BLACK BOX Jazz presents A Holiday Jazz Brunch featuring music from
A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 16 at noon. For many, Christmas is not complete until they have watched Linus explain the true meaning of the holiday to Charlie Brown at the holiday pageant.
As recognizable as these beloved characters are, a few notes from pianist Vince Guaraldi's jazz soundtrack are enough to bring the spirit of the season back to any Peanuts fan. Mark Poniatowski (Bass), Kenny Hadley (Percussion) and Joe Mulholland (Piano) are joined by the Franklin Performing Arts Company Youth Ensemble and special guest April Hall for an afternoon of Holiday Cheer.
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| April Hall |
Jazz vocalist April Hall combines her deep roots in southern gospel and blues with an urban soulfulness and jazz sophistication. Her voice, described as “glorious” by the Boston Globe, is an instrument of astonishing beauty and versatility, capable of ranging from the purest whisper to the most powerful soul-drenched delivery. But her masterful performances are always centered on bringing every song to life through emotional interpretation, playful phrasing, and rock solid rhythm.
Hall graduated from Berklee College of Music, where she received the prestigious Louis Armstrong Performance Award. She has done projects for Atlantic Records under the direction of Arif Mardin, for the likes of Chaka Khan, Melissa Manchester, and Bette Midler and has performed with artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Al Jarreau, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, and Dinah Shore.
Kenny Hadley (drums) has played European and South American tours, as well as performances with Van Morrison, Dizzy Gillespie, the Count Basie Orchestra, Peter Wolf, The Drifters, Rebecca Paris, the North Shore Music Theater, and Franklin School for the Performing Arts. His acclaimed Kenny Hadley Big Band has shared the stage with the Count Basie Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie’s Band, and The Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Mark Poniatowski (bass) is a New England based bassist and arranger. Playing both the electric and acoustic bass, Poniatowski’s performance highlights with Sid Caesar, Floyd Dixon, Janiva Magness, Rita Moreno, Bob Newhart, and Junior Watson, The Nutcracker with the Franklin Performing Arts Company; the Manchester Jazz and Blues Festival with the Toni Lynn Washington Band; the Boston Blues Festival with Joe Bargar and the Soul Providers; The Music of Gershwin And Porter with Rebecca Parris and the Kenny Hadley Big Band; Eric in the Evening, WGBH radio on-air performance with Alexis Tsiganov; and the Boston Globe Jazz Festival with the Bruce Katz Band.
Joe Mulholland (piano) an accomplished pianist, recording artist, composer, and teacher, he has released three CDs of original music written for his sextet, and has composed numerous electronic scores for Boston-area dance companies, including a tango suite commissioned by the Northeast Youth Ballet that was performed in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Mulholland performs with his trio 100 nights per year at the Top of the Hub, an upscale jazz venue in Boston, in addition to appearing as a sideman and vocal accompanist in numerous other concert and club settings.
Come enjoy the spirit of the holiday, as Acme Jazz performs holiday standards followed by a set of favorites from the 1965 TV special. Brunch begins at 11:30 a.m., with music beginning at noon. Tickets are available at
www.theblackboxonline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370.
