Grammy winner Elling headlines Jazz in June lineup

This year’s Jazz in June lineup features a two-time Grammy Award winner, a Minneapolis-based group with a New Orleans-inspired sound and a couple of Nebraska favorites.

The free concert series, now in its 31st year, takes place at 7 p.m. every Tuesday in June in the Sheldon Sculpture Garden, west of Sheldon Museum of Art. A market offers food and drinks from 5 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday. The concert series is produced by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with support from the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

“I couldn’t be happier with the lineup and can’t wait for Lincolnites and outside travelers to get outside and enjoy this historic event, along with highlighting some of the best food trucks in town,” said Mike Semrad, the festival’s new coordinator.

Each concert feature two sets of music from 7-7:45 p.m. and 8-8:45 p.m., respectively, with a 15-minute intermission.

Bike Valet will provide free, secure parking for bicycles from 5 p.m. until an hour after each concert at the east end of the market. For more information, click here or call the Outdoor Adventures Center at 402-472-4777.

Nebraska’s longest-running free concert series, Jazz in June will feature some of the top jazz artists in the nation.

Courtesy photo | Anna Webber

The lineup:

• June 7: Andy William and the Nebraska All Stars — A native of Havana, Cuba, William has assembled a stellar cast of musicians for the birth of a new Afro-Cuban jazz orchestra. Fronted by Havana vocalist Onelio Perez, the group offers different styles of Cuban music and performs tributes to the famed Buena Vista Social Club.

• June 14: Darryl White Quartet —White’s group will perform a mixture of traditional and contemporary jazz styles, including works ranging from Louis Armstrong to Miles Davis. An associate professor of trumpet and jazz studies at Nebraska, White has performed as a soloist with the Omaha Symphony, Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra and the Grand Junction Symphony, and at the Roaring Fork Jazz Festival.

• June 21: Kurt Elling — One of the most celebrated artists in DownBeat magazine history, Elling has been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards, winning two. A highly adept singer-songwriter who possesses a resonant baritone and four-octave range, he has won over a global fan base, in addition to numerous awards, for his distinctive brand of vocal jazz.

• June 28: Davina and the Vagabonds — This group’s New Orleans sound features elements of blues, jazz, R&B, soul and gospel. The group has created a stir on the national music scene with its high-energy live shows, skillful musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism and Davina Sowers’ commanding stage presence. With influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom Waits, the band is winning over audiences one show at a time. This rollicking quintet is held together by Sowers’ keyboard playing, with acoustic bass, drums, and a spicy trumpet and trombone horn section.

While Jazz in June is free, there is a reserved, shaded seating area in front of the stage that costs $25 for a single-day ticket or $80 for all four weeks. Patrons interested in prime, reserved seating should click here.

The community is invited to join Jazz in June’s membership program, The Rhythm Club. Membership supports the booking of top-tier artists and new education programs, and helps keep the concerts free. Donate directly through the Give To Lincoln page here. For more information, visit the Jazz in June website and Facebook page.

Those interested in donating or serving as a Jazz in June volunteer or board member can email Semrad at jazzinjune@unl.edu.

Courtesy photo | Christie Williams