R&B Artist Lindsey Webster – Courtesy of The Arts Council of Princeton
The Arts Council of Princeton is collaborating with the Princeton Shopping Center to present the 2016 Summer Courtyard Concert Series. This family friendly series will take place every Thursday from June 23 to August 25 at 6 PM in the Princeton Shopping Center Courtyard, and is free and open to the public. Local and regional musicians and vocalists will cover a range of genres, including blues, folk, jazz, rock, and, world. This summer’s performers include Swing Sabroso, The Blawenburg Band, Lindsey Webster, AJOYO, Supreme Love Orchestra, Dendê & Band, Dirk Quinn Band, Grace Little and the Grace Little Band, the Singer-Songwriter Showcase, and the Chuck Lambert Band. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and a picnic basket to enjoy dinner with live entertainment. Or, consider eating at Bon Appetit, Clocktower Cabana, Cross Culture, Dolceria, Nino’s Pizza Star, The Taco Truck outdoors during the concert. Concerts will be held indoors at the Arts Council’s Pop-Up Studio in the Shopping Center in the event of rain.
Swing Sabroso – Thursday, June 23
Swing Sabroso is back by popular demand! The group is known for its distinctive Salsa Dura style. The band’s members have performed and recorded with some of the most recognizable names in Latin Music before joining together to integrate Swing Sabroso.
The Blawenburg Band – Thursday, June 30
This band showcases the golden age of concert band music featuring American patriotic music. They are one of the oldest community bands in the state, founded in 1890 in Blawenburg. The members of the Band range in age from their teens to their nineties.
Lindsey Webster – Thursday, July 7
Her rich, soulful voice enchants a dedicated following who connect with the raw emotion she shares with them. As a Soul and R&B artist, she combines an admirable natural talent with a genuine, accessible stage presence.
AJOYO – Thursday, July 14
They are a Brooklyn based band playing songs that celebrate JOY and LIFE through West African dance rhythms blended with jazz and soul.
Supreme Love Orchestra – Thursday, July 21
Under the direction of John Henry Goldman, they play seamlessly together changing rhythms and tempos as if they were one instrument.
Dendê & Band – Thursday, July 28
Dendê & Band have cultivated a unique sound where Afro-Brazilian traditions like Candomblé (a religion practiced mainly in Brazil) and Samba de Roda (a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance performed after the Candomblé ceremony) have been seamlessly melded with world rhythms like rumba, afrobeat and mbalax (the national popular dance music of Senegal and the Gambia).
Dirk Quinn Band – Thursday, August 4
Dirk Quinn Quartet is a high energy funk/jazz band with great melodic sensibilities, rhythmic experimentation and an accessible modern edge.
Grace Little and the Grace Little Band – Thursday, August 11
Hailing from Trenton, NJ, Grace Little has wowed audiences with her powerful R&B and gospel vocals since winning in the adult category at the famous Apollo Theater talent competition at the age of 12! Afterwards, she joined the national touring companies of Dreamgirls, Oh Calcutta, and The Wiz. The Grace Little Band brings high energy to the classic hits and performs their own arrangements.
Singer-Songwriter Showcase featuring Sarah Donner – Thursday, August 18
Princeton’s Indie Music star Sarah Donner will be performing a few of her original compositions at the Singer-Songwriter Showcase. She’ll share the stage with Helen O’Shea, The JoGa Band, and more to be announced.
The Chuck Lambert Band – Thursday, August 25
The band incorporates modern electric blues with the soul and depth of its traditional forms. Chuck completes the musical fellowship with his distinguished vocals and superb guitar skills.