Gold Coast Jazz Society Opens Their 2021-22 Jazz Concert Series

Gold Coast Jazz Society (GCJZ) celebrates thirty years of respect and honor for the art form of jazz in their 2021- 2022 Season - Live! At the Amaturo. “In marking this incredible milestone, we aimed this Season, to mix our performances between pure and contemporary, alongside some hip, creative variations,” says GCJS Executive Director Pam Dearden. “We hope we have curated something for everyone, and we also wish to invite new audience members into our fold.”

Live! At the Amaturo features a sensational variety of ‘straight-ahead’ tunes, new renditions of old favorites, as well as jazz that is innovative. A host of international artists as well as outstanding local musicians are carefully included in the series. All concerts will occur at the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Southwest 5th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale and begin at 7:45 p.m.

The jazz concert series includes seven concerts, full season subscriptions which are available for $315 per person, and Jazz Trio subscriptions (3 concerts of your choice) for $150 per person. Gold Coast Jazz Society members are offered a discounted rate on full subscriptions or jazz trio subscriptions. For subscription information and to become a member, go to: www.goldcoastjazz.org

Single tickets for each concert are $65 plus applicable fees and are available online at: www.browardcenter.org, by phone at Ticketmaster: (954) 462-0222, or at the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office. Student and teacher tickets are $15 per show with valid ID. A discount for groups of ten or more is also available.

The series kicks off on November 10 with “United in Swing” featuring the South Florida Jazz Orchestra and guest vocalist Lisanne Lyons. The South Florida Jazz Orchestra, led by Dr. Chuck Bergeron, is a modern big band comprised of some of the best jazz musicians, studio musicians, and jazz educators in the southeast who have performed and toured with many of the greatest artists in jazz and popular music. Lisanne Lyons is a south Florida favorite who will enchant you with her special style of jazz vocals. To learn more about these artists, go to: www.goldcoastjazz.org Pre-show music will be provided in the Amaturo Lobby by the Pine Crest Jazz Ensemble.

On December 8, the continually rising jazz star, Bria Skonberg, will perform inventive arrangements of traditional jazz and music from her recent CD Nothing Never Happens. Skonberg is one of today’s top women in jazz and is a 2020 Canadian Juno Award nominee for her recent recording, Nothing Never Happens. She also garnered a 2018 Juno nomination for With a Twist and was 2017 Juno Winner for Best Vocal Jazz Album for Bria. She links the present with the past by playing inventive arrangements of traditional jazz repertoire, clever reinterpretations of contemporary classics and original compositions with genuine heart and dynamic flair. Skonberg has been called “One of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” by the Wall Street Journal and "A millennial shaking up the jazz world” by Vanity Fair. For more information about this artist, go to her website at: www.briaskonberg.com

The Shelly Berg Trio will return on January 12 with a special tribute to the music of George Gershwin with a Gershwin Top 20 Celebration. Berg is a Steinway piano artist and five-time Grammy-nominated arranger, orchestrator, and producer, with numerous recordings to his credit. Not only a performer, he is also a notable educator and is the Dean of the University of Miami’s prestigious Frost School of Music. The All Music Guide says that Shelly “is one of the finest pianists around in the early 21st century playing modern mainstream jazz.” To learn more about Shelly Berg, go to: https://www.shellyberg.com/

On January 25, fresh off the jazz cruise, join us for a concert with NEA Jazz Master, Kenny Barron. Honored by the National Endowment for the Arts as an NEA Jazz Master, Barron has an unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms. The Los Angeles Times named him "one of the top jazz pianists in the world” and Jazz Weekly
calls him “the most lyrical piano player of our time.” Whether he is playing solo, trio or quintet, Kenny Barron is recognized the world over as a master of performance and composition. Enjoy pre-concert music in the Amaturo Lobby by the Pine Crest Jazz Septet. To learn more about Kenny Barron, go to https://kennybarron.com

The February 9 concert will feature the Gold Coast Jazz debut of the acclaimed Latin jazz pianist, Chuchito Valdés. Chuchito, following in the footsteps of his famed father Chucho Valdés and grandfather Bebo Valdés, continues the legacy of great piano players from Cuba. With influences of Caribbean rhythms and jazz, he will create an exciting and energetic blend of spicy music. Chuchito has recorded and performed with the world renowned Cuban band, Irakere, which he led for two years. His exciting performances have taken him to festivals, clubs and concerts throughout the world, from Cuba and the Caribbean to the Americas and Europe. Learn more about this artist at: https://www.chucho-valdes.com

On March 9 Tony DeSare, the incredible singer/pianist, brings his fresh take on old school classics. He’s won critical acclaim for his three Billboard Top 10 jazz albums and for his exciting performances in jazz clubs, at Carnegie Hall, with symphony orchestras and in Las Vegas. DeSare releases new recordings, videos of standards and new originals every few weeks on his YouTube channel, iTunes and Spotify. Learn more about this artist at: https://www.tonydesare.com

The closing concert of the jazz series will occur on April 13 featuring the world renowned Dirty Dozen Brass Band with An Evening of New Orleans Jazz, Funk & Soul. The DDBB has taken the traditional foundation of brass band music and incorporated it into a blend of genres including Bebop, Jazz, and Funk with a sprinkling of R&B and Soul. This world famous music machine has celebrated over 40 years of performing a “musical gumbo” around the globe with over twelve recordings and collaborations with a wide range of artists. Learn more about the DDBB at: www.DirtyDozenBrassBand.com

The Gold Coast Jazz Society is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of jazz music through a mainstage concert series, free community concerts, educational programs, a jazz scholarship program and musical services provided by the Gold Coast Jazz Society Band. For more information go to: www.goldcoastjazz.org