonian American Art Museum; The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and many others), on permanent display in the United Nations, and been displayed in the White House Rose Garden.

PUTNEY – Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present roots, ragtime, and jazz quartet DiTrani Brothers plus Jatoba’s multi-instrumentalist /singer Jason Scaggs at Next Stage on Saturday, January 6 at 7:30 pm. 

DiTrani Brothers, by way of bent melodies and driving rhythms, play perilous tunes for the hopeful, with elements of Balkan music and early American jazz/swing. They deliver both wistful and raucous performances at venues ranging from The House of Blues in New Orleans to DIY backyard stages. Originally from North Bend, WA, brothers Bobby and Walker DiTrani began writing songs together while traveling across the country, playing music on the streets. Since then, they’ve recorded two albums and toured throughout the US with drummer Eddie Gaudet. Now a quartet with acoustic bassist Benjamin Richards, they just released their third album “Dust Harvest.” 

The Vermont Jazz Center will present Cyrus Chestnut in a trio concert on October 14th at 7:30 PM. Called “the best pianist of his generation” by Time Magazine, Chestnut will appear with bassist Herman Burney and drummer Kelton Norris. 

Chestnut’s repertoire includes selections from the Great American Songbook, spirituals, jazz standards, and original music as well as surprising transformations from other genres. Along with his interpretations of jazz-related gems, his recordings include compositions by Elvis Presley, Erik Satie and even Beethoven. Chestnut carefully arranges each piece, developing it with reharmonizations, introductions and interludes. His approach is characterized by two constants: a deep connection to gospel music and a resounding sense of swing. 

The Vermont Jazz Center will present Cyrus Chestnut in a trio concert on October 14th at 7:30 PM. Called “the best pianist of his generation” by Time Magazine, Chestnut will appear with bassist Herman Burney and drummer Kelton Norris. 

Chestnut’s repertoire includes selections from the Great American Songbook, spirituals, jazz standards, and original music as well as surprising transformations from other genres. Along with his interpretations of jazz-related gems, his recordings include compositions by Elvis Presley, Erik Satie and even Beethoven. Chestnut carefully arranges each piece, developing it with reharmonizations, introductions and interludes. His approach is characterized by two constants: a deep connection to gospel music and a resounding sense of swing. 

As a youth Cyrus Chestnut was immersed in, and continues to follow, the spiritual beliefs of the Baptist church. His training as a musician followed a path from church musician to the Peabody Conservatory Preparatory Program and the Berklee College of Music. He quickly became knowns as a consummate sideman, touring the world and making recordings with jazz several jazz legends. He is now recognized as a leader in his own right. Chestnut currently holds the position of Master Instructor of Jazz Piano and Improvisation at Howard University. He continues to tour and record as a soloist, with his own groups, and as a high-level sideman at noted jazz festivals and venues.