Fort Lauderdale, FL – This year marks the 28th year of the Gold Coast Jazz Society’s presentation of the jazz concert series in Fort Lauderdale. Gold Coast Jazz will present an incredible array of jazz that is innovative and creative, with straight-ahead jazz and variations of old favorites. International artists, as well as outstanding local musicians, are included in the series. All concerts will be presented at the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale and begin at 7:45 pm.
The jazz concert series includes seven concerts. Full season subscriptions are available for $301 per person and Jazz Trio subscriptions (3 concerts of your choice) are available for $147 per person by calling the Gold Coast Jazz Society at 954-524-0805. If you become a member of Gold Coast Jazz, you’ll get a significant discount on a full subscription or jazz trio subscription. Single tickets for each concert are available after August 15th at the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office at 954-462-0222 or online at www.browardcenter.org. Student and teacher tickets are $15 with valid ID. A discount for groups of ten or more is also available.
On November 13, the series begins with a “Tribute to Broadway and Hollywood” with the Bobby Rodriguez Jazz Orchestra with special guest Nestor Torres. Bobby is a musician well known in the South Florida area. Nestor Torres’, mellifluous flute sounds have garnered him a Latin Grammy-Award and collaborations with multiple artists including Gloria Estefan, Kenny Loggins, Dave Mathews, Herbie Hancock, Tito Puente, Michael Camilo Paquito D’Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. Pre-show music in the theater lobby at 6:45pm by members of the Pine Crest School Jazz Ensemble. For more information about Bobby Rodriguez, go to www.facebook.com/BobbyRodriguezOrchestra/. For more information about Nestor Torres go to http://nestortorres.com Tickets: www.browardcenter.org
On December 4 the Emmet Cohen Trio will make their debut at the Broward Center. The Trio is making waves in the New York City jazz scene and across the globe and melds all styles of jazz with an emphasis on the Great American Songbook. Cohen is a rising star in the jazz world and is the 2019 winner of the American Pianists Association Cole Porter Award. He has accompanied numerous jazz luminaries and plays with the command of a seasoned veteran. His fluid technique, innovative tonal palette, and expansive repertoire have earned him critical acclaim. For more information, go to http://emmetcohen.com.
Tickets: www.browardcenter.org
The Shelly Berg Trio will return on January 8 with special guest Veronica Swift. One of the hottest young stars on the jazz scene today, the exciting and enchanting vocalist, Veronica Swift, joins forces with Shelly Berg for an evening of swinging jazz. At the young age of 24, Veronica has already accumulated numerous acknowledgments of her talent, including 2nd place at the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition. She currently tours and records with the Emmet Cohen Trio, Benny Green Trio and Chris Botti, and will be one of the featured vocalists on the heralded 2020 Jazz Cruise. Shelly Berg is an award-winning pianist, arranger, composer, producer, and educator and is Dean of the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. He’s “a whirlwind of motion on the piano bench who never sounds a dull note,” Says Bill Kohlhasse, LA Times. To learn more about these artists go to www.veronicaswift.com and www.shellyberg.com
Tickets: www.browardcenter.org
The February 12 concert will feature the return of the acclaimed jazz guitarist and vocalist, John Pizzarelli. As a recording artist, radio jazz host and touring artist, Pizzarelli is “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing Jazz,” boasts the Boston Globe. The John Pizzarelli Trio will perform selections from John’s most recent CD, For Centennial Reasons: 100 Year Salute to Nat King Cole. Check out www.johnpizzarelli.com
Tickets: www.browardcenter.org
On March 11, the Terell Stafford Quintet will be the featured artists presenting a concert in tribute to the music of Billy Strayhorn and Lee Morgan. The NYC based trumpeter, Stafford has been hailed by McCoy Tyner as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player.” Sidemen include Tim Warfield/Tenor Sax, Bruce Barth/Piano, Nathan Pence/Bass and Billy Williams/Drums. To learn more about these artists go to http://nightisalive.com/terell-stafford
Tickets: www.browardcenter.org
Our April 15 concert will feature the return of yet another Gold Coast Jazz favorite, jazz pianist and vocalist Tony DeSare. This phenomenal jazz artist brings his fresh take on old school classics. He’s won critical acclaim for his three Billboard Top 10 jazz albums and for his exciting performances in jazz clubs, at Carnegie Hall, with symphony orchestras and in Las Vegas. DeSare releases new recordings, videos of standards and new originals every few weeks on his YouTube channel, iTunes and Spotify. To learn more about this artist go to www.tonydesare.com
Tickets: www.browardcenter.orgThe closing concert for the series on May 13 will feature the Nicki Parrott Trio. The Trio includes Nicki Parrott on bass and vocals, the award-winning Italian jazz pianist Rossano Sportiello and drummer Ed Metz, Jr. Ms. Parrott was Les Paul’s bassist and vocalist for over 10 years. In addition to performing at most of the world’s top jazz festivals, Nicki has performed with such jazz greats as Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Jose Feliciano, Rebecca Paris, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Patti Labelle & the New York Pops Orchestra, Harry Allen, Michel Legrand, Marlena Shaw, Mike Stern, David Krakauer, Ken Peplowski, Ann Hampton Callaway, Scott Hamilton, Larry Carlton and Frank Vignola, to name a few. To learn more about this artist go to www.nickiparrott.com
Tickets: www.browardcenter.orgFor more information about the 2019-2020 Jazz Concert Series, go to www.goldcoastjazz.org. The Gold Coast Jazz Society is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of jazz music through a mainstage concert series, free community concerts, educational programs, a jazz scholarship program and musical services provided by the Gold Coast Jazz Society Band.
Funding for this organization is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. Concert Series sponsors include American National Bank, Baer’s, Funding Arts Broward, Morgan Stanley, and the Mary Porter Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward.