For the first time, jazz pianist Parker Story will collaborate with St. Luke’s singers in “A Very Jazzy January” on Saturday, January 6, at 7 p.m. The free event promises exciting collaborations, new discoveries, and old favorites.
Parker Story, a Rochester native, will kick off the evening with a solo set that includes jazz songs such as Milt Jackson’s “Bag’s Groove,” Rodgers/Hart’s “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” and Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.”
Guitarist and vocalist Rudy Dean, Jr., will sing an original tune, “Dream Away My Blues,” alongside classics like Johnny Mercer’s “Dream” and The Beatles’ “And I Love Her.” Collaborating with Jess Moss and Ben Monacelli, Dean will offer beloved standards such as Harold Arlen’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Last but not least, St. Luke’s Schola Cantorum will join Parker Story in a set of jazz classics for small choir, creating a unique fusion of instrumental and vocal artistry.
Parker Story, a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan University, studied piano with Professor Joe Werner and Professor Emeritus Dr. Michael Landrum, and jazz improvisation with Michael Van Allen.
Tenor Ben Monacelli studied voice at Ithaca College, graduating with a degree in vocal jazz studies in 2020. Since then, he has performed as a soloist with the Center Stage Pops Orchestra, Rochester chamber choir First Inversion, and the Brockport College-Community Chorus. He is currently a choral leader at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
Lyric soprano Jessica Moss, also a leader at St. Luke’s, has appeared as soloist with the Amalfi Coast Festival in Italy, the Miami Music Festival, and Northern Lights in leading roles. She holds a M.M. in Vocal Performance from Peabody Conservatory and a B.S. in Music Performance from Roberts Wesleyan University in Voice as a student of Constance Fee. Moss maintains a thriving voice studio and teaches piano as well.
Rudy Dean Jr. is a solo guitar instrumentalist and vocalist specializing in vintage jazz. His full-length performances include soft rock, country and bluegrass. He is a native of Manhattan, and has lived and played in Florida, Arizona, California and Oregon. He now resides in Brockport.
This concert is made possible through a generous grant from the Brockport Arts Fund of the Rochester Community Foundation. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 14 State Street, Brockport, invites the community to join in the celebration of jazz and support the Brockport Ecumenical Food Shelf. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and admission is free with a suggested donation of a non-perishable food item. The top three needs are cereal, soup, and canned pasta. All cash and money donations will benefit the food pantry.
Please note that seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit https://stlukesbrockport.org/ for updates and details.
Provided information and photos
Performers at “A Very Jazzy January” will be (top to bottom) Parker Story, Ben Monacelli, Jessica Moss, and Rudy Dean, Jr.
