ALTON - The Alton Municipal Band will be presenting a free Holiday Concert at the Alton Square Mall with jazz vocalist Erin Bode at 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 8.
Conductor Jennifer Shenberger will take the podium and warm your heart with some special holiday selections. She encourages everyone to plan a shopping excursion that afternoon and then take a seat near the center court by Hayner Library and relax to some wonderful sounds of the season.
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“I wanted the Alton Municipal Band to do a holiday concert in Alton because as musical ambassadors for the city I wanted to provide another opportunity for our exceptional musicians to bring music and good cheer to everyone. I hope we are starting a new tradition that can continue with the support of this community.”We are very pleased to have one of our favorite jazz vocalist Erin Bode join us for this concert. She has performed on several occasions with the Alton Municipal Band during the summer Concerts in the Park program now entering its 130th season performing at both Haskell Park and Riverview Park locations.
In the decade-plus since Erin Bode began her professional recording career, she has garnered much critical praise for her pure voice, perfect pitch, and impressive phrasing and style. It is this talent, coupled with her reluctance to accept classification as a purely jazz vocalist that has led to reviews hailing her as “someone you won’t forget”.
Shortly after graduating from Webster University in St. Louis, Bode produced her first record, "Requests." The album was successful in gaining Bode local attention and secured her a recording contract with jazz label, Maxjazz. Bode gained exposure through appearances on various national broadcasts including CBS’s Second Cup Café and Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. To date, Bode and her band have released eight albums and have toured the United States, as well as Italy, Asia, and Africa.
The Erin Bode Group creates music forged from the Americana of its members’ Midwestern roots, infused with jazz grooves and made magic by Bode’s bell-like voice. Sophisticated arrangements and attention to phrasing, both vocal and instrumental, further distinguish the band’s fresh sound. For her most recent album, "Here and Now," Erin has collaborated with producer and bassist Viktor Krauss, guitarists Matt Munisteri and Todd Lombardo, cellist Tara Santiago and Grammy Award-winning vocalist, Suzanne Cox.
For this treasured collection of songs from writers like Irving Berlin and Frank Loesser, Rickie Lee Jones and Gerry Rafferty, Bode and her fellow musicians impart each story through simple yet sophisticated arrangements of each piece. We want to thank Alton Square Mall for hosting this event. The event will be taking place following Mall hours, so entrances will be limited.
Shoppers and families planning to attend should park near the lower east entrance to the mall for the best access to the performance area by Hayner Library. This is an event that everyone will enjoy. ERIN BODE Photograph attached for use in publication. For information, visit the city website or send an email to info@altonmunyband.org
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