Jazz Under The Stars returns to the Mann this summer! Join us Saturday, August 31 for an intimate evening of jazz with saxophonist Eric Darius featuring Gerald Veasley Band. Gerald Veasley, a legendary American jazz bass guitarist, is the Mann’s first-ever Jazz Curator and will assist in programming quality jazz concerts at the Mann for seasons to come. The Jazz Under the Stars series is presented by Cadillac.
August 31
Eric Darius
With his crowd-captivating energy throughout his world-renowned live performances, Billboard chart-topping, American saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and performer, Eric Darius, is breaking the mold of modern Jazz. He fearlessly pushes all musical boundaries while innovatively fusing jazz with elements of R&B, hip-hop, funk, pop, and much more.
With eight highly acclaimed albums to his name, Eric continues to be a singular force on the music scene while forging new paths and bridging generational gaps. To date, he has racked up five No. 1 Hit Singles and 17 Top 10 Radio Hits on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart. He was SESAC’s Top 10 Jazz Artist of the Year in 2015, Citril Starz Awards’ Best Jazz, Saxophonist, Composer, Producer & Musician of the Year in 2017, and most recently was selected the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival Artist of the Year for 2022. A natural born showman, Eric has collaborated across genres with GRAMMY® Award-winning artists Prince, Mary J. Blige, David Foster, Carlos Santana, among many others. He also founded the “On A Mission in the Schools” initiative in which he partners with schools to expose students to jazz music and encourage them to follow their artistic passions.
About Our Jazz Curator-In-Residence:
Gerald Veasley’s musical odyssey has taken him to the top of the contemporary music world as a bassist, bandleader, composer, producer, educator, and curator. His performance as a six-string bassist has been top shelf, as his extensive body of work attests. Veasley has recorded or performed with many of the world’s top artists in Jazz, R&B and Gospel including Grover Washington Jr., Joe Zawinul, Kirk Whalum, Will Downing, Chuck Loeb, Maysa, Nnenna Freelon, Special EFX, Pieces of a Dream, McCoy Tyner, and more. Gerald Veasley is also the curator of the Unscripted Jazz Series at SOUTH Jazz Club and the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Gerald Veasley’s Bass BootCamp. Veasley also serves his community as President of the non-profit organization, Jazz Philadelphia. His life as a creative professional is clearly multifaceted. Indeed, he wears various “hats” yet he is motivated by a singular purpose – to translate his joy of music to the world – music without boundaries.
Highlights from Jazz Under The Stars 2023:
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Top Left: Maysa dazzles with her soulful jazz vocals at Jazz Under The Stars 2023. Top Right: Trumpeter Rick Braun steps into the crowd at Jazz Under The Stars 2023. Bottom Left: Patrons enjoy Gerald Veasley in front of a skyline view at Jazz Under The Stars 2023. Bottom Right: Jazz Curator-In-Residence Gerald Veasley and his band perform at Jazz Under The Stars 2023.