Événement

Kelly Park BIG Band with Bill Mentz

The Kelly Park Big Band was founded in 2014. The band is dedicated to the writing and performance of fresh original music and arrangements, it is designed to be a concert band, not a dance band. Although much of the music is composed and arranged by Kelly, he has created a platform that gives band members and local composers an opportunity to write for a big band with no constraints; an opportunity to be as free and creative as possible.

Kelly Park is a former faculty member and alumnus of the Berklee College of Music, Boston MA. He has been a fixture of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for many years, most notably as Musical Director of the Rrazz Room, the premier SF nightclub from 2007-2013. There he performed with such stars as Loretta Devine, Keely Smith, Pia Zadora, the Shirrelles, Deborah Gibson, Trini Lopez, Deana Martin, and many others. He has performed throughout the United States and Europe, and was the owner of the jazz club Kelly's of Alameda.

The Band will be joined by the one and only: Bill Mentz.

Bill Mentz: A soupcon of Kurt Elling, a nano-dash of Bennett, some silky midnightness and a hot shot swinging band. Serve with ice."
All About Jazz - allaboutjazz.com

""This versatile singer delivers smooth, flawless vocals that can only be described as full of range and dynamics."-Bobbi Warren Agency"

Bill Mentz has been performing, touring and recording music since 1974. Bill has recorded and released 6 albums/CDs, numerous commercial jingles & voice-overs (VOs) and has probably logged over 7,500 live shows around the globe. A short list of some of the artists Bill Mentz has had the privilege to share the stage with, or, warm up include: John Denver, Jerry Springer, Richie Havens, Poco, The Beach Boys, Pat Boone, Conway Twitty, Dottie West, Ray Stevens, Bo Diddley, Lee Greenwood, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Temptations, Tommy Castro, Chuck Berry, Mary Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Art Linkletter, The Associations, and The Guess Who. Bill Mentz has fronted such great bands as Night Flight, The Celebration Band, The Van-Dells, Strong Current and the Clevers. Bill has spent the last 6+ years recording and performing with the fabulous Howlers out of Berkeley California along with some of the very best musicians in the Bay Area.

Due to a generous Challenge Grant, any donations you make on this date will be matched up to $1000