Vilar Performing Arts Center Launches Live in the May Gallery Concert Series

Summer and live music go hand in hand. If festival crowds aren't your scene, or you miss the intimate atmosphere of a jazz club, the Vilar Performing Arts Center offers the perfect summer music experience.

Live in the May Gallery, a new series, will debut in July and bring together prominent jazz artists in Beaver Creek to perform in May Gallery's intimate, contemporary guest lounge. The first Live in the May Gallery will kick off with the Bob Reynolds Band in July, followed by OKAN in August. Tickets for both events are on sale now at VilarPAC.org.

Never heard of the May gallery?

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Nestled in the upper lobby of the Vilar Performing Arts Center, the May Gallery Patrons Lounge is one of the Vail Valley's most unique spaces, offering a touch of metropolitan charm in the heart of Beaver Creek Village. The space consists of an exquisite wine bar, open lounge seating, a cloakroom and dedicated toilets. It also has a state-of-the-art stage and sound system for live performances.

Live in the May Gallery is set to continue after the first season, showcasing artists from a global landscape of acoustic music and entertainment in the intimacy and allure of the venue's private lounge and art gallery. Artists come from a wide variety of genres and styles including jazz, classical, folk and more, specially selected to be enjoyed in a lounge or club format.

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“Many of my all-time favorite performances took place in very small rooms at jazz clubs, coffeehouses, blues bars, barns, and various charming listening rooms where 50 to 80 people would gather and s There were musicians sitting at a few tables. to hear their music come straight from the source,” said Owen Hutchinson, artistic director of the Vilar Performing Arts Center.

Attendees can expect this unique musical experience in a small audience.

“This kind of event, accompanied by an incredible glass of wine or a freshly made cocktail, can transport you to a world of sound that you will tell your friends about for years to come,” Hutchinson said.

To kick off the series, Hutchinson selected the Bob Reynolds Band and OKAN, as both groups make important music in their respective jazz styles.

“They will fill the room with their warmth and fantastic musicianship,” Hutchinson said.

The Bob Reynolds Group

The Bob Reynolds Band will perform on Tuesday, July 9 at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Bob Reynolds is a saxophonist, composer, educator and three-time Grammy Award-winning member of the instrumental supergroup Snarky Puppy. Often recognized for his work with Snarky and past tours with John Mayer, Bob has also been a featured soloist with Grammy-winning instrumentalists Larry Carlton, Jeff Lorber and Chris Botti. He has worked with a wide range of pop artists, including Michael Bubl, The 1975, Idina Menzel, Josh Groban and USHER. He has also recorded on over 50 albums.

The New York Times called him “a confident saxophonist and an unpretentious but effective composer,” and his solo albums showcase his style of melodic improvisation, his melodious compositions and, as the “LA Times”: “a style that swivels the hips”. ” grooves. His album “Guitar Band”, filmed live in concert, has more than 4 million views on YouTube.

Reynolds, on tenor sax, will be joined by Ruslan Sirota (piano), Janek Gwizdala (bass) and J.Ordan Perlson (drums).

AWARENESS

On Saturday, August 17, OKAN will take the stage at the May Gallery for performances at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Fusing Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms in songs about immigration, resistance and love, OKAN takes its name from the heart word of the duo's Afro-Cuban religion, Santeria. With vocals in Spanish, Yoruba and Spanglish, OKAN is led by Cuban-born violinist and singer Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist and singer Magdelys Savigne, both Grammy and Latin Grammy nominees. OKAN's joyful music does not fit easily into any particular genre, which makes it very appealing and crowd-pleasing.

Tickets for Live in the May Gallery performances are offered as general admission for theater-style seats closest to the stage, or at reserved tables located at the rear of this intimate venue which offer ideal visibility and comfort from a private table. Guests at reserved tables will also benefit from a dedicated server. A minimum of two tickets must be purchased at reserved tables.

For more information on the Vilar Performing Art Center schedule and to purchase tickets, visit vilarpac.org or call 970-845-8497.