Smooth Jazz for Scholars 2018 dates/lineup January 5, 2018

Keyboardist Jay Rowe has announced the dates and lineup for this year’s Smooth Jazz for Scholars benefit concert series. The announcement came yesterday on Facebook:

Tickets for this year’s 16th annual Smooth Jazz for Scholars benefit concerts are on sale now!! This year’s shows will be held on Friday 4/27/18 and Saturday 4/28/18. The shows will be held at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium at the Parson’s Complex 70 West River Street Milford, CT. 06460. Doors open at 7p.m. showtime is at 8 p.m. This year’s artist line-up on Friday 4/27/18 is David Benoit, Marc Antoine and Marion Meadows. The artist line-up on Saturday 4/28/18 is Paul Taylor, Nelson Rangell, Jessy J and Matt Marshak. Tickets are $40 each for 1 night and $70 for both nights. Tickets can be purchased by sending a check or money order payable to Smooth Jazz For Scholars Inc. to P.O. Box 3723 Milford, CT. 06460. The first 250 seats are reserved seating first come first served. The rest are general admission seating. For additional info call (203)874-4150 or (203)415-8878 or go to jayrowemusic.com. Thanks!!

It’s the 16th Smooth Jazz for Scholars, and the 12th I will have attended.

I’ve been dreaming of David Benoit and Jessy J performing at SJFS for years. That dream has come true. David will be there on the first night while Jessy will be there on the second night. I just saw David last month at the Dave Koz 20th Anniversary Christmas Tour stop at the Tilles Center, but I haven’t seen Jessy since she performed at the Iridium six years ago. Jay was part of her band, as was guitarist Rohn Lawrence. I don’t know if he’ll be at either night, but it would be nice.

Matt Marshak is back for the second time in three years, the same night as Nelson Rangell. I keep envisioning him playing with Nelson on “Sonora.” Will that happen? We’ll see.

Paul Taylor hasn’t been at SJFS since 2012, one month before I transitioned to DSLR cameras.

Marc Antoine was last at SJFS in 2015, but I wasn’t there. SJFS conflicted with the WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony in 2015 and ’16. I went straight from Milford to Tilles for the ceremony in ’15, but opted not to go in ’16. (Sorry, Joe Honerkamp.) Thankfully, the ceremony has not conflicted since. In fact, this year’s ceremony is the following Saturday, on May 5.

Friday, April 27
David Benoit
Marc Antoine
Marion Meadows

Saturday, April 28
Paul Taylor
Nelson Rangell
Jessy J
Matt Marshak

Location:
Veterans Memorial Auditorium in the Parsons Government Center
70 W. River St.
Milford, CT 06460

Tickets: $40 for one night, $70 for both nights

Reserved seating tickets can be purchased by check (like I will) or money order payable to:
Smooth Jazz for Scholars, Inc.
P.O. Box 3723
Milford, CT 06460

For questions or additional assistance, call:
(203) 874-4150
(203) 415-8878
or go to: jayrowemusic.com

I leave you with recaps of the first and second nights of the 15th annual Smooth Jazz for Scholars.

5/7/18 UPDATE: Recaps of  this year’s shows can be seen here and here.