The Avram Theater at Stony Brook Southampton hosted the latest installment of The Jazz Loft @ Southampton Concert Series on May 29, featuring the Dan Pugach Big Band with guest vocalist Allison Rumley. This second concert in the series, titled “The Art of New,” highlighted selections from drummer-composer Dan Pugach’s Grammy Award-winning album Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence, alongside other compositions.
“We’re here to play some original music by a living composer, if you can call me living, and some arrangements of different Great American Songbook [selections] and some pop and folk songs,” stated Pugach. He is recognized for winning the Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album as well as multiple awards including the ASCAP Foundation Jazz Composer Award, BMI Charlie Parker Composition Prize, and Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Residency Program at the Kennedy Center.
Rumley brought her gospel and soul music roots to the performance. She co-leads the Big Beat Big Band, known for its jazz orchestra sound that features her vocals. “It’s always really just a real treat to find places that are welcoming to big bands and want to continue that tradition,” she expressed regarding performing at Stony Brook Southampton. “And just the opportunity to perform with this Grammy-winning band… Very excited about that.”
Tom Manuel, Stony Brook University Jazz Department Endowed Artist in Residence Fellow, explained how the concert series extends performances typically held at The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook to audiences in the Hamptons. “There’s plenty of great cultural opportunities out here,” he noted. “And so even though we present 200 performances at The Jazz Loft… it’s really wonderful for us to be able to take what we’re doing in Stony Brook and bring it a little bit closer for folks on the East End.”
The next event is scheduled for June 19 with a Juneteenth performance entitled “Long Island Jazz Legends & Local Juke Joints,” featuring Project 464—a group of jazz musicians whose combined age totals 464 years.
Wendy Pearson, vice president for strategic initiatives and executive director of Stony Brook Southampton, emphasized their collaboration with The Jazz Loft: “We are so blessed to have this collaboration… We hope people will come out and see what we’re doing here.”
Tickets for The Jazz Loft @ Southampton Concert Series can be purchased online.
