Thursday, May 4, 2023

Benefit concert for the SWWA Center for the Arts’ “Uplift!” children’s project

 


From the press release:

(Vancouver, WA) Celebrated jazz and blues vocalist Shelly Rudolph takes the Kiggins Theatre stage May 17th at 6pm for “Soul!” - a special concert to benefit the SWWA Center for the Arts’ “Uplift!” children’s project. Shelly will be joined by renowned jazz innovator, pianist Tom Grant, along with the Swank Soul Band guitarist Dan Gildea, saxophonist Renato Caranto (of the Mel Brown Septet), bassist Bill Athens, drummer Edwin Coleman III, and Paul Mazzio on trumpet. National Cirque Champion Aerialist Rebecca Palmer with Aerial Muse Collective will accompany Ms. Rudolph with a special choreographed performance.

 

“Soul!” was created as part of the SWWA Center for the Arts’ Uplift! children’s project, a day of giving, art, and music experiences for children ages 8 - 12 from Boys and Girls Clubs, Friends of the Children, and local shelters. Businesses and nonprofits have teamed up for this project, including the Clark County Food BankArtstra’s Creative Relief Clark CountyBeacock Music, Star Wars Oregon’s Cloud City GarrisonRiverview Community Bank, and more. The piano will be generously donated by Portland Piano Company.

 

About Shelly Rudolph

Shelly Rudolph’s projects have embraced soul, jazz, blues, R&B, reggae, and pop. She has performed all over the world with ensembles that range from intimate duets to jazz orchestras and most everything in between. Ms. Rudolph has been dubbed a “robust and captivating vocalist” by Jazz Times, and the LA Weekly praised her ability to use her “honey-glazed throat to send chills up and down your spine.” As a songwriter and vocalist, she has collaborated and recorded with Grammy-winning cellist David Darling, bassist David Piltch (kd lang), Ken Stange (Joe Cocker), David Mathews (Etta James), Tom Lackner (Airto and Flora Purim) smooth jazz pioneer Tom Grant and Pink Martini’s Phil Baker. Ms. Rudolph’s recordings have established her as a notable musician among peers and press, and garnered songwriting and recording work nationally and internationally. Shelly has received placement on national and international jazz stations, including Europe, Japan, Indonesia, and the middle east.

 

 

About Tom Grant

As one of the Pacific Northwest’s most renowned musical artists, Tom Grant’s career achievements reflect his unique ability to embrace the full spectrum of contemporary music. Tom has performed with jazz luminaries like trumpeter Woody Shaw, saxophonists Joe Henderson and Charles Lloyd. His most life-changing gig was with drummer Tony Williams who himself transformed the 1960’s Miles Davis Band both musically and commercially into a worldwide jazz phenomenon. With Tony and bassist Patrick O’Hearn, Tom recorded and toured worldwide. Tom was considered by many to be the father of the Smooth Jazz sound, recording albums on major labels including Verve, Shanachie and Windham Hill. Several of these shot to number one on the Smooth Jazz charts.  Tom has appeared on the Jay Leno show and was featured in many of the national music mags as well as CNN.

 

About The Swank Soul Band

The Swank Soul Band features Renato Caranto, saxophone (performed and/or recorded with The Temptations, The Four Tops, Merle Haggard, Esperanza Spalding, Arturo Sandoval, and more), Paul Mazzio, trumpet (performed with Tony Bennet, The Moody Blues, Natalie Cole, the Woody Herman Orchestra, and others), Edwin Coleman III, drums (performed with the Neville Brothers, at Lincoln Center, the Waterfront Blues Festival, etc.), Dan Gildea, guitar, and Bill Athens, bass.

 

About Rebecca Palmer

Rebecca Palmer is an acclaimed performance artist and the 2016 Cirque Sport International USA Lyra Champion. Her experience includes 15 years Ballet with the Royal Academy of Dance, 10 years Modern Dance, 4 years competitive Ballroom Dance, 8 years competitive Figure Skating, 8 years international competitive Diving (platform/springboard), 5 years Musical Theater, and 10 years Costume Design & Makeup. Ms. Palmer is an MBA graduate from the University of Portland and founder/Director of The Aerial Muse Collective. Her show-stopping performances push the boundaries of physical limitation and motion.

 

About Arts for a Cause

SWWA Center for the Arts believes Art is one of the most compelling advocacy and educational tools to create change. With that in mind, we’ve committed to partnering with other change makers to present timely and relevant programs that utilize the Arts in all its forms to facilitate meaningful change in our communities. Through the “Arts for a Cause initiative”, we strive to create arts events with a purpose, transforming our communities through the arts.

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