For the month of June, The Mainstay in Rock Hall, Maryland found several opportunities to pay tribute to the immensely popular American music offerings that spanned three decades and collectively came to be grouped as The Great American Songbook. These familiar tunes, composed by the likes of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, et al, developed a world-wide audience on radio and in the Hollywood musicals of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. These classics were interpreted many times by the vocal, big band and jazz giants of their day. On Friday, July 1st, Joe Holt, pianist, musical collaborator and host of the Mainstay’s recurring First Friday series guides us into the new musical wave of hits that new audiences of the 60s and 70s embraced once the Songbook was retired; from artists such as Sam Cooke, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, and The Beatles, among many others.
Holt is well known on the Eastern Shore as being a creative accompanist. Known primarily as a jazz pianist, The First Friday series allows Joe to stretch these limits by inviting different musical guests each month, often from quite different musical genres, to explore their common ground
Joe’s guests for this July program are guitarist Nick Bucci and vocalist Keli Valein a celebration he calls “The Next Great American Songbook”.Keli and Nick are well-known in the musical circles of Wilmington, Delaware. They have been making music together for over a decade and began writing and recording their own material in 2015. They’ve both played Jazz, Blues, R&B, Classic Rock, Fusion – you name it! All this musical experience archived within them is what makes their live gigs so diverse and interesting, and a perfect match for Joe Holt’s diverse tastes.
Advance tickets are $15, and are available at www.mainstayrockhall.org. Telephone reservations are also accepted by calling 410-639-9133. The Mainstay is located at 5753 N. Main Street in Rock Hall. It receives funding from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Kent Cultural Alliance.
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