Jazz supergroup The Bad Plus Joshua Redman will kick off the Albany’s signature free concert series on Thursday, June 11

Albany – The City of Albany’s Alive at Five concert series will kick off with a headline performance by genre-smashing jazz supergroup The Bad Plus Joshua Redman on Thursday, June 11, with an opening set from Capital Region favorites The Chronicles. Building on the eclectic lineup that garnered Metroland’s Best Concert Series designation for 2014, this announcement is just a sneak peek at an Alive at Five season bursting with critically-acclaimed artists of all genres and styles, offering something for everyone over the course of its eight-week run. The full lineup will be revealed in May.

Albany’s signature free concert series premiered in the summer of 1990 with a performance by legendary folk artist Richie Havens, and has since grown into a staple of summer in the Capital Region. This year’s season begins onJune 11 and runs through August 6 (with no show on July 2), showcasing a diverse lineup of big names, up-and-coming acts and the region’s most talented original local artists. The concerts take place at Jennings Landing at the Corning Preserve from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday nights, with a rain location at the Corning Preserve Boatlaunch.   

Alive at Five presents a variety of opportunities for local vendors and businesses. Visit www.albanyevents.org/vendor_information for applications and more info.

About the bands:
THE BAD PLUS JOSHUA REDMAN[The Bad Plus website] [Joshua Redman website] [press kit] [press contact]
A collaboration between powerhouse trio The Bad Plus and Grammy Award nominated saxophonist Joshua Redman, The Bad Plus Joshua Redman seamlessly blends Redman’s melodic prowess with the “avant-garde populism” of Reid Anderson, Ethan Iverson and David King – pushing the boundaries of jazz beyond all imagination. Metroland describes the supergroup best: “It’s as though Redman is the long-lost fourth member of the group, just waiting to be snapped snugly into place. Imagine if the Beatles had spent the first decade of their career as a trio before adding Paul. It’s like that.” Now touring as a four-part collective, The Bad Plus Joshua Redman prepares to release an album of original compositions written by – and specifically for – this ensemble. As The Boston Globe says, “The new album seems to seal this collaboration as a creative unit on its own terms, not merely a band showcasing a featured soloist”

The Bad Plus came together at the end of the 20^th century and has avoided easy categorization ever since, garnering critical acclaim and a legion of fans worldwide with their creativity, idiosyncratic personality and flair for live performance. The deeply collaborative trio constantly searches for rules to break and boundaries to cross, bridging genres and techniques while exploring the infinite possibilities of three exceptional musicians working in perfect sync, as evidenced on their latest release of original compositions, Inevitable Western.

Saxophonist Joshua Redman is one of the most acclaimed and charismatic jazz artists of his generation. His most recent release, Trios Live, is one in a long line of critically-acclaimed releases as a successful bandleader. Always craving new musical exploration, Redman currently continues his role as Artistic Director of Wigmore Hall’s Jazz Series in London, performs globally with his Quartet, tours with his Trio, and continues his work with the collaborative band James Farm. He looks forward to pushing musical boundaries when he joins forces with his friends and colleagues The Bad Plus in this very special series of concerts.

THE CHRONICLES
[website][press contact]
Voted Best Local Jazz Band in the 2015 Metroland Readers Poll, Capital Region favorites The Chronicles are a high energy six-piece band that brings together jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop into one genre-bending sound. Formed in 2009 by horn players Bryan Brundige and Jeff Nania, The Chronicles recently released their second full length album, Spanning the Gap, produced and mixed by Alan Evans of Soulive. Hailing from Albany, the group has performed at major venues and festivals throughout the Northeast, and shared the stage with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Bernie Worrell, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Alan Evans Trio, and many more.

The 2015 Alive at Five concert series is brought to you by  Bud Light & Shock Top Belgian White, Key Bank and CDTA.

Media sponsorship for the June 11 show by WVCR 88.3 The Saint.

For more information on Alive at Five, visit www.albanyevents.org, call 518.434.2032 or follow albanyNYevents on Facebook & Twitter.