Michael Feinstein, the multi-platinum-selling, five-time GRAMMY®- nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” is one of the premier interpreters of American standards. Through his live performances, recordings, film and television appearances, and his songwriting, Feinstein is an all-star force in American music.
Singer-songwriter Colin Hay is most beloved for his intimate, confessional live shows but most widely known for being an influential and celebrated frontman of Men at Work, responsible for penning several pop hits of the early ’80s including (The Land) Down Under and Who Can it Be Now. After Men At Work, Hay embarked on a solo career, debuting in 1987 with Looking For Jack and continued to release critically acclaimed solo material throughout the 2000’s, Hay contributed I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over You to the soundtrack of Garden State and has had roles in other cult movies and television shows. In 2017, Hay recorded and released his 13th solo album, Fierce Mercy.
Robert Klein is a pioneer in modern stand-up comedy who has inspired heavyweights like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. For more than forty years, he has entertained audiences, and he continues to have an acclaimed career in comedy, on Broadway, on television, and in film. Born in the Bronx, he was a member of the famed “Second City” theatrical troupe in Chicago. Robert has been nominated twice for Grammy Awards for “Best Comedy Album of the Year” for his albums “Child of the Fifties” and “Mind Over Matter.” In 1975, Klein was the first comedian to appear in a live concert on Home Box Office. He has gone on to do nine one-man shows for HBO and received his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Music and Lyrics in 2001 for Robert Klein: “Child in His 50’s.” His most recent special for HBO, “Robert Klein: Unfair and Unbalanced” aired on June 12th, 2010 and earned him a second Emmy nomination in 2011 for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
Monmouth University’s Summer Music and Arts festival is now in its third season—and it’s first as an in-person event – in the theatres and galleries across campus. With student performances, a visual arts exhibit and an eclectic evening concert – there truly is something for everyone to enjoy.
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LOW TICKET SALES. Join us for a family-friendly performance of Serge Prokofiev’s famous story Peter and the Wolf by the Garden State Philharmonic. In this production, children are invited to participate by filling in coloring books on stage for story time with the Garden State Philharmonic.
Monmouth University’s very own Blue Hawk House Band, who has been entertaining folks virtually throughout the pandemic monthly during Tuesday Night Record Club, will make their live debut. These talented students put their very own spin on rock and pop classics.
Join us for an evening of an evening of Poetry, Jazz and “Harp”Beats featuring – Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise’s hip-hop poetry with bluesy beats supported by the harp, New Jersey native and former Poet Laureatre Robert Pinsky ‘s “PoemJazz” with a reading and performance of poems in concert with a variety of jazz improvisations. Also featured on the evening’s bill are the Digba Ogunbiyi Quartet playing original compositions that are deeply rooted in Ogunbiyi’s Nigeria roots yet highly informed by his years of studying Jazz, and an opening set by Gregory Schwartz, former recipient of the Poet Laureate of Asbury Park award.
Pat Guadagno and his band Small Change along with special guests Eryn O’Ree and Ryan Gregg, pay tribute to the head-scratching, mind-bending music of Tom Waits.
As a co-founder of The Byrds, Roger McGuinn is firmly established as an indisputable industry icon. From his signature 12-string Rickenbacker sound, to his instantly recognizable vocals on hits like Turn, Turn, Turn, Eight Miles High and Mr. Tambourine Man, Roger McGuinn didn’t just make music; he made history.
Hailed as “the king and queen of the banjo,” (Paste Magazine) sixteen-time Grammy® Award-winner Béla Fleck returns to our stage alongside his wife, fellow banjoist and singer Abigail Washburn. Fleck is the world’s premier banjo player, known for his eclectic mix of bluegrass and jazz, while Washburn marries folk traditions with far-flung Eastern influences. Together, their sound is familiar yet wildly innovative and on stage, their artistry and chemistry results in a picking partnership unlike any on the planet.
