By K.D. Norris
St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium stage may be quiet now — first due to delayed and cancelled dates, and soon due to it usual summer hiatus — but, boy, when the lights come back on this fall the venue will be supercharged with must-see concerts for every musical taste.
Announcing its “largest concert season in its history,” late last week, St. Cecilia’s 2020-21 season will kick off in September with the rescheduled folk series visit by Marc Cohn, with the first jazz series concert coming in October with songbird Dee Dee Bridgewater together with pianist Bill Charlap, and the first Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center concert planned for November.
While there is likely something for every fan in the current lineup of 18 shows (the folk series usually grows a little as the season goes on), there are a few highlights, especially the February 2021 inaugural jazz WinterFest featuring Christian McBride and Friends — three nights of music including an undoubtedly hot night of cutting edge jazz on a usually cold winter day when Christian McBride with Inside Straight take the stage Feb. 27.
“Each year our outstanding artist roster grows as the word spreads about the incredible beauty and acoustics of Royce Auditorium,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director said in supplied material. “We always hear how much artists love our setting, the acoustics in the hall and the ever-so-welcoming audience who they get to see up-close and personal while performing. … This year we are excited to launch a new WinterFest Jazz Festival with Christian McBride and Friends.”
There will be some adjustments as far as ticketing is concerned, St. Cecilia also advises.
“Due to the changing restrictions surrounding COVID-19, we are planning for tickets to be on sale July 1,” Holbrook said in supplied material. “This will allow us to make any further adjustments to this schedule as needed. Our hope is to start concerts in the fall as planned.”
Holbrook also advises that St. Cecilia will scrupulously follow the “new normal” when it comes to safe venue operation and “recommended cleaning and disinfecting protocol.”
And the concert rundown …
As mentioned, the Acoustic Café Folk Series will kick things off with singer-songwriter Marc Cohn in November, and include another rescheduled date with Shawn Colvin in January. Returning artists from past seasons include the Milk Carton Kids in December and Leo Kottke in February, as well as first-time St. Cecilia visits by Sam Bush and then the Watkins Family Hour in November, Kat Edmonson and then Rodney Crowell in March and The Mark O’Connor Band in April.
To spotlight just one: If you know your Nashville/Austin country music scene, you know Crowell. Not only is he often considered one of he Godfathers of the Americana music scene, but he has sung with and written music for/with the who’s-who of the genre: Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Vince Gill and Lee Ann Womack — just to name drop a few.
The St. Cecilia jazz series — in addition to the Christian McBride-led jazz Winterfest, running Feb. 25-27 and Grammy and Tony Award-winning singer Bridgewater with Charlap on the keys in October — also includes the always-superb saxophonist Joshua Redman, visiting with his quartet in January, and acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis, with the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, in April.
McBride’s run on the Royce stage begins Feb. 25 evening he and fellow bassist Edgar Meyer for a “double Double Bass” extravaganza; the Feb. 26 will be a traditional jazz show showcasing McBride’s celebrated jazz career with his trio and special guest jazz singer Cyrille Aimée; and then McBride’s quintet, Inside Straight, on stage “for an unforgettable night of energetic and inspiring jazz” on Feb. 27.
(A bit of ticketing advice, the Joshua Redman night will likely be just as special a night and just hot a ticket as McBride’s Winterfest.)
And, of course, chamber music fans will get their annual night(s) of bliss as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will perform three concerts: “Sensational Strings” in November, featuring the music of Dvořák, Beethoven and 20th-century master Erwin Schulhoff; “Magical Schubert” in January, featuring three of Franz Schubert’s most significant chamber music works; and “The Brahms Effect” in April, celebrating the music and influences of composer Johannes Brahms.
For more information on St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2020/2021 season, visit scmc-online.org or calling 616-459-2224.
