“The Genius Jazz Violinist Aaron Weinstein Meets Brilliant Jazz Singer Christine Ebersole in Dual Birdland Triumph.” –David Finkel, Huffington Post
“Perhaps the imaginative Weinstein,” opined David Finkel (Washington Post),” figured he was designing a one-time gig, but the result has to be regarded as the debut of an astonishing new show-biz act.”
Litchfield Jazz Festival is honored to present that act to open its 18th season and welcome the two-time Tony Award winning singer-actress Christine Ebersole, and our favorite jazz violin group, the Aaron Weinstein Trio in Strings Attached!.
Ms. Ebersole won her first Tony for the smash hit revival of 42nd Street and her second for Grey Gardens. Selected highlights of her illustrious career include Broadway revivals of Steel Magnolias, Camelot, Oklahoma, Dinner at Eight (Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations), The Best Man, and the recent revival of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. In film she’s has appeared in Amadeus, Tootsie, and The Big Wedding, among others. Her television credits include, Royal Pains, Ugly Betty, Law and Order SVU, Boston Legal, and, most recently, the new TBS sitcom Sullivan and Son. In concert, Ms. Ebersole has appeared at Carnegie Hall, with the San Francisco Symphony, the Boston Pops and at Tanglewood. She has appeared often on PBS, including her star turns in Ira Gershwin at 100 and the Rodgers & Hart Story.
Aaron Weinstein, who appeared at Litchfield in 2010 with his Trio with Ted Firth on piano and Steve LaSpina on bass, was named this year a ‘rising star violinist’ by the Downbeat Magazine Readers’ Poll. At just 28, Aaron has already appeared at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wolftrap Center for the Performing Arts, Birdland, Blue Note, the Iridium, and, abroad at jazz festivals in England, France, Switzerland, Iceland and Israel.
He has appeared and recorded with the best: Les Paul, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Scott Hamilton, Dick Hyman, Dave Frishberg, Ken Peplowski, Houston Person, Skitch Henderson and many others. He has also written arrangements for Michael Feinstein, Billy Stritch, and Hilary Kole, and is a New York Nightlife Award winner. He is a talent-scholarship graduate of Berklee College of Music. Jazz Critic Nat Hentoff called his debut CD A Handful of Stars (Arbor Records) “the rebirth of the hot jazz violin.” His newest release, Blue Too, is a duo with John Pizzarelli on Arbors Records.
–VM