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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2016
CONTACT: Erica Smith
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
863.734.1210; esmith@boktower.org
15th Annual Summer Music Series Returns June 4 to Bok Tower Gardens
Tickets On Sale Friday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m.
LAKE WALES, Fla. - The 15th annual Live at the Gardens! Summer Music Series brings an eclectic mix of Folk, Latin Jazz, Oldies, Dixieland Jazz, Irish and Contemporary music to the air-conditioned comfort of the Bok Tower Gardens Visitor Center select Saturdays throughout the summer. The series is presented by Allen & Company, and sponsored in part by Winter Haven Honda, Iceberg Air Conditioning and Heating, Pat and Don Jones, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
With six performances to choose from, ticket options include an All-Season Pass, Pick Four, and Individual Concert tickets, all available at boktowergardens.org/live-at-the-gardens. Guests can opt to add dinner in the Blue Palmetto Café before each show beginning at 5:45 p.m. and the menu includes choice of a main entrée course with a salad and sides, roll, dessert and a beverage. Advance reservations are required for dinner. All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7pm and beverage service will be available in the Visitor Center.
“This year’s line-up contains one our most exciting and diverse series,” said Jennifer Beam, Director of Visitor Services & Programs at the Gardens. “Our guests love the variety of music and the fact they can enjoy a great dinner in our Café before the shows begin, all for a really great price,” she said. “Live at the Gardens is one of our hottest events but we will be enjoying these artists in the cool comfort of the Visitor Center!”
June 4 – Passerine
Dinner options: Lasagna or Stuffed Shells
The first performance takes place June 4 with Passerine known for their distinctive sound combining vocal harmonies, the crisp rhythms of an acoustic guitar, the haunting voices of the fiddle and dobro (resonator slide guitar), the resonant lows of an acoustic bass. With inventive vocal harmonies and song-writing, supported by the sounds of acoustic strings, Passerine offers a fresh take on traditional folk and bluegrass music as well as a repertoire of original songs that range from sweet ballads to more edgier compositions.
June 25 – Leo Lopez – sponsored by Winter Haven Honda
Dinner options: Ropa Vieja or Chili Rellenos Pie
From the beginning, Leo Lopez was born to be a musician and he continues this birthright with another amazing performance June 25. His humble roots began in the small Caribbean coastal town of Ponce, Puerto Rico, known for being the birthplace of the musical percussion style of Bomba y Plen, and his sound echoes the Afro-Caribbean heritage that he holds close to his heart. Leo provides concert goers with a musical voyage that transports the soul to the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan and Andalusia. His music is an incredible fusion of Flamenco, Salsa and Guaracha but has the improvisational qualities of jazz. Within his ample repertoire, Leo Lopez thrills fans with the tropical rhythms of Flamenco, Jazz, Bossa Nova, Rumba, Salsa, Guaracha, Bolero, Mambo, Merengue, Bomba y Plena, Cumbia and Cuban Son. As if his guitar playing were not enough, Leo also belts out Spanish vocals when the occasion presents itself.
July 16 – Big Chill Band – sponsored by Pat and Don Jones
Dinner options: Grilled Pork Chop with Cherry Chutney or Veggie a la King
Always a crowd favorite and back by popular demand on July 16, The Big Chill Band features Big Band sounds from the 40s and classic rock-n-roll from the 50s and 60s. Tom Butler and accomplished bandmates will perform an evening of musical hits from Motown, the Blues Brothers, Miami Sound Machine, Huey Lewis & the News, and many more. A musician in demand, Butler has performed with Wayne Newton, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Dionne Warwick to name a few. The group played to a sold-out house during last year’s Summer Music Series and returns for an encore performance.
August 13 – Rowdy Roosters – sponsored by Iceberg Air Conditioning and Heating
Dinner options: Chicken & Waffles or Fried Green Tomato Over Black-eye Peas and Rice
Known through Florida as one of the most rollicking Dixieland Jazz bands, The Rowdy Roosters perform August 13. The Rowdy Roosters features the area’s most popular musicians and band leader Mark Green plays some of the meanest trumpet this side of Louisiana. With his vibrant character, red hot trumpet and his rowdy Dixieland Band, The Roosters’ toe-tapping New Orleans style jazz can turn any event into an instant Mardi Gras party!
August 27 – Lift Irish Band
Dinner options: Bangers & Mash or Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Bringing musical inspiration all the way from the Emerald Isles, Lift Irish Band comes to the Gardens August 27 with foot-stomping jigs and pub favorites, offering a diversity of Irish, Scottish and Celtic flavors. The band is comprised of three accomplished musicians, Lamont Goff (guitar, mandolin, backing vocals), Julian Lambertson (fiddle, whistles, vocals) and band leader Justin Murphy (flute, guitar, bodhran, vocals) who has been playing traditional Irish music for over 25 years. The vivacious trio joined forces last year for the summer concert series and are back by popular demand.
September 17 – Brian Sutherland Band
Dinner options: Herb Cheese Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Prosciutto or Herb Cheese Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
The concert series closes out with Central Florida’s own Brian Sutherland Band September 17. From their humble beginnings on the campus of Florida Southern College to their successful debut at the 2014 Child of the Sun Music Festival, this dynamic ensemble is complete with cello, guitar, bass, violin, drums and three vocalists. Their unique musical style combines folk with jazz and pop to make an indie sound all their own. The Brian Sutherland Band stems from five musicians whose backgrounds and styles greatly differ, but who all have one thing in mind—creating and sharing music for the love of the music.
Ticket prices are: $22.50 single concert, $45 with dinner; $75 any four concerts, $165 with dinner; $105 all six shows, $240 with dinner.
Order online at boktowergardens.org or call 863.734.1222 for assistance
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