Carla Cook
The upcoming show at the Art Center, “You Know How I Feel,” will feature the talents of three highly acclaimed jazz musicians in a special collaboration paying tribute to the songs of some of their influences.
The program includes Lynne Arriale on piano, vocalist Carla Cook and Grace Kelly on saxophone and vocals in a tribute to the musics of Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone and Abby Lincoln. The will be accompanied by drums (Ross Pederson) and bass (Evan Gregor).
Lynne Arriale’s music has been hailed as lying at the junction of brain and heat, body and soul. She’s noted for the warmth of her performances and has been favorably compared with the likes of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett.
She has actively toured for more than twenty years including performances at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Spoleto as well as the Montreal, Monterey, North Sea, Stuttgart and San Francisco Jazz Festivals as well as concert halls in countries around the world. She’s also been featured on multiple NPR programs including “Weekend Edition” and “Jazz Set.” The New York Times noted that she was among the “top Jazz pianists of the day.”
Carla Cook has gained notice for her ability to put a Jazz feel on songs that are not usually associated with the genre. The range of her musical influences—from Motown to Gospel and beyond—stretches from Miles Davis and Chaka Kahn to Bach. In 1999, Cook released her debut album “It’s All About Love,” which was Grammy-nominated for Best Vocal Jazz Performance.
Grace Kelly is a 21-year-old wunderkind, equal parts saxophonist, singer and composer. Wynton Marsalis invited her to perform at Barrack Obama’s inauguration, she’s been named “Best Jazz Act” in Boston for four consecutive years and she’s consistently selected as an Alto Saxophone Rising Star by “Downbeat” magazine, She’s performed with a host of Jazz greats including Dave Brubeck, Harry Connick, Jr., Esperanza Spalding, Hank Jones, Diane Reeves, Ann Hampton Calloway and many others, as well as performances at the Hollywood Bowl and the Newport, Montreal, and Montreux festivals.
All three artists will hold a conversation on their styles and influences in the Center’s Art Bar at 3 p.m. on Jan. 31. These informal, free conversations are a great opportunity to talk with artists in an up close and personal environment.
The evening concert will begin at 8 p.m. — doors will open at 7 p.m. and there will be a no-host bar. Tickets are $17 for CAC members, $20 for non-members and can be picked up at Jeff’s Copy Express, ITT @ NAS Fallon or by calling Churchill Arts at 775-423-1440.
Kirk Robertson covers the arts and may be reached at news@lahotnanvalleynews.com.