Isn’t it romantic? A Valentine’s weekend dinner, dancing, and live jazz at the Classic Wineseller with jazz singer, Jesse E. Junior; pianist, Bill Bares; and bassist, Zack Page.. The evening includes a specially prepared menu from Angelino’s kitchen in the Wineseller. The per person price is $34.99 plus tax and gratuity.
Jesse Earl Junior, a long time jazz singer on the New York jazz scene, studied with piano legend Barry Harris and Cobi Norita of the Universal Jazz Coalition in New York. Junior played in numerous clubs in the New York area, as well as his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin before embracing the bourgeoning jazz scene in the Carolinas. His main influences include three great talents: Johnny Hartman, Joe Williams, and Louie Armstrong.
Pianist Bill Bares holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College, a Masters degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami, and a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from Harvard University, where he studied with Ingrid Monson, the Quincy Jones Professor of African American Music. Bares spent ten years performing and researching jazz in Europe, and his book Eternal Triangle: American Jazz in European Postmodern is forthcoming with Oxford University Press.
Zack Page has been honing his bass playing skills for 23 years. In high school, it was all about metal, the heavier the better. In college, Page moved solely into jazz and blues, regularly performing in nightclubs. In his 20s, he worked with a traveling theatrical productions company and as an entertainer on cruise ships.
He toured the world appearing in Asia, the Far East, the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and in all 50 states. Page performed with Billy Higgins, Eddie Daniels, and Babik Reinhardt (son of Django Reinhardt). Since then, he has enjoyed playing in a variety of settings from children’s music to straight ahead jazz and hard hitting blues.
Zack Page is a regular on the jazz scene in western North Carolina, performing with a variety of groups including the hot gypsy jazz group, One Leg Up from Asheville.
For more information about special events at the Classic Wineseller, including our weekly Friday Night Live music series, visit us online at www.classicwineseller.com or www.facebook.com/theclassicwineseller.
Jazz singer, Jesse E. Junior; pianist, Bill Bares; and bassist, Zack Page perform Saturday, February 16, at 7 p.m. The Classic Wineseller, 20 Church Street in Waynesville. Call (828) 452-6000 to make reservations or email requests to info@classicwineseller.com. Seating is limited. www.classicwineseller.com