Events

Ella the Musical:

Lesher Center for the Arts
1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek
Friday, September 6th – Saturday, October 12th, 2013
Prices/Times/Tickets available here

The Queen of Jazz. The First Lady of Song. The great Ella Fitzgerald. It’s a life lived out loud in this exhilarating new musical that weaves myth, memory and music to tell the uplifting and poignant story of one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time. It’s 1966 and the fabled songstress is preparing for one of the most important concerts of her career. Ella reflects on her life, her secrets and the love of music that made her soar. Featuring more than a dozen of her most famous hits, including They Can’t Take That Away From Me, How High the Moon and That Old Black Magic, this swinging celebration is a must-see dazzling musical event for anyone who wants to fall in love with the magic and soul of Ella Fitzgerald all over again.

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Bluegrass Sunset Social:

Ruth Bancroft Garden
1552 Bancroft Rd, Walnut Creek
Friday, August 23rd, 2013
5:00pm – 8:00pm | $15

Bring the whole family, and don’t forget your dancing shoes! The Alhambra Valley Band has been entertaining bluegrass fans since 1986.

Musical Guest: The Alhambra Valley Band
BBQ Menu by Willowstone Catering
Drinks by Pyramid Brewery in Walnut Creek
$15; food and drinks sold separately

Advance ticket purchase strongly recommended. Call the office (925) 944-9352 or register online

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photo by Flickr user erinc salor

Jazz at the Lesher Center – Stacey Kent:

Lesher Center for the Arts
1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek
Saturday, August 10th, 2013
5:00pm & 8:00pm | $40

One of the world’s foremost jazz singers, Grammy-nominated Stacey Kent has a beguiling, lightly swinging style, delivered with the purest of voices (delicate, crisp and intoxicating as a glass of Chablis) that has won over a fan base that sells out concert halls around the world.

Immediately upon appearing on the scene in 1997 she achieved both critical and popular success with her fresh, heart-felt interpretations of the finest love songs of the twentieth century. But it was a feature on CBS Sunday Morning in 1999 that gave Stacey national exposure in the USA and brought her wider recognition. Since then, her career has exploded internationally, from Taipei to Carnegie Hall to the famed Olympia in Paris.

Ms Kent has had eight hit albums, including the Platinum-selling Breakfast On The Morning Tram (2007) as well as The Boy Next Door(2003) and Raconte-Moi (2010), both of which achieved Gold status. She has won such awards as the 2001 British Jazz Award, the 2002 BBC Jazz Award for Best Vocalist, the 2004 Backstage Bistro Award for best live performance, and the 2006 “Album of the Year” Award for Jim Tomlinson’s album The Lyric. In addition, she has been named Chevalier Dans L’ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture.

If there is one theme that runs through Stacey’s music, it is that of romance. An avowed romantic herself, her songs touch young and old alike and, in an age where music is more likely to divide than unite the generations, it is quite common for three generations of the same family to attend her concerts.

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