This Thursday, at 7:30 make your way to the Colonial Theater in Idaho Falls for a night of music. Jazz artists from the Lincoln center in New York City are performing classics you may recognize. This event is for those who are unfamiliar with jazz and those who know it well.
The executive director of the Idaho Falls Arts Council, Brandy Newton, says jazz music can be misunderstood. There are many aspects to jazz that can confuse or overwhelm those unfamiliar with it.
“Sing and Swing or jazz in and of itself to me is a pretty misunderstood… style of music because there’s just so many different parts of it,” Newton said.
Sing and Swing: Our American Songbook, is a North American tour that not only celebrates jazz artists but educates those unfamiliar with the genre. The main artists performing are Bria Skonberg and Benny Benack III. Newton says they have the musicianship and charisma to bring jazz into the community. The tour focuses on what is termed as the American Songbook which presents music from artists like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland. So even those who are unfamiliar with jazz itself can recognize the songs.
Bria Skonberg is from Chilliwack, British Colombia, Canada and has performed with artists such as Jon Batiste, Wycliffe Gordon, U2 and Sun Ra Arkestra. Skonberg works as the director of the New York Hot Jazz Camp and is a faculty member of the Teagarden, Centrum and Geri Allen Jazz Camps. She presents concerts and clinics for students for Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jazz House kids and the Louis Armstrong House Museum.
Benny Benack III is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has a family line of jazz artists. Benack’s grandfather was trumpeter and bandleader Benny Benack, Sr. and his father is Benny Benack, Jr. who plays the saxophone and clarinet and provided Benack professional experience for his success. Benack is an Emmy-nominated trumpeter and vocalist who has performed internationally as an Emcee/Host for Postmodern Jukebox, and was a trumpet soloist for Josh Groban, Diplo, Isaac Mizrahi and many more.
Skonberg and Benack will perform with an eight-person band to showcase their skills earlier in the day to close to 1,000 fourth graders. According to Newton this experience will help build that audience and give the kids an opportunity to understand jazz.
“You know our hope is always that maybe you didn’t come in as a jazz fan you maybe … won’t leave as a jazz fan, but that what you get to experience is of the highest quality,” Newton said.
To learn more about the event or to buy tickets go to Idahofallsarts.org.