Star Spangled Spectacular, Auburn Jazz, HD Opera and More

On Sunday (6/26) at 3:00 PM, Auburn United Methodist Church will present its 10th Annual Star Spangled Spectacular Concert (event page). It will feature the church's Festival Choir and a full professional orchestra. The concert is free, and a love offering will be received for the AUMC Organ Fund. An article on oanow.com about the event says that featured soloists will be Chris Kelsey and Jacquelyn Cruz. I have embedded a video at right of Kelsey singing at last year's event. This is always a big production. Expect to hear pretty voices singing sacred music, show tunes, some Gershwin and maybe a few things about the USA.

Auburn Jazz

Tomorrow night (Thursday, 6/23) the Jane Drake Trio will play at Piccolo for Jane's weekly gig there. I have not heard that personnel will be any different than Sidney Simmons and Jonathan Lynn, her usual and capable rhythm section.

On Friday (6/24), Taylor Kennedy headlines at Piccolo. Here's his myspace page. And Saturday (6/25) is Kenyon Carter, whose website is linked here. Here's a link to a jazztimes.com article reviewing Carter's latest CD, Right by My Side, and I embedded a tune by Kennedy's quartet in my last event post. All shows at Piccolo are 8-11 PM.

Arricia will have its weekly jazz brunch, Sunday (6/26), 11-2. Playing will be Jack Dresher on bass, Joe Thomas on piano and Sam Fredericks on drums.

Hi-Def Opera in Montgomery

Tonight (Wednesday, 6/22) at 6:30 PM, at Rave Motion Pictures in Montgomery, comic opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti will play as part of the New York Metropolitan Opera's series, The Met: Live in HD. Soprano Anna Netrebko plays trickster love interest Norina. Call 334-244-1355 for more information or buy tickets by clicking this link. If you're on Facebook, here's a link to a terrific video excerpt featuring Netrebko from this production that the Met has uploaded to its Facebook page. And here's the link to a PDF of the cast sheet and synopsis from the Met's website.

Then next Wednesday (6/29), same theater, same time, the Met's production of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra will play. Placido Domingo stars. Here's the link for tickets. And here's the link to the production's cast sheet and synopsis.

Columbus at The Loft and Jazz in Tuskegee, Montgomery 
On Friday at The Loft in Columbus, saxophonist and vocalist Kevin Vannoy plays with his quartet. Show times are 7-9 PM **EASTERN TIME**. Others playing will be pianist Mark Young, bassist Kenny Lewis and drummer David Morgan.

Also on Friday, saxophonist Sam Williams and the Jazzmatics will be at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in Tuskegee. Dinner starts at 5:30 PM and the music begins at 6:30 PM.

Sunday night (6/26), 1048 Jazz and Blues will have its regular Sunday jazz jam session from 9:30 PM to 12:30. There's a $5 cover. The "Montgomery - River Region Music Live" page on Facebook says that Williams and drummer Steve Ellington will host.

Stuff in the News

Just in case you're interested, below are links to a couple of al.com articles about groups and events that I've mentioned recently.

Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Railroad Park have a bright future
Mithril, Roman Street reunite for Saenger show

Events Coming Up in Auburn, Opelika
7/9 - Children of Paradise from the Paris Opera simulcast live at the Carmike Wynnsong 16 (Auburn)
7/22-23 - Auburn Knights Alumni Association Reunion at Opelika Marriott

...in Columbus, Montgomery, LaGrange
7/20 - Columbus Jazz Society presents Eric Thomas featuring Elevate the Quest 
9/24 - LaGrange Symphony Orchestra auditions (LaGrange)

...in Atlanta
6/30 - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra play Holst, Williams, Tchaikovsky, more
7/4 - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's All-American Celebration
7/8 - The Music of ABBA with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
7/9 - Idina Menzel with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Atlanta)
7/15 - Casablanca featuring live music score by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Atlanta)
7/30 - Cirque de la Symphonie with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Atlanta)
8/12 - Bela Fleck and the Flektones at Delta Classic Chastain Park Ampitheater (Atlanta)
8/9, 8/11 - Atlanta Sacred Chorale holds 2011 auditions