If you like jazz, in all its forms and riffs, then the National Concert Hall and Liberty Plaza are the places to be this weekend as the National Theater Concert Hall (NTCH) Summer Jazz program heads into its final two weekends.
There are indoor concerts, outdoor parties, international musicians and home-grown talent, shows free and ticketed, something for just about everyone.
From 2pm to 5:30pm on Saturday there will be the NTCH Summer Jazz Party at the Concert Hall, or as the NTCH calls it “Jazzy afternoon with fresh groove,” — a free tea party with some of the nation’s best young musicians.
Photo Courtesy of National Theater Concert Hall
The line-up includes a quartet led by saxophonist Cheng Hao-wein (鄭皓文), singer Tsai Wen-hui’s (蔡雯慧) trio, another trio led by Hong Kong-based drummer Huang Tzu-yu (黃子瑜) and a quartet led by guitar player Lee Shih-chun (李世鈞).
An hour later the action switches to the plaza for the Summer Jazz Outdoor Party, which is to run from 6:30pm to 9:30pm with a line-up that includes the Muddy Basin Ramblers (泥灘地浪人) and the Timeless Fusion Party (無限融合), a jazz fusion band led by pianist Fred Lu (呂聖斐) and Tony Tung (董舜文), as well as with Bunun-Puyuma R&B singer Jia (家家) for a mix of old-fashioned jazz, blues and swing.
For Ramblers’ fans, frontman David Chen says his group will be on for an hour, starting at 7:40pm.
Photo Courtesy of National Theater Concert Hall
On Sunday, the action returns to the Concert Hall for the NTCH Summer Jazz Project featuring Cliff Almond, which begins at 2:30pm.
The program has been specially arranged by famed trumpeter Michael Mossman and will also feature locally known artists such as Stacey Wei (魏廣皓), Yohei Yamada, pianists Hsu Yu-ying (許郁瑛) and Lee Cheng-yu and Yabu Mowna as well as Nick Javier, Go Yamada and Masanori Okazaki.
You have to pay for this show and tickets run from NT$500 to NT$2,000.
Photo Courtesy of National Theater Concert Hall
On Thursday, the Concert Hall will play host to award-winning drummer/singer/composer Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic Experience, which starts at 7:30pm and the only remaining tickets run from NT$500 to NT$1,200.
Carrington, who will be making her first appearance in Taipei, was the first female musician to win the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
The NTCH Summer Jazz Party wraps up on Friday next week with a concert by 10-time Grammy Award winner trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and his sextet in the Concert Hall.
The legendary Cuban artist will be making his second visit to Taipei with a concert program featuring Dizzy Gillespie and other jazz standards.
The others in his group are John Belzaguy, Tiki Pasillas, Dave Siegel, Johnny Friday and Kemuel Roig.
Tickets run from NT$800 to NT$2,000.
■ Tickets are available at NTCH box offices, online at www.artsticket.com.tw and at convenience store ticketing kiosks.
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