Jazz Under The Stars returns to the Mann this summer! Join us in our Crescendo tent for two intimate evenings of jazz overlooking the Philadelphia skyline. Don’t miss acoustic guitarist Peter White on August 3 and saxophonist Eric Darius on August 31. Both evenings will feature 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 3
Peter White
Throughout his career, Peter White has maintained a reputation as one of the most versatile and prolific acoustic guitarists on the contemporary jazz landscape. Armed with an unparalleled combination of lyricism and energy, he combines elements of jazz, pop and classical guitar to create a sound that is singular and at the same time accessible to a broad audience.
In a career that spans nearly four decades, over a dozen solo recordings and countless performances, White insists that it’s the faces in the crowd and the fans that keep the experience fresh. “I’ll play a live show, and someone will come to me afterward and say, ‘Oh, I loved this CD,’ or ‘This song helped me through a bad time,’” he explains. “Or I get emails from people saying, ‘Oh, I love the way you covered one of my favorite songs on your record back in 1994.’ The idea that someone can write me an email and tell me about something I did on a record that was released fifteen years ago – you can’t buy that. That’s priceless. That’s what keeps me going – the idea that people out there really care about what I do, the idea that I’ve made a difference for someone.”
Tickets will be on sale Friday, April 5 at 10AM via Ticketmaster.com or the Mann's Ticket Office.
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.
Tickets will be on sale Friday, April 5 at 10AM via Ticketmaster.com or the Mann's Ticket Office.
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.