Atlantic City Free Public Library

Some of the top jazz performers in the area and nation will once again grace the Kennedy Plaza stage for the 13th annual Chicken Bone Beach Jazz on the Beach Series – one of Atlantic City’s favorite summertime traditions.
The Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation, Inc., and Atlantic City Free Public Library present this free concert series, which takes place on Thursdays in July and August from 7-10 p.m. at Kennedy Plaza, located on the Atlantic City Boardwalk between Mississippi and Georgia avenues.
The schedule features:

•    Thursday, July 5: Odean Pope. Philadelphia saxophone legend Odean Pope integrates several musical influences – including the church choir of his youth, Philadelphia jazz and R&B of the 1950s, and classical woodwind chamber music – to create a sound all his own. Famed for the husky sounds he produces on the sax, Pope sent more than two decades as a member of the Max Roach Quartet and has received acclaim around the globe, including Best Tenor Saxophone Player at the North Sea Jazz Festival. The Brenda Bass Ensemble is the opening act.
•    Thursday, July 12: Tim Warfield. Hailed by the New York Times as “possibly the most powerful tenor saxophonist of his generation,” Warfield owns an impressive resume that includes work on Grammy-nominated albums by Nicholas Payton and Stefon Harris. Warfield’s “A Cool Blue” (1995) and “Gentle Warrior” (1998) were chosen among the top 10 recordings of the year in New York Times critics’ polls. Crosswinds is the opening act.
•    Thursday, July 19: Webb Thomas Superband. Drummer Webb Thomas enrolled at the Settlement Music School as a 5-year-old, and he hasn’t put down the sticks since. An extraordinarily versatile drummer, Webb has made quite a name for himself locally, nationally and abroad. He has been a promoter for Philly’s premier jazz club Zanzibar Blue, where he has appeared with Doug Carn, David “Fathead” Newman, Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana, and Benny Golson. Tony Perez (Ola Latina) is the opening act. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SHOW HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.
•    Thursday, July 26: Kim Thompson. Kim Thompson has taken her immense talent as a drummer all over the world, performing in 33 countries. In addition to going on tour to promote Beyonce’s “B’Day” album, Thompson has worked with an impressive list of artists that includes Jay-Z, Meshell N’Degeocello and Rev. Run from Run DMC. Gina Roché is the opening act.
•    Thursday, Aug. 2: Orrin Evans. Described as “the clear-cut best pianist of his time” by Hot House Magazine, Evans has toured with such diverse talents as the evolutionary Wallace Roney, Stefon Harris and Antonio Hart. He is also a teacher and musical commentator, having conducted workshops, clinics and master classes both in the United States and abroad. The Chicken Bone Beach Youth Jazz Ensemble is the opening act.
•    Thursday, Aug. 9: Javon Jackson Band. A show featuring the Javon Jackson Band presents many different musical styles, including jazz, funk, R&B and rock. As a recording artist, Jackson, a tenor saxophonist, has appeared on more than 125 recordings. Jackson credits his three years playing with the great Art Blakey, a former Northfield resident, and his Jazz Messengers for helping him get to where he is today. Tori Gee is the opening act.
•    Thursday, Aug. 16: Bill Jacobs Ensemble. With compositional influences extending beyond mainstream jazz and utilizing global sources – Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Reggae, Mambo, Salsa, Pop, Calypso – the Bill Jacobs Ensemble contains all of the building blocks necessary for a deeply intimate connection and musical conversation with audiences. Dwain Davis is the opening act.
•    Thursday, Aug. 23: Taekó. Singer Taekó has drawn rave reviews in the jazz world from peers and critics. Singer/actress Juanita Fleming calls her “one of the best of her generation.” Writing about her 2007 album “One Love,” jazz critic Jordan Richardson says Taekó “tempers deep soulfulness reminiscent of Anita Baker with sophisticated scatting a la Ella Fitzgerald.” She released “Voice,” which features a vibrant patchwork of jazz styles, in 2010. George A. Johnson, Jr., is the opening act.
•    Thursday, Aug. 30: Mimi Jones. New York native Mimi Jones is a multi-talented bassist, vocalist and composer. She released her debut CD, “A New Day,” and is currently working on her second. Mimi has performed or recorded with, the great Lionel Hampton, Kenny Barron, Tia Fuller and Terri Lyne Carrington. Mimi toured extensively throughout Europe, the United States and has performed on five continents as a US Jazz Ambassador. Luke Carlos O’Reilly is the opening act.

The 13th annual Jazz on the Beach Concert Series is funded in part by the NJ State Council of the Arts/Department of State through the Atlantic County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), Atlantic City Free Public Library, Comcast, PNC Bank, Kinematica Inc, Kramer Beverage Co. COORS, Just 4 Wheels, Atlantic City Convention Center, City of Atlantic City and ZEO Brothers. Tune in to Stockton College Radio Station WLFR 91.7 FM on Wednesdays from 7-8 p.m. for Chicken Bone Beach hour.

Call (609) 441-9064 or (609) 841-6897; or, visit www.chickenbonebeach.org for more information.