Saturday, March 7 at 5:30 p.m.—BARNARD—A powerhouse line-up brings five hours of music with a New Orleans flavor to headline BarnArts’ 8th annual Masquerade Jazz and Funk Winter Music Carnival at the Barnard Town Hall.
The Wanda Houston Band will bring forth the later evening funk dance party, but the music starts with top-notch jazz from saxophonist Michael Zsoldos and guitarist Jason Ennis. The quintet Sultans of Saul play original contemporary jazz composed by Sonny Saul, and the transition slot between jazz and funk will be filled by the ever-popular Woodstock Union High School Jazz Funk Band, which has performed every year at this event.
The Wanda Houston Band is led by singing powerhouse Wanda Houston, famous for the breadth of her powerful voice. Her music spans the range of jazz, funk and R&B and pulls deeply from her roots as a gospel singer growing up in Chicago. She was on her way to being on opera singer when she got side-lined by more popular stage work, including acting and singing on Broadway and work with musicians such as Barbara Streisand, John Tuturro, Eddie Izzard, Natalie Cole, Eartha Kitt, Patti LaBelle and Sam Harris.
Saxophonist Michael Zsoldos and guitarist Jason Ennis will also open the evening as a jazz duo “Duo Jota Sete” – present a program featuring Jason Ennis’s original compositions from his upcoming album. The program will include Ennis and Zsoldos originals, arrangements of jazz standards and works from Brazilian composers Jacob do Bandolim, Guinga, and Ernesto Nazareth, as well as “Oregon” guitarist Ralph Towner.
Sultans of Saul is a group of five local musicians primarily playing original compositions by Woodstock resident and pianist Sonny Saul. Joining Sonny will be Mark van Gulden on Vibes, Kathleen Dolan on flute, Glendon Ingalls on bass and Pete Michelini on drums.
The Woodstock Union High School Jazz Funk Band, under the leadership of WUHS music teacher Jody Henderson, never fails to impress. They perform a combination of high-octane jazz funk and energized brass funk in the style of New Orleans street brass, popularized by Rebirth Brass Band and Trombone Shorty. All this jazz and funk, plus a taco bar, a create-your-own-mask table, and a photo booth, come with the price of a ticket: $20 adults, $10 students, 6 and under free. Tickets may be purchased online at barnarts.org or at the door.
