American Songbook: The Jazz View - Irving Berlin at American Songbook: The Jazz View at The Arsenal Center for the Arts

The brainchild of world-renowned composer/saxophonist Larry Monroe and vocalist Donna McElroy, longtime fixtures of the Berklee College faculty, this series explores the interplay of two great art forms, Jazz and the American Song Book. Each concert will feature the work of a single composer. The Fall dates are George Gershwin (Saturday, September 11), Irving Berlin (Saturday October 2), and Cole Porter (Saturday, November 20). According to Mr. Monroe, "This series is dedicated to a fresh Jazz-oriented approach to the American Songbook composers. We will share new insights, original arrangements, anecdotes and a little Tin Pan Alley history about the music and lyrics of both the popular hits and the undiscovered treasures from the Golden Age of American songwriting."Performed by a sextet of some of the area's finest jazz musicians including Donna McElroy; vocals, Larry Monroe; saxophone, Russell Hoffmann; piano, John Repucci; bass, John Ramsay, drums, and Jeff Stout; trumpet. ...

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The brainchild of world-renowned composer/saxophonist Larry Monroe and vocalist Donna McElroy, longtime fixtures of the Berklee College faculty, this series explores the interplay of two great art forms, Jazz and the American Song Book. Each concert will feature the work of a single composer. The Fall dates are George Gershwin (Saturday, September 11), Irving Berlin (Saturday October 2), and Cole Porter (Saturday, November 20). According to Mr. Monroe, "This series is dedicated to a fresh Jazz-oriented approach to the American Songbook composers. We will share new insights, original arrangements, anecdotes and a little Tin Pan Alley history about the music and lyrics of both the popular hits and the undiscovered treasures from the Golden Age of American songwriting."Performed by a sextet of some of the area's finest jazz musicians including Donna McElroy; vocals, Larry Monroe; saxophone, Russell Hoffmann; piano, John Repucci; bass, John Ramsay, drums, and Jeff Stout; trumpet.

Irving Berlin has been called, “the best all around, over all song writer America has ever had.” He was certainly the most prolific having composed and published nearly 1000 songs, either for Tin Pan Alley or Broadway or for Hollywood. This makes it nearly impossible to play or to listen to jazz and not encounter Berlin’s music. This evening will track Berlin’s career from his earliest Tin Pan Alley hit, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, to Broadway classics, “How Deep Is The Ocean” and “Blue Skies” to lesser known film lovelies, ”Change Partners” and “It Only Happens When I Dance With You”.

Performances begin at 7:30pm and are held in the initimate Black Box Theater at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA. Tickets are $20, $18 Arsenal members, $15 students and seniors (plus ticketing fees). For tickets or more information call 617-923-8487 or visit http://www.arsenalarts.org

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