The local Saturday night acoustic folk-rock scene will again be energized by the “Parties in the Plaza” series at LeMoyne Plaza, 1135 Salt Springs Rd, Syracuse, produced by CNY Jazz Central. The lineup represents a cross section of the finest acoustic singer-songwriters in Upstate New York, as well as both established and breaking bands. All events start at 6pm and end at 8pm in the cozy coffee house surroundings of the plaza, with Dunkin’ Donuts and Cam’s Pizzeria on hand for food and drink. There is no cover charge.

February 4: Todd Hobin & Friends
The Todd Hobin Band is celebrating over 40 years of touring and recording, including dates with the Beach Boys, Kinks, Allman Brothers and Hall & Oates. Todd’s music scores can be heard in film, TV, and Audio Books. In addition to post-scoring films and videos, he has written and produced for clients as diverse as Coca Cola, Hershey Park, ABC Television, and Tri-Star Pictures. Singer/songwriter Hobin is also a faculty member at LeMoyne.

February 18: Kevin Barrigar
Born ninth in a musical family, Kevin’s talent showed early as a singer. Singing Elvis with his family’s band, the Christophers, Kevin has since shared the stage with Joe Whiting, fiddle legend Hal Casey, guitar master Tommy Emmanuel, and five-time Grammy winner Lloyd Maines. In addition to performing solo, Kevin also occasionally performs with his brother Loren.

March 18: Dave Porter
A former guitarist, vocalist and member of Syracuse heavyweights and national touring group “805,” (RCA Records: their 1982 Album “Stand in Line” topped at # 36 on the Billboard Charts), Dave still packs humor and virtuosity into his personal interpretations of the work of Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, and more.

April 1: Jess Novak Band
A powerhouse quintet with lead vocals and violin by Jess Novak, the band features Mark Nanni (of Los Blancos) on piano, organ, accordion and vocals; Byron Cage (of Tommy Castro, Joe Louis Walker) on drums; Anthony Saturno (of Sampere, Wagner 3000) on guitar; and Billy Harrison (of Black Rhino) on drums, guitar, vocals and beatboxing – they create one amazing sound!

April 22: Todd Hobin & Friends
Back for a spring encore!

May 6: Kay & the Miracle Cure
Troubadours Kay Miracle and Dave Curtis perform their own original brand of roots music against a backdrop of heart-felt vocals, unique harmonies, the rich warmth of acoustic strings, for a perfect blend of a good story over a timeless melody.

Sunday, November 20th, 2016
“Voices in Jazz” with Alita Moses
Sheraton Syracuse University Grand Ballroom
801 University Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210

4 p.m. Doors; 5 p.m. SHOWTIME
Tickets $35 door, $30 advance at cnyjazz.org/subscribe or 315-479-5299. $10 w/student ID

CNY Jazz launches their 21st cabaret season with a debut Central New York appearance by Alita Moses, an extraordinary new talent on the international jazz scene. Winner of the 2014 Montreux Jazz Vocal competition and protégé of the legendary Al Jarreau, she will sing from a diverse songbook ranging from Billie Holiday and George Gershwin to George Benson and Prince.

“Alita has exploded on the international scene since winning the prestigious Swiss competition while still an undergrad at the Philadelphia University of the Arts,” according to Larry Luttinger, director and founder of CNY Jazz. “She spent the summer performing a sold-out tour of twenty-nine concerts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Eastern Europe. We caught her taking a breather while she prepares her first recording in New York, and we’re delighted that she’s agreed to come upstate to perform for us. Only twenty-two, she sings like a veteran, and captures audiences with her charm. She’s destined for stardom.”

Born in West Hartford, Connecticut and now a New Yorker, Alita could be called a “Broadway Baby”, raised in a family of professional musicians. The daughter of accomplished operatic baritone and voice professor Fredric “Fritz” Moses and Broadway performer Janelle Robinson (Mary Poppins, Oklahoma), Alita grew up playing the cello, guitar and piano and sitting in on her father’s classes at the Hartt School of Music.

A President’s Award winner, she has performed with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and The Philadelphia Pops Orchestra as well as with solo artists and bands such as Larry McKenna, Matt McAndrew, ILL DOOTS, Steve Davis, Joel Frahm, Walter Fischbacher and many others. While studying at the Montreux Academy, she collaborated with Patti Austin, Lee Ritenour and Charles Lloyd.

The CNY Jazz Cabarets feature fine national talent in a club atmosphere, with cash bar and food stations available starting at 4pm. Two sets are scheduled at 5 and 6pm. Sheraton parking garage tickets will be validated at the door.

For interviews with Alita, call 201-245-7708 or email LACHICFILLE@GMAIL.COM

Syracuse, NY – CNY Jazz Central’s 2016-2017 subscriber series, the CNY Jazz Cabarets, will present three concerts with international guest artists in the Sheraton Syracuse University Ballroom and Drumlins Country Club.

The series offers an eclectic mix of jazz, soul and pop, with guest artists of high stature. Alita Moses, recent winner of the Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition, opens the series, followed by a return engagement by Syracuse’s famous jazz expatriate Jackiem Joyner, who will perform with Selina Albright for a double bill during Black History Month. Closing the season is pop and “blue eyed soul” legend Bobby Caldwell, who will appear with the CNY Jazz Orchestra, and speak at area colleges while in Syracuse.

“We’ve invested heavily in the kind of star-studded lineup that our fans tell us that they want,” according to Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz founder and director. “There’s no better time for the public to celebrate the best in America’s music with us, with fine food and drink in a classy cabaret atmosphere, and at community theater prices to boot. There’s nothing like this in terms of quality in an intimate cabaret setting anywhere in Central New York.”

Tickets may be purchased in advance at www.cnyjazz.org/subscribe or by calling 315-479-5299. Full subscriptions are offered for $80 until November 11th. Individual tickets, group and corporate tables are also available.

At all Cabaret Series events, a cash bar and affordable buffet stations are available. All CNY Jazz subscribers and donors will be given a “CNY Jazz Club Card” to receive validated parking privileges and 10% discounts on food and drink at all cabarets and other CNY Jazz Series. More details can be found at cnyjazz.org/subscribe and cnyjazz.org/donate.

The upcoming CNY Jazz season includes other series and special events like Jazz Vespers, Nancy Kelly Vocal Jazz Jams and Cabarets, January JAZZfest, and their Le Moyne College programs: Jazz at the Plaza, Parties in the Plaza, and Scholastic Jazz Jams. Information on all programs is available at www.cnyjazz.org.

Cabaret Schedule

Sunday, Nov. 20th, 2016
Alita Moses “Voices in Jazz”
4 p.m. Doors; 5 p.m. SHOWTIME at the Sheraton Syracuse University

Alita Moses brings her prize-winning voice to bear on the world’s finest jazz repertoire to open the series. Winner of the 2014 Montreaux jazz vocal competition while still an undergrad at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, and protégé of the legendary Al Jarreau, Alita performs across the globe in concert, club and festival settings.

Sunday, Feb. 19th, 2017 at Drumlins
Black History Month Cabaret with Jackiem Joyner & Selina Albright
Sponsored by Brackens Financial Solutions Network
4 p.m. Doors; 5 p.m. SHOWTIME

After last year’s sellout performance, Billboard #1 smooth jazz saxophonist Jackiem Joyner returns with Selina Albright, who has toured with David Benoit, David Sanborn, Hugh Masakela, and the Temptations.

Sunday, April 9th, 2017
An evening with Bobby Caldwell & The CNY Jazz Orchestra
4 p.m. Doors; 5 p.m. SHOWTIME at the Sheraton

Bobby Caldwell, acclaimed song stylist and in-demand pop and RnB songwriter for Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Neil Diamond, Al Jarreau, Boyz II Men, Cee-Lo Green and others, will be appear with the sixteen-piece CNY Jazz Orchestra.

ARTIST VIDEO LINKS

Alita Moses – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-4yafIDPLs
Jackiem Joyner & Selina Albright – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR2YFQGBUgY
Bobby Caldwell – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAbvevufJIE