Honoring Songbird Lynn Roberts ~ The Lisa Kelly Quintet featuring Bob Alberti

TWO CONCERTS NIGHTLY ~ 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM
 
 
Honoring Songbird Lynn Roberts – The Lisa Kelly Quintet featuring Bob Alberti with Bill Prince, Dennis Marks, and Jeremy Smith
These outstanding musicians pay tribute to vocalist Lynn Roberts, honoring her career as a popular big band singer and much beloved entertainer at The Jazz Corner. Award- winning jazz vocalist Lisa Kelly returns to perform jazz classics from the Great American Songbook and other favorites of Lynn’s repertoire with pianist Bob Alberti, of Hollywood and TV legend. Bob’s work and friendship with Lynn in their late teens came full circle years later in regular performances together at The Jazz Corner, other venues, and on recording projects that included Bill Prince, playing saxophone, flute, and trumpet for this weekend. Completing the rhythm section are renowned bassist Dennis Marks and drummer Jeremy Smith. This weekend’s music will feature top-shelf swing, Bossa Nova, ballads, up tempo grooves, and other interpretive jazz styles.
The idea for this tribute grew out of re-visiting songs from a series of historic recording projects produced by Bill Prince from 2002 to 2007 that included Bob Alberti and Lynn Roberts. In September 2016, Lisa Kelly was asked to sing for Lynn with Bob’s quartet that included Bill, when Lynn became too ill to make what would have been her final performance at The Jazz Corner before passing in 2017. With much admiration for her fellow singer, Lisa connected with Bob, Bill, and the club for a weekend of music dedication to remember Lynn.
Lynn Roberts: With a career starting at age 8, Lynn became the popular “canary” girl singer with the famous bands of Charlie Spivak, Vincent Lopez, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Harry James. She performed on Broadway, toured with Doc Severinsen, sang for a president, on recording sessions, and for advertising jingles, including Campbell’s Soup, Pan Am, and Chantilly perfumes. Lynn sang on TV with Sammy Kaye, with the Pied Pipers, with groups for clubs and concerts. She appeared regularly with friend Bob Alberti, whom she had known since their Charlie Spivak days at age 17, at the Jazz Corner, and on a series of recording projects with Bob and Bill Prince. She felt her music’s purpose was to give joy to others.
The Artists:
Lisa Kelly: With BM and MM degrees in jazz from UNF, Lisa has sung throughout the U.S, Canada, Europe, and beyond in a 35-year career. Featured with the Larry Elgart Orchestra, Chris Riddle Orchestra, St. Johns River City Band, UNF JE 1, she co-leads the Florida Swing Orchestra and other groups, performing on major stages of clubs, concert halls, and festivals, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Pescara Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center, and Vienna State Opera House. Lisa has sung on TV/radio, for jingles and recordings, and co-released 6 music CDs. A regarded music educator, she has presented jazz clinics, created jam sessions and jazz camps, taught voice. Profiled in the book, “The New Face of Jazz,” winner of 8 Down Beat Magazine awards, Lisa is a 2013 Jacksonville Jazz Festival “Hall of Fame” Inductee.
Bob Alberti: Mentored by jazz great Teddy Wilson, Bob worked many years in Los Angeles in studio work, writing and arranging, playing in the ABC and NBC Orchestras, and as piano alternate on the “Tonight Show” with Doc Severinsen. He was the music supervisor with the Bob Hope Specials, orchestra leader on TV shows including “Name That Tune,” twice nominated for an Emmy Award for musical direction. Bob’s early work with big bands included Charlie Spivak, Louis Prima, Buddy Morrow, and Les Brown. He spent 17 years as orchestrator for “Disney on Ice.” Moving to Hilton Head 1993, Bob accompanied Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme on the road for 5 years, wrote an autobiography. He continues to play concerts, clubs, and recording sessions.
Bill Prince: Multi-instrumentalist, composer/arranger, Bill has performed in 50 states, 75 countries, on over 70 albums, including 2 with Buddy Rich. He has played with major bands including Billy Maxted, Buddy Rich, Xavier Cugat, Tex Beneke, Les & Larry Elgart, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Bellson, and the NORAD Band. Bill has performed on festivals, cruise ships, concert halls, TV/radio. A regarded educator, he has taught at major universities, is professor emeritus at UNF, has served on jazz camps, and received outstanding teaching awards. Bill’s compositions and arrangements have been performed and recorded by countless bands. Releasing an autobiography in 2018, Bill is a 2008 Jacksonville Jazz Festival “Hall of Fame” Inductee.
Dennis Marks: A world-class bassist, Dennis has performed on numerous clubs, concert halls, and festival stages in tours with Arturo Sandoval, Dave Liebman, Dizzy Gillespie, Maynard Ferguson, Pat Metheny, and other major artists. His playing and composing have been featured on many recordings, including 2 Grammy-award winning albums, and his own CD release. Bass and band professor at UNF for over 15 years, Dennis has taught at several major universities. In 2013, he performed at the White House with Arturo Sandoval in receiving a Presidential Medal of Honor.
Jeremy Smith: Playing pro since age 16, Jeremy was drum co-chair in the documentary “Chops” with the Douglas Anderson High SOTA jazz band, winning the Essentially Ellington competition in NYC. All-State drummer his senior year, Jeremy served in the USMC Band of New Orleans, performing on more than 250 concerts, on TV, and stages across the country, playing jazz clubs, and concerts with notables like Ellis Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Irvin Mayfield. Returning to Jacksonville to earn his undergrad and masters degree in business at UNF, Jeremy runs a non-profit for veterans and plays drums around the southeast.
 
MUSIC CHARGE: $20.00
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