PORT ANGELES — Grammy-winning vocalist and pianist Diane Schuur will headline the grand opening celebration of the Field Arts & Events hall this weekend with performances on Friday and Saturday.
Tickets for her extended performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday and her matinee performance at 4 p.m. Saturday at Field Hall, 201 W. Front St., Port Angeles are available at www.fieldhall events.org.
Founders Circle Donors and Patrons who have contributed to the Field Hall capital campaign are invited to a special pre-show cocktail reception at 6 p.m. Friday during which they will be able to watch the dress rehearsal for BANDALOOP vertical dancers.
“Diane Schuur at 70: An Evening of Song and Stories,” will kick off her 70th birthday tour.
Known for her eclectic style and vocal prowess, including a 3½ octave vocal range, Schuur is a leading contemporary jazz musician whose career includes two Grammy Awards — each for Best Jazz Vocal Performance — on Timeless (1986) and Diane Schuur and The Count Basie Orchestra (1987).
Schuur scored three additional Grammy nominations for subsequent albums Pure Schuur and Love Songs, as well as for the individual track “The Christmas Song.”
Born in Tacoma, Schuur has explored almost every locale on the American musical landscape in her music, according to her website at dianeschuur.com.
They include the albums Heart To Heart with B.B. King and Swingin’ for Schuur with Maynard Ferguson, alongside assorted tracks with Stan Getz, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Mark Knopfler and Jose Feliciano, among countless others. Distinguished producers who have joined forces with Schuur include Phil Ramone (Friends For Schuur), André Fisher (Pure Schuur, In Tribute), Barry Manilow (Midnight), Steve Buckingham (The Gathering), Dave Grusin (Schuur Thing, Deedles, Timeless) Al Schmitt (Blues for Schuur, Love Walked In) and Oscar Castro-Neves (Schuur Fire).
Her musical journey began at a young age, inspired by her parents’ extensive jazz collection that introduced her to such legendary artists as Duke Ellington and Dinah Washington. She was nicknamed “Deedles” by her mother.
For her 70th birthday tour, Schuur has curated a music program that reflects her life and career that weaves together blues, straight-ahead jazz, gospel and genre-defying tunes.
In addition to Diane Schuur’s performances, the Grand Opening Celebration at Field Arts & Events Hall will feature other headliners, including the Grammy-winning quintet Ranky Tanky, known for its Gullah-inspired jazz, and Unit Souzou, a mesmerizing fusion of Japanese Taiko drumming and dance.
Saturday, attendees also will have the opportunity to enjoy free breathtaking vertical dance performances by BANDALOOP and local performers on the outdoor community stage.
Ticket information and the complete schedule for the Grand Opening Celebration can be found at www.fieldhallevents.org.
