By Russ Tarby
contributor
Back in 1958, pianist Gaspare “Gap” Mangione made his recording debut on the LP “Dixieland at the Roundtable”by the legendary Salt City Six. Last year, Gap was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame.
Back in 2000, vocalist Jane Monheit released her first album, “Never Never Land,” featuring an illustrious host of accompanists including Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, David “Fathead” Newman, Hank Crawford and Bucky Pizzarelli. This year, after receiving two Grammy nominations a decade ago, she has released her tenth CD, “The Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald,” her first on her own label, Emerald City Records.
Monheit, 38, and Mangione, 78, will headline the 15th Annual AmeriCU Jazz-N-Caz, in Cazenovia, Thursday, Sept. 15 through Saturday, Sept. 17.
Syracuse’s Carolyn Kelly Blues Band will kick things off at 8 p.m. Thursday with a lively set of urban blues performed on the Brae Loch Inn lawn (weather permitting). On Friday night in the Cummings Theater, guitarist Frank Corso will play country blues and ragtime, and internationally acclaimed vocalist Jane Monheit will follow with selections from the Great American Songbook.
Gap Mangione and the New Big Band will cap off the weekend’s entertainment Saturday with singin’ sets in the theater at 7:30 and 9 p.m. During the Jimmy Van Heusen Jazz Break at 8:30 p.m., local artists will perform songs by Caz alumnus Jimmy Van Heusen.
The Seven Stone Steps at the Lincklaen House will host Jazz After Hours both Friday and Saturday nights starting about 10:30 p.m. The AmeriCU Jazz-N-Caz weekend is free and open to the public, but a $10 donation is suggested for performances staged in the theater; cazenovia.edu/jazz; 655-7238.
