February 8 – Jazzworkz concert celebrates the Music of Burt Bacharach

The third concert in the Jazzworkz concert series will showcase the vocal talents of Hilary Welch and Joe Reda, accompanied by the Borealis Quartet. They will perform the works of Burt Bacharach, one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. The “Close to You” concert takes place on Saturday, February 8, 2014 at 8 pm at St. Peter’s Church, 203 York Street in Sudbury. The Jazzworkz concert series supports the Joan Mantle Music Trust.

Burt Bacharach is an American singer–songwriter, composer, record producer and pianist. He is a six-time Grammy award winner and a three-time Academy Award winner. This concert will celebrate his extensive catalogue of popular songs, many of which were composed to complement the lyrics of the legendary Hal David. Featured selections such as “Alfie”, “The Look of Love” or “What the World Needs Now” are just a few of Bacharach’s most popular songs, many of which continue to be performed by the recording artists of today. 

“We are fortunate to be able to showcase some of Sudbury’s incredible musical talent in this series, and with the addition of Hilary Welch and Joe Reda, we have two great singers that will bring the songs to life,” says concert producer Jack Broumpton. “Both of our guests are well known in the Sudbury musical community.”

 

Hilary Welch is an experienced and versatile performer who has been featured at the Jazz Sudbury Festival and teaches jazz voice at Laurentian University. Joe Reda is a respected educator whom many will recognize from the annual Christmas Telethon productions.

Accompanying the singers will be the Borealis Quartet of Allan Walsh (saxophone), Tony Simpkin (piano and arranger), Brian Quebec (bass) and Jack Broumpton (percussion).

Admission is $10 for students and $20 for adults.  Tickets are available at Hair to Live For in the Cedar Pointe Mall. Tickets can also be reserved by calling (705) 669-1241 and picked up the door.

The concerts are held at St. Peter’s Church because of the wonderful, warm acoustics. “It is a wonderful atmosphere to listen to jazz in an intimate setting and is perfect for our jazz concerts,” said Broumpton. “In addition to the concerts, we plan to extend our jazz outreach to include some February club dates at La Fromagerie on Elgin.”

The Jazzworkz Series was created by producer Jack Broumpton, who said the concerts will continue to celebrate the expanding growth and influence of jazz music in the Sudbury community. “Hilary is a great example of someone who benefited greatly from the music instruction she received in school. She has said that if she was not introduced to jazz through her high school music program, she might not be performing as a musician today. This is why the Jazzworkz concert series and the Joan Mantle Music Trust are so important.” 

The Joan Mantle Music Trust was established in the fall of 2008 to help refresh, modernize and revitalize school music programs in the Rainbow District School Board.

The Trust allocates funding for musical instruments and equipment to selected schools on a rotating basis. The Trust also accepts the donation of new and used musical instruments and allocates them to schools in need. This ensures that there is an ongoing improvement in the condition of musical equipment throughout the Board, allowing for students to achieve more in their musical studies together.

Joan Mantle dedicated many years to music education in Rainbow Schools. She passed away on June 9, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer.

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Media Contacts:

Jack Broumpton 

Producer, Jazzworkz Concert Series

705-669-1241

Ralph McIntosh

Chair, Joan Mantle Music Trust

Rainbow District School Board

705-674-7551, ext. 6850