FANWOOD — New Jersey jazz artists, a nationally touring roots-rock band and singer-songwriters from Nashville and New York will appear in concert in the spring season of the Fanwood Performance Series. Now in its 16th year, the series returns to its home at the Kuran Cultural Arts Center (a.k.a. the Carriage House), next to Fanwood Borough Hall.
The season kicks off April 13 with a night of original jazz, featuring the Ted Brancato Trio as well asAlejandro Ataucusi. Brancato is a pianist with four decades of experience composing, arranging, performing and recording music, and has worked with such artists as Ron Carter, Paquito D’Rivera and the late Milt Jackson. Ataucusi, a member ofAfro-Peruvian jazz band Forbidden Tropics, will open the show performing his original compositions and arrangements on guitar, charango and hatun charango.
The Empty Pockets will fill the listening room on May 11. The Chicago- based band will take a break from a national tour backing Al Stewart to bring its own special mixture ofAmericana, folk, rock and soul to the Carriage House stage. The group’s two most recent albums each topped Billboard’s Blues Albums chart.
Singer-songwriter-guitarists Ryan Harris Brown and Nicola Vazquez come to Fanwood on June 8. Series regulars may remember Brown from his 2018 performance. Based in Nashville, he cites John Mayer, Ben Folds and James Taylor among his musical influences. Vazquez has performed her original blend of rock, pop and soul in venues around the New York area, opened for Eve 6 and Edwin McCain, and shared stages with Ricky Martin and other recording artists.
All shows start at 7 p.m. at the Carriage House, on Watson Road just west of Martine Avenue. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors – cash at the door. Reservations are strongly suggested and can be made by emailing fanwoodperformance@gmail.com.
The Fanwood Performance Series is a presentation of Mayor Colleen Mahr and the Fanwood Borough Cultural Arts Council. It is made possible in part by a HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of County Commissioners.
The series will continue in the fall, with shows planned for Sept. 14, Oct. 19 and Nov. 9. Performers for those shows will be announced soon. Music fans can find more information and updates at the series website (fanwoodperformanceseries.org) and on its Facebook page ( w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / FanwoodPerformanceSeries).
