BENNINGTON — The Basement Stage at Little City Cider Co. is switching it up this Saturday with the Jazz Connection Quartet — four of the top jazz musicians in Southern Vermont coming together to play a spectrum of jazz.
The quartet is made up of Eugene Uman (piano), Matt Steckler (saxophones), Steve Cady (bass) and George Robinson (drums). The set will include choice standards, originals, swing, funk and L-style tunes, including a cumbia, salsa, sambas and a few bossas.
The doors open at 6 p.m. with homemade Indian cuisine for purchase, made by Shanta Ghosh from Corner of India. Music starts at 7 p.m. Organizers wish to thank this show’s sponsors: The Bank of Bennington, Mahar/McCarthy Real Estate, GVH Studio and Juniper LaneCannabis.
Tickets for this Basement Music Series concert are $20 in advance.
If not sold out, tickets are available at the door for $25. Tickets are at BMSConnectionQuartet.eventbrite.com.
The quartet:
Eugene Uman is the director of the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro, where he has produced hundreds of concerts of world-famous artists and supervised its educational programs since 1997.
Saxophonist Matthew Steckler, aka Matty Stecks, has appeared at prominent festivals and concert series, including the Blue Note and Lincoln Center (NYC), the Kennedy Center (DC), Winnipeg Art Gallery, Operetta Teatrul (Bucharest), House of Blues & Jazz (Shanghai), and the Tri-C, Key Maine, New Haven, Discover and Flint Jazz festivals.
New Hampshire bassist and educator Steve Cady has enjoyed performances with Joan Rivers, Tony/Emmy winner Lillias White, Lorraine Bracco, The Scott Mullett Trio, Gray Sargent, Frank Greene and Rick Stepton, with “The Rat Pack is Back,” the cast of “The Sopranos” and at Ryles Jazz Club, The Press Room, The Opera Theater of Weston and the Montreal Jazz Festival.
George Robinson has served as the drummer of the Keene Jazz Orchestra since 2009, performing with world-class musicians Scott Mullett, Gordon Goodwin, Gary Smulyan, Frank Greene, Steve Davis, Bill Prince, Matt Glaser and others. A versatile musician, he is a first-call big-band drummer who has performed with The Vermont Jazz Center Big Band, the Amherst Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Holmes Big Band, the Compaq Big Band. He also performs with numerous smaller ensembles including the Rebecca Holtz Quartet and the Eugene Uman Trio.
Upcoming shows at Little City Cider include the funky, get-down blues, rock and soul of Beard & Glasses (March 25) and Eastbound Jesus (April 22). Basement Music Series sponsors get tickets, a reserved table and, if they wish, their name or business logos in promotional material and mentioned onstage.
Contact director Matthew Perry at 802-379-3763 or matthewvae@comcast.net for more information about becoming a sponsor. Follow the season at vtartxchange.org, or on the Basement Music Series Facebook page. Little City Cider Company is an accessible facility. For specific accommodations, call Perry.
