Jazz Vocalist/Songwriter Steve Thomas & the Co-Conspirators: Rich Greenblatt (vibraphone), John Funkhouser (bass), Gary Fieldman (drums)
1) Rutman's Violins
Thurs., Feb. 8, 7:30
11 Westland Ave., Boston, MA (one block from Symphony Hall)
$5 suggested donation
617-578-0066; www.rutmansviolins.com
2) Acton Jazz Cafe
Fri., Feb. 9, 9:30-midnight (with Jerry Sabatini & the Sonic Explorers)
452 Great Road (Rt. 2A), Acton, MA
$11 cover
978-263-6161; www.actonjazzcafe.com
3) Wellesley Free Library (Wakelin Room)
Sunday, Feb. 11, 2:00 pm
530 Washington St., Wellesley, MA
Free admission
781-235-1610; wellesleyfreelibrary.org
Jazz vocalist Steve Thomas and his band The Co-Conspirators will be performing original jazz songs from their new CD on Not Two Five Records, Spirits Passing Through: “Original jazz songs of spirit, with wide-ranging, intelligent lyrics, sparked by a crackling, improvising jazz ensemble, with rhythmic tastes of Brazilian samba, New Orleans second-line, funk -- and chocolate."
“I'm a jazz vocalist, so I wanted to hear my songs in the context of a real, live, improvising jazz ensemble. I wanted us to play on the songs, the way jazz musicians do, so they'd open up in performance and really fly. And I wanted to use vibraphone, in place of piano.
“I also wanted the feeling of a real ensemble, not just a singer backed by a rhythm section. Instead of a few guys playing one guy's songs, it's a band, something way bigger than the sum of its parts. We can go from spare lyricism to a big hollering band improv and back again ("Time/Space") or nail a funky New Orleans second-line groove in a song that's really about, well, death ("Beads").
For more information contact All About Jazz.
