Havana NRG, UNT’s One O’Clock Lab Band play 2011 Jazz Under the Stars

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There's no Erykah Badu, but the Rolling Stones' saxophonist will be there.

DALLAS — The Dallas Museum of Art just announced the artists for their Thursday night series, Jazz Under the Stars. Here are full details:

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The Dallas Museum of Art announces a sizzling new lineup for the 28th annual series of free outdoor concerts – Chase Presents Jazz Under the Stars. The 2011 series hosts a diverse schedule of performances from Latin jazz fusion to bossa nova to mainstream jazz. The extremely popular concerts attract as many as 7,000 listeners to the Dallas Arts District each Thursday night, and this is the 15th year Chase has sponsored the jazz series.

The free outdoor concerts begin Thursday, May 12, continuing on consecutive Thursdays through June 16 on the Museum’s Ross Avenue Plaza. Bring a picnic and blanket (glass containers are not allowed) or purchase food and beverages on-site before the music starts at 8 p.m. Following is this year’s schedule.

May 12: Havana NRG!

Kick off the 2011 season of Jazz Under the Stars with Dallas favorite Havana NRG! Known for combining Latin, salsa, pop, and jazz, Havana NRG! has a high-energy fusion sound all their own. Their contagious energy goes straight to your feet so you can dance the night away.

May 19: UNT One O’Clock Lab Band

The One O'Clock Lab Band is the premier musical ensemble from the University of North Texas. This big band, under the direction of the great composer-arranger Steve Wiest, is known for their outstanding execution of jazz standards as well as the performance of exceptional contemporary compositions by both current and former members of the band and others. They have performed at jazz festivals around the world in places such as Finland, France, Germany, and Portugal and have garnered multiple Grammy nominations, most recently in 2009.

May 26: Sharel Cassity Quintet

Saxophonist and Oklahoma City native Sharel Cassity plays a style of jazz all her own by drawing from her Native American lineage, nature, and the environment, as well as the history of blues, swing, bebop, post bop, and contemporary jazz . Cassity strives to be a positive example to young musicians and make a meaningful contribution to the art form of jazz. Cassity has performed with the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Roy Hargrove Big Band, and Dizzy Gillespie All Star Sextet, to name a few.

June 2: Natural Change featuring Tony Blaine and Paul Rogers

Natural Change performs their signature style of contemporary jazz and R&B sound, featuring the talented Tony Blaine on keyboard and lead vocals and the sizzling saxophonist Paul Rogers. Celebrating their 15th year together as a band, Natural Change members have also played with music legends such as Lucky Peterson, David "Fathead" Newman, Waymon Tisdale, Kirk Franklin, and Yolanda Adams.

June 9: Tim Ries and The Rolling Stones Project featuring Bernard Fowler

Acclaimed saxophonist Tim Ries has toured with the world-renowned Rolling Stones since 1999. During his tenure with the Stones, Ries was inspired to record his own arrangements of famous Rolling Stones hits such as “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” and “Honky Tonk Woman,” breathing jazz life into the rock tunes on his album The Rolling Stones Project. Ries will feature longtime Stones backing vocalist Bernard Fowler.

June 16: Rosana Eckert

Join rising vocalist Rosana Eckert for the finale of the 2011 Jazz Under the Stars season. Eckert’s style fuses bossa nova, blues, and traditional swing with original songs and unique arranging. She is known for her knack for storytelling and her ability to breathe new life into beloved standards with her contemporary style. Eckert has performed with such jazz greats as Kenny Wheeler, Lyle Mays, and Jon Faddis, as well as with the acclaimed group New York Voices.

“The Dallas Museum of Art is one of our city’s premier cultural gems, and Chase has been proud to partner with the Museum since 1996 to provide Jazz Under the Stars free to our community,” said Elaine Agather, Chairman of Chase in Dallas.

In addition to the annual six-week outdoor jazz series, the Dallas Museum of Art presents even more live sounds with Jazz in the Atrium, featuring some of Dallas’s most talented musicians, every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hamon Atrium. Jazz in the Atrium concerts continue throughout the year as part of the DMA’s Thursday Night Live activities, which also include numerous family friendly events with the price of general admission. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the Museum until 9 p.m. on Thursday evenings with general admission fees of $10 and under.

Jazz concerts are one of hundreds of programs and experiences offered by the Dallas Museum of Art. The Museum remains open until midnight every third Friday for Late Nights at the Dallas Museum of Art, featuring a full spectrum of programs including musical performances, gallery tours, family programs, films, and other dynamic events.

Source: Dallas Museum of Art

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