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jazz at lincoln center

Jazzmeia Horn

Saturday April 30, 2022 @ 8:00 pm

Sublime vocalist Jazzmeia Horn brings her finely tuned vocal skills to Caramoor, showcasing her songs of daring musicality, emotional power, and social relevance. Having emerged as one of the brightest stars on the rise in the jazz scene, the aptly named singer has earned the adoration of audiences around the world with her unique spin on the jazz tradition, touched by hints of R&B and hip hop. If Ella or Billie were alive today, they might just sound like Jazzmeia!

“A singer of ironclad capability, creative drive, and irrepressible panache”
–NPR

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Shenel Johns

Friday August 27, 2021 @ 7:00 pm

POWER TO THE PEOPLE
With a voice that embodies grace and passion and a personal style that sways effortlessly from jazz to R&B to gospel, Shenel Johns has emerged as one of the shining stars of her generation. A native of Hartford, CT, Johns has been performing since she was fourteen years of age, and has developed a distinctive, eclectic style that has increasingly caught the attention of her peers and some of the industry’s top performers.

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Jazz Festival

Saturday July 31, 2021 @ 1:00 pm

Jazz fills Caramoor’s grounds at the annual Jazz Festival, presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center! Bolstered by artist collaborations and tributes to celebrated jazz greats, this year’s festival once again invites you to explore the many facets of the genre while taking in the full breadth of Caramoor’s venues and gardens. Former lead trumpeter of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Sean Jones will close out the day in the Venetian Theater.

We recommend that you bring your own chair for this festival. Picnics are welcome!

Artists

Closing Set: Sean Jones’ Dizzy Spellz, feat. Brinae Ali
Larry Grenadier
Endea Owens & The Cookout
Charles Turner & Uptown Swing
Alexa Tarantino Quartet
Brandon Goldberg Trio
Godwin Louis & Jonathan Barber
Jeremy Bosch & Friends: Salsa Meets Jazz
Nicole Glover & Daniel Duke
Christina Carminucci &
    Leonid Morozov-Vintskevich
Summer Camargo Trio

Schedule

Interested in taking the train to Katonah? Ride the shuttle to Caramoor!

We will be offering a complimentary shuttle service from the Katonah Metro North to Caramoor on festival days, 12:00pm–10:00pm. If you have any questions, please contact the Box Office at 914.232.1252 or via email. The festival is rain or shine; dress weather-appropriately!

In past years, there would be a large shade tent on Friends Field during the day. To reduce the risk of large gatherings in a contained area, we will not have the shade tent this year. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Learn About the Artists

Sean Jones, trumpet

Music and spirituality have always been fully intertwined in the artistic vision of trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and activist Sean Jones. Singing and performing as a child with the church choir in his hometown of Warren, Ohio, Jones switched from the drums to the trumpet at the age of 10.

Jones is a musical chameleon and is comfortable in any musical setting no matter what the role or the genre. He is equally adept in being a member of an ensemble as he is at being a bandleader. He turned a six-month stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra into an offer from Wynton Marsalis for a permanent position as lead trumpeter, a post he held from 2004 until 2010. In 2015 Jones was tapped to become a member of the SFJAZZ Collective where he was a member until 2018. During this time, he managed to keep a core group of talented musicians together under his leadership forming the foundation for his groups that have produced and released eight recordings on the Mack Avenue Records, the latest is his 2017 release Sean Jones: Live from the Jazz Bistro.

Jones has been prominently featured with a number of artists, recording and/or performing with many major figures in jazz, including Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson and Marcus Miller. Jones was selected by Miller, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter for their Tribute to Miles tour in 2011.

Jones has also performed with the Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown Symphony Orchestras as well as Soulful Symphony in Baltimore and in a chamber group at the Salt Bay Chamber Festival.

An internationally recognized educator, Jones was recently named the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair of Jazz at John Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute in Baltimore. Before coming to Peabody, he served as the Chair of the Brass Department at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

All artists and dates are subject to change and cancellation without notice as we work closely with local health experts and officials. Please note that all performances at Caramoor are in compliance with current New York State Regulations. Read our latest Health & Safety updates.

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The Brianna Thomas Band

Friday July 2, 2021 @ 8:00 pm

WITH ELLA IN MIND

Brianna Thomas continues to ascend as one of the powerful and engaging voices on the jazz scene today. With her immensely talented band, she captivates audiences with her unique take on standard jazz and contemporary songs, all skillfully infused with her emotional depth and stellar scatting. In this concert, she pays homage to and celebrates Ella Fitzgerald and the wide breadth and scope of her repertoire and instrument. Though Ella was most well-known for singing swing and scat, her pure sound graced many styles and genres including spirituals, blues, bossa nova, and ballads, and the songbooks of Porter, Jobim, Rodgers and Hart, Arlen, Ellington, and many more. She even delved into the Stevie Wonder catalog with spunk, grace, and style. Ella quite literally sang everything!

$20 Garden Listening tickets are available to those who would like to listen to the concert from the grounds. The best place to listen is from Friends Field! (As a reminder, guests will not be able to view the concert; this ticket is just for listening). This ticket is completely FREE for Caramoor Members. View the Caramoor Map.

Read about what to expect upon arrival at Caramoor, in regards to our COVID-19 Policies.

About the Artist

Brianna Thomas

Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, Brianna Thomas grew up surrounded  by music. Her father, Charlie Thomas, not only influenced her with his own unique talents as a vocalist and percussionist, he created an  exceptionally well-rounded musical  environment that fostered Brianna’s emerging abilities.

At the tender age of six, Thomas made her singing debut performing a duet rendition of the jazz classic, What A Wonderful World with her father. At the age of eight she won her first of 13 trophies, all first place and overall, from various district and regional talent shows. Between the ages of eight and 10 she had her first gigs performing for a variety of banquets, black tie affairs, and as a guest on local radio stations. It didn’t take long for people to notice her talent and potential. Just shy of her teens, her talents were discovered by distinguished jazz educator Mary Jo Papich. Soon after, Thomas toured Europe with the Peoria Jazz All-Stars, a big band under Papich’s direction. This was the beginning of Thomas’ career as jazz vocalist.

Thomas’ singing is deeply enriched by an understanding of the masterful voices of jazz past. Beyond a healthy serving of sass, Sarah Vaughan’s influence contributes to Thomas’ style the artistic savvy needed to communicate myriad moods and feelings as well as a keen instrumental perspective. Add to that a coyness reminiscent of Nancy Wilson, an Ella-esque skill and enthusiasm for scatting, and the stylistic breadth and vocal grandeur evocative of Dianne Reeves. 

Perhaps Thomas’ greatest asset is the soulfulness of her sound. Captivatingly unique, her sound moves in tones ranging from sweet invitations to assured  convictions, establishing  a  personal  and  classic  quality  that  leaves  listeners swooning after her performances.

Thomas’ talents have propelled her to many successes including performances at the Montreux, North  Sea, and Umbria Jazz Festivals and in  venues ranging from the Bahamas to Geneva, Switzerland. Thomas was a resident in both the 2001 and 2002 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Programs  –  an international artist-in-residence  program that assembles a select group of jazz musicians to perform their original compositions at the Kennedy Center. At Jazz Ahead she worked with a host of premier jazz educators and performers  including  renowned  vocalist  Carmen  Lundy,  Winard  Harper, and  Nathan Davis.

Thomas’ extensive list of stateside  performances includes appearances  with Fred Anderson, Von Freeman, Houston Person, and the Barber Brothers. She has performed across the country from New Orleans to Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center. In 2001, Thomas was dubbed High School Jazz Vocalist of the Year by Downbeat magazine. Notably,  Thomas is the  youngest person ever to be inducted  into Peoria’s African-American Hall of Fame at the age of 13 in 1996. She has also received a certificate of excellence from the state of Illinois in recognition of her musical accomplishments.

Thomas has blazed a path in  the  world of jazz and continues a stellar ascent.  With dedication, hard work, and a sparkling personality, she is sure to become one of jazz’s most prominent voices. The words of legendary trombonist Curtis Fuller best illustrate Brianna Thomas’ abilities, hailing her as a “marvelous new artist who has all it takes to reach the top of the jazz profession and music in general.”

“Brianna Thomas gives the impression of inventing the song in the moment as if it’s never been done before”  

–— Brian Morton, Down Beat Magazine, Dec 2020

All artists and dates are subject to change and cancellation without notice as we work closely with local health experts and officials. Please note that all performances at Caramoor are in compliance with current New York State Regulations. Read our latest Health & Safety updates

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Catherine Russell

Saturday May 8, 2021 @ 8:00 pm – May 10, 2021

Available to watch until May 10 at 10:30pmEST.

Catherine Russell dazzles her audiences with familiar favorites and forgotten gems alike. Russell excelled as a backup singer and multi-instrumentalist with David Bowie, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, and Paul Simon, before launching a remarkable solo career, featuring Grammy award-winning and chart-topping recordings. In 2019 she released her seventh album, Alone Together, which was then Grammy-nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

Learn More About the Artist

Catherine Russell

Artist Website / Watch

Vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker, born into musical royalty. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist / composer / bandleader, and Louis Armstrong’s long-time musical director. Her mother, the late Carline Ray, was a pioneering vocalist / guitarist / bassist who performed with International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Mary Lou Williams, and Sy Oliver. Catherine’s professional life began early. After graduating with honors from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she toured and recorded with Carrie Smith, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, Toshi Reagon and Rosanne Cash, among others, appearing on over 200 albums.

Her 2006 debut album Cat, (World Village/Harmonia Mundi), garnered rave reviews, paving the way for her 2008 sophomore release, Sentimental Streak.  Catherine was a guest on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, PBS-TV’s “Tavis Smiley Show”, and NPR’s “Fresh Air”, “Piano Jazz”, “Mountain Stage”, “World Café”, and “Jazz Night in America.” She has won a prestigious German Record Critics’ Award and a Living Blues magazine critics’ poll. Catherine Russell’s third album, Inside This Heart of Mine, reached #1 on JazzWeek and Roots Music Report radio charts, while also charting on Billboard and reaching #1 on ITunes jazz charts. A fourth album, Strictly Romancin’ was released in February 2012, and was awarded Prix du Jazz Vocal (Vocal Album of The Year) by the French Jazz Academy, Grand Prix du Hot Club de France, and a Bistro Award for Outstanding Recording. Also in 2012, Catherine Russell received a Grammy® Award as a featured artist on the soundtrack album for the HBO-TV series, Boardwalk Empire.

In 2013, Catherine contributed 3 songs to the soundtrack of the film, Kill Your Darlings. Her 5th solo album, Bring It Back, was released worldwide in February of 2014 on the Jazz Village label, receiving a ★★★★★ 5 Star Review in Downbeat Magazine. In September 2016, Catherine Russell released her 6th solo album, titled Harlem On My Mind, featuring songs from the Great African American Songbook, receiving a Grammy® Nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her 7th album as a leader, Alone Together, was released in March 2019 on Dot Time Records, held the #1 position on the JazzWeek 2019 Year End chart for national airplay and received her second Grammy® Nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Also in 2019, Catherine appeared in the feature film Bolden, and contributed vocals to the soundtrack album by Wynton Marsalis. She appears as featured vocalist on three tracks on Big Band Holidays II, accompanied by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

With universal acclaim, Catherine Russell has performed on four continents. She’s been a hit at major Jazz Festivals including Monterey, Newport, North Sea, JazzAscona, Montreal, Bern, Rochester International, Panama, Tanglewood, and at sold out venues like The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Scullers in Boston, The Dakota in Minneapolis, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in NYC, SFJazz in San Francisco, and Pasadena Pops in Los Angeles. All Music Guide says, “Russell emerged as a retro old school vocalist for the ages.”

Her repertoire features a selection of gems from the 1920s through the Present; vital interpretations, bursting with soul and humor. With an off-the-beaten-path song selection, sparkling acoustic swing, and a stunning vocal approach, Catherine Russell has joined the ranks of the greatest interpreters and performers of American Popular Song.

View the program book

“A wonderfully charismatic performer with a show-stopping voice.”

— The Washington Post

Livestream Access

The livestream will be available to view for 48 hours. This concert will start at 8:00pm EST.

Questions? We have a livestream guide prepared specifically for our Caramoor Members, and another guide for the general public. Following this guide will hopefully answer all of your questions, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!  Contact the Box Office at 914.232.1252 or [email protected].
Forgot your password? If you cannot remember your password, you can reset your password, or our Box Office will be able to assist you with your log-in credentials.

All artists and dates are subject to change and cancellation without notice as we work closely with local health experts and officials. Please note that all performances and livestreams at Caramoor are in compliance with current New York State Regulations.

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