Spring Concert-Mary Lou Newnam Quintet

Friday, April 14      7pm

Mary Lou Newnam Quintet

Featuring Sharon Sable, vocal

Presents:

The Music of Oscar Hammerstein II

Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Mary Lou Newnam has been playing music professionally since 1973 and has lived in Ocean City, NJ since 1986. Mary Lou has played in a succession of big bands including those led by Ray Eberle, Les Elgart, Charlie Spivak, Lee Castle and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Warren Covington and the Pied Pipers, Bob Crosby, and Cab Calloway. In addition to many others, she has performed with the Temptations, Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope, Tony Bennett, the Manhattan Transfer in the house orchestra at Trump Plaza and the Claridge Casino, as well as most of the other Atlantic City showrooms.

At the age of 23, Mary Lou joined the Jimmy McGriff Quartet traveling throughout the South, and performed with him at the Kool Jazz Festival, the Blue Note Jazz Club, NYC JazzMobile and the Apollo Theatre. Additionally, she has performed at Eddie Condon’s Jazz Club and the Rainbow Room, and has been a featured artist with the West Chester University Jazz Band, the Ed Vezinho/Jim Ward Big Band, George Mesterhazy trio. Since 2003, Mary Lou has been music director at St. Augustine Prep, and the past Artistic Director of the University of Pennsylvania Jazz Band.

Sharon Sable, based in Wilmington DE, is one of the region’s most beloved interpreters of song. The award-winning vocalist’s musical journey has taken her from recording with international pop stars as a teenager, to performing regularly with the region’s finest jazz musicians. Her repertoire is varied and

includes both popular and lesser-known gems of the Great American Songbook and other timeless music from the 20th century. In addition to the popular “Sharon and Shawn” duo & full band performances, Sharon is an in-demand vocalist, known for a presence and delivery that is both sincere and

witty and demonstrates exquisite vocal prowess. Her new album, “Once Upon a Summertime”, with pianist Joe Holt, will be released this Spring.

Her voice is a gift... phraseology is pitch perfect... and her performance

implores us to follow.” (Delaware Today Magazine)

Upright and electric bassist Alec Newnam was born to musician parents in New Jersey and has been based in Nashville since 2008. His wide-ranging musical studies and interests have led to him working with a variety of artists both live and in the studio, and he has appeared multiple times on the Grand Ole Opry. Alec has performed and/or recorded with Jessi Colter, Rahsaan Barber, Trisha Yearwood, Jeff Coffin, Jim Lauderdale, Golden Hour, Ben Haggard, Duffy Jackson, Kelsey Waldon, Jake Botts, Brennen Leigh, and many others.

Originally from Syracuse, New York, Nate Felty is an experienced live/session drummer and educator who enjoys performing a wide range of musical styles. Nate has been living and working in Nashville, Tennessee since 2012 and earned his Master’s degree in Commercial Music Performance from Belmont University in 2014. Nate is the drummer for nationally touring country artist Ben Haggard and The Strangers. He has also recorded and toured extensively with country roots artist, Kelsey Waldon, sharing the stage on tour with Grammy Award-winning artists such as Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, and the late John Prine. Additionally, Nate made his Grand Ole Opry debut with Waldon in April, 2019.Since his arrival in Nashville, Nate has co-produced, performed and recorded with notable touring artists. Among these are Shannon Lauren Callihan, Abby Anderson, Devon Gilfillian, and 9-piece jazz funk/fusion group, Dynamo. While with Dynamo, the group earned Nashville Industry Music Awards (NIMA’s) in 2015 for “Best Funk/Fusion Band” and “Album of the Year” for their 2015 release, Find Your Way. When not on tour, Nate continues to make his imprint on Nashville’s local music community, performing weekly residencies with Nashville-based groups such as Golden Hour, Greasy Neale, Jake Botts, and My 98 Smile. He is also an adjunct drum set instructor and University Jazz Ensemble Director at Sewanee: The University of the South.

A 2005 graduate of Temple University’s Esther Boyer College of Music, Jason Klinke has spent the past 20 years honing his craft and working with many of the area’s finest musicians.   The list of musicians Jason has worked with include some of the greats like Larry McKenna,  Steve Giordano, Dave Posmontier, Byron Landham, Akiko Tsuruga, Lucas Brown and Anwar Marshall.  Jason has had the opportunity to play many venues large and small including South Jazz Parlor, The Painted Bride,  Jazz Bridge Concerts, Exit 0 Jazz Festival, Center City Jazz Festival and the Somers Point Jazz Festival, to name a few.  As a member of the modern tango ensemble Oscuro Quintet, Jason had the chance to perform at the Festival of Families during the historic papal visit to Philadelphia and in 2017 a South Korean tour culminating with performances at the Jeonju International Sori Festival.  Post pandemic life looks a little different, with the birth of his first child and a busy piano repair business. Jason has had to reduce the performance schedule but he’s not going anywhere and the music continues!

Join us for these Spring Concerts at The Ocean City Free Public Library

All concerts are free and open to the public and will be held in the Library's Lecture Hall.

Seating is first-come, first-served.

For more information about each concert, please call 609-399-2434 ext. 5222 or email jhoward@oceancitylibrary.org.