Coming off a year in which there were more sellouts than ever – the entire Star City Series was sold out – Jefferson Center has announced the 2014-2015 lineup of performers.
The Jeff Center and its Shaftman Performance Hall also got a national boost earlier this year when a live jazz performance by Snarky Puppy that was recorded there won a Grammy Award.
Tickets are on sale now for members; as of next week anyone can buy tickets to entire series: Star City, the Jazz Series or the Family Series. There’s also the Jazz Club, with more intimate performances taking place in the smaller space behind the Shaftman Hall stage. Some of the Jazz Series shows last season sold out as well.
As for this upcoming season, “I think it’s stronger in some ways than it’s ever been,” said executive director Cyrus Pace, “[and] we’re coming off some great energy from last season.” Among the bigger names are Lyle Lovett & His Large Band (on opening night, Sept. 3), Robert Cray (Oct. 9), Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs fame (Oct. 25) and Del McCoury (Mar. 26. 2015). Pace said the support demonstrated by concertgoers last season translates into a momentum for 2014-2015.
He calls the new lineup a “good balance of known acts” with other performers and groups that local audiences may not know much about. “We feel very well supported and well aligned with what the company needs and wants from us.”
Paces looks forward to Maceo Parker (Jan. 18) as part of the Jazz Series. “He’s the guy that was the saxophone player on every famous James Brown song that you ever heard,” said Pace, “and he has one of the best, killer bands. Great funk music … he’s like one of my superheroes.”
Get your tickets earlier than you might have in the past, Pace suggests.
(See jeffcenter.org for more information on the schedule and tickets)
