Triple Play to give special ArtsFest performance, Dec.14
They brought the house down in two previous SaratogaArtsFest performances, and now Triple Play will return to the stage at Skidmore’s Arthur Zankel Music Center to wow Capital District audiences once again, in a special fundraising concert on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m.
Triple Play (from left): Peter Madcat
Ruth, Chris Brubeck, and Joel Brown
Chris Brubeck, a noted composer and musician who is the son of jazz legend Dave Brubeck, formed Triple Play in 1999. In addition to Brubeck, whose specialty is electric bass, trombone, piano and vocals, the group consists of Peter Madcat Ruth (harmonica, guitar, jaw harp, percussion and vocals) and Joel Brown (guitar and vocals). Brown is a senior-artst-in-residence at Skidmore. The group brings a rare level of joy, virtuosity, and American spirit to folk, blues, jazz, and classical music.
With an ever-expanding repertoire, the group continues to perform in concert halls, clubs, and festivals around the U.S. and abroad. Said the web site All About Jazz, "Triple Play blazes its own musical trail immersed in Delta Blues, Tin Pan Alley, and a host of influences that are the backbone of American music. Organic, eclectic, and always swinging, this music captures the joy of making music!"
Joining Triple Play will be special guest Jonathan Greene '07 on clarinet. Greene, a Filene Music Scholar at Skidmore who majored in environmental studies with a minor in business, has made a name for himself in the Saratoga-area music scene.
“Triple Play is thrilled to be invited back to the Zankel Center,” said Chris Brubeck. “The center’s Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall is a spectacular venue, and the audiences we have played for there are fantastic. The enthusiasm from the crowd is truly inspiring.”
Added Brubeck, “There is a beautiful history connected with this venue, since my dad's very last recorded work took place on that stage along with me, Peter Madcat Ruth, and Joel Brown, joined by Joel’s talented father Frank Brown on clarinet.”
Brubeck notes that the Dec. 14 concert will include some classic tunes of the season. “Since we are so close to the Holidays, we thought we would include a few numbers we recorded with Joel Brown on his solo CD Christmas, Cedar & Spruce. Many of the enduring songs we associate with this season began as folk tunes and were transformed over time into Holiday classics. Of course, Triple Play puts a unique twist on everything we play.”
Tickets are $25 for general admission. All proceeds from the event will support SaratogaArtsFest and its community programing. To purchase tickets online click here, or come to the Zankel Center box office Tuesday-Friday, 1-5 p.m.
