PUTNEY-Next Stage Arts continues its Bandwagon Summer Series Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Putney Inn Field, 57 Putney Landing Rd with a double bill of Charlie & The Tropicales, a 1960s-inspired Caribbean jazz band led by New Orleans trombonist Charlie Halloran, and the Heather Pierson Trio, known for their blend of jazz, folk, and Americana.
Halloran performs regularly in New Orleans on Frenchmen Street and at major festivals like Jazz Fest. With his band The Tropicales, he plays mid-century Caribbean jazz - blending beguine, calypso, New Orleans R&B, and even Venezuelan waltzes. Their albums, Shake the Rum and The Alcoa Sessions, received international acclaim and radio play across the globe, with OffBeat magazine naming Shake the Rum one of Louisiana's top 50 albums of 2021.
Halloran has performed with a who's who of musicians, including Jon Cleary, Maria Muldaur, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and even rock legends like U2. Whether onstage with Preservation Hall All-Stars or recording nostalgic holiday tracks on candy cane–colored vinyl, "Charlie brings an unmistakable warmth and vintage flair to every project," wrote event promoters in a news release.
Pierson is a New Hampshire-based pianist, singer-songwriter, and bandleader who performs nationwide. Her Heather Pierson Trio features Shawn Nadeau on upright bass and Craig Bryan on percussion.
Her latest album, Back To The Light, showcases her songwriting, with Americana Highways praising her voice as "timeless wind moving slowly through the trees." She has released 16 albums on her own Vessel Recordings label. Pierson's music "reflects a deep desire to connect and uplift through song," said organizers.
Gates open at 5 p.m., and the music begins at 6 p.m. The event is for all ages, with kids under 12 admitted free. Tickets are $22 in advance at nextstagearts.org and $25 at the gate, with food available from Smokin' Bowls and refreshments, including Barr Hill cocktails.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.