Underwater Kite, Windsor’s newest avant-garde art gallery, presents a Thursday night Jazz series on August 6, 13 & 20 starting with Nat Reeves and company. Full series information at https://underwaterkite.art.
Nat Reeves (bass), Kirk Woodard (drums), Mary DiPaola (keyboard): A highly respected bassist, educator, and bandleader known for his substantial contributions to both the performance and educational aspects of jazz music. His career spans decades and reflects a deep commitment to the jazz tradition, while embracing the evolution of the genre. He has had the honor of performing alongside iconic jazz musicians, including Jackie McLean, Pharoah Sanders and Kenny Garrett, as well as leading his own ensembles. His collaborations have placed him at the forefront of modern jazz bass playing, where his rhythmic precision, harmonic understanding, and dynamic sound have made him a sought-after sideman, as well as an accomplished band leader.
Kirk Woodard is a musician and educator from Hartford, CT. He began playing drums at the age of eight and pursued his study of percussion in school and through the Artists Collective in Hartford. He went on to study at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music where he earned a master’s degree in jazz studies, specializing in jazz percussion.
Mary DiPaola is a Connecticut-based jazz pianist, recording artist, and educator. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies and a Master of Music in Music Education from the Hartt School. Active in the Southern New England jazz scene for decades, DiPaola is a prominent bandleader and recording artist, having released albums such as Cat's Cradle and Seventh Sign. Mary DiPaola Quartet/Trio has notably collaborated with distinguished musicians like bassist Nat Reeves and performed at renowned local venues.
MORE INFO: Underwater Kite is not your average Connecticut art gallery. In fact, it's not an average gallery anywhere. Fully unique and in a class all its own, UWK is the brainchild of artist and curator, Antony Zito working in partnership with Hartford’s “Artists in Real Time”, the nonprofit organization run by Cynthia Bulaong. The main central space of the gallery does bear a resemblance to a traditional white box gallery but the surreal colorful patio out front and the moody lounge in the back, make this an entirely distinctive setting. Zito’s vibrant and diverse curatorial style brings a decidedly urban and edgy lilt to Windsor. The current exhibition, “Tar & Feathers” is hung salon-style and features over 100 artworks by 78 artists from across New England, New York and the Midwest. While some are relative unknowns, several are surprisingly established artists, such as Al Diaz, the NYC graffiti pioneer known for tagging “SAMO” with Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Gary Lichtenstein, the Master Printmaker at MASSMoCA, among others. This exhibit is full of deft humor, emotional depth, vibrant intellect, skillful craft and surprising moments - the perfect environment for summer evenings of jazz.