A New Blue Jazz Ensemble: A Night at the Movies, Part 2

We’re pleased to welcome back A New Blue Jazz Ensemble for another Night at the Movies! The group will be playing tunes that were written for movies produced from 1929 to 1966, and that became jazz standards over the years. The performance will be accompanied by a multimedia production of stills and videos drawn from the original films and the jazz artists who made the tunes famous. Some were immediate, popular hits, while others remained obscure for some time before being rediscovered and popularized. While enjoying the music, audience members will learn little-known back stories of many of the tunes. For example, the song “Singin’ in the Rain” was written in 1928 and was sung or played in nearly a dozen movies before it became the title song of the iconic 1952 film starring Gene Kelly. Or that the song “Smile” was written by Charlie Chaplin for his 1929 film “Modern Times.”

A New Blue Jazz Ensemble is comprised of Richard Adams, percussion; Richard Murphy, bass clarinet, alto and baritone saxophones, and soprano recorder; Philip Rowland, guitar; Marguerite Suozzo-Golé, vocals; Michael Suter, bass; Cliff White, tenor saxophone; and Will Copeland, keyboard. Media production is by Kathy Post.

This program is supported in part by the Springfield Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. This concert is presented by Bing Productions in collaboration with Trinity United Methodist Church. Special thanks to our season sponsor Florence Bank.

Admission is $10 at the door, cash only please, or advance purchase through Eventbrite.