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Tryon Concert Association presents its sole TGIF concert of the 2022-2023 season on Friday, February 17 at Tryon Fine Arts Center. This informal concert will take place at 6 p.m., and the pre-concert cash bar will open at 5 p.m.

 

The program will feature many styles of jazz, including works by George and Ira Gershwin, Dizzie Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and Nina Simone. Concertgoers will hear old standards, such as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” from the 1800s, and more recent works such as “Four Women” by Nina Simone. In addition to performing the works, the musicians will engage directly with the audience, offering descriptions of the role of the various instruments, how improvisation is achieved, and the nature of the many different jazz styles.

 

The program features percussionist and TCA favorite Jason DeCristofaro. Jason has assembled a group of musicians from the Asheville area to form this ensemble. Dani Cox and Reggie Headen supply vocals. Ashley Pritchard is the saxophonist, and Andy Lawniczak plays trumpet. Bassist Kevin Kehrberg rounds out with strings, and Micah Thomas contributes to the percussions.

 

Music scholar, composer, and performer, Jason DeCristofaro is well-known in the area as a jazz musician specializing in percussion instruments. He performs throughout the southeast, including such venues as the Brevard Music Center, Furman University, Johnson City Jazz Festival, and the Carl Sandburg Festival, among many others. He is a published composer whose works have been performed in New Zealand, China, Sweden, and across the United States. He has served as guest composer with the Symphony of the Mountains, the Asheville Ballet, and the Asheville Jazz Orchestra and is also the founder and artistic director of Asheville Composer Concerts.

 

TGIF concerts are known for informality and fun. Concertgoers can start the weekend with a beer or glass of wine at the cash bar, which opens one hour before the performance, and the early start gives everyone time to enjoy dinner afterward in town. Come enjoy a different kind of concert—it’s casual, entertaining, and good fun. You won’t want to miss this engaging and entertaining event.

 

For information about this and other TCA concerts, please visit tryonconcerts.org.