Sheila E. will perform at a benefit for Jazz House Kids, May 14 at Montclair State University.
Jazz House Kids’ annual “Inside the Jazz Note” benefit has attracted some big names in its first six years, including Chick Corea, Dianne Reeves, Pat Metheny, Jimmy Heath and Al Jarreau, and has done so again, this year. Drummer and percussionist Sheila E. will be the special guest at this year’s event, which will be hosted, as it has each year, by the Montclair-based educational organization’s artistic chair, bassist Christian McBride.
The event takes place May 14 at 7:30 at the Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University. Sheila E. and McBride will talk about their respective careers and perform with Jazz House Kids’ Jazz House Big Band, an all-star group featuring 26 high school musicians.
A free master class for high school and college students and their instructors, featuring performances, stories and a question-and-answer session with Sheila E., McBride and Jazz House Kids teachers, will also be offered on May 14, from 1 to 5 p.m.
The 7:30 event is subtitled, “An Evening Program of Musical Insights and Inspiration.”
“The ‘Inside the Jazz Note’ concert is a rare opportunity to examine the world of jazz through the eyes of the artists and it is a perfect complement to our student master class,” said Melissa Walker, president and founder of Jazz House Kids, in a press release. “Have you ever wondered how great musicians cultivated their trademark styles and sounds? Or what a great musician was listening to as a child? What obstacles they faced along the way? Come out to the program on May 14th and you’ll get an insider’s view. ”
Tickets are $35 to $55, with a $125 benefactor package including prime seating and admission to a post-concert reception. Students and group tickets are also available. Visit jazzhousekids.org.
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