Paul Winter Consort celebrates solstice
Date/Time
Location
Saint James Place (352 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230, Great Barrington MA)
Seven-time Grammy®-winning saxophonist Paul Winter, with the Paul Winter Consort, will return to celebrate the Winter Solstice. The Consort will take place twice, at 3 and 7 p.m., and bring together vocalist Theresa Thomason, Eugene Friesen on cello, Bulgarian bassist Peter Slavov, Brazilion pianist Henrique Eisenmann, Brazilian drummer Rogério Boccato, and Paul Winter on soprano sax.
A uniquely intimate solstice celebration, in contrast to the large-scale productions done for many years in the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York, it promises to deliver everything audiences have come to love and expect.
“While we will not have all the dancers and theatrical effects that were possible in the world’s largest Cathedral,” Winter says, “we will have all the essence of our solstice music, and we will feature, as always, the beloved voice of Theresa Thomason, who has been the ‘star’ of our solstice celebrations for over 25 years.”
Paul Winter’s musical odyssey has long embraced the traditions of the world’s cultures, as well as the wildlife voices of what he refers to as “the greater symphony of the Earth.” From the early days of his college jazz sextet, which toured 23 countries of Latin America for the State Department and performed the first-ever jazz concert at the White House for the Kennedys in 1962, to his later ensemble, the Paul Winter Consort, his concert tours and recording expeditions have taken him to 52 countries and to wilderness areas on six continents, where he has traveled on rafts, dog sleds, mules, kayaks, tug-boats and Land Rovers. He has recorded over 50 albums, of which seven have been honored with Grammy® Awards.
The voices of the world of nature have long been part of his musical community. Over the years, he and his colleagues have evolved a unique genre of “Earth Music,” celebrating the creatures and cultures of the Earth.
Paul Winter says: “I was captivated by Saint James Place. The acoustics are heavenly, and the architecture is stunning. With seating for [250], it is possibly the most exquisite small concert hall I’ve ever seen.”