Lazlo Gardony-Marco Pignataro Jazz Duo, New Leaf Irish Band, and Women's Day Art Reception This Weekend at The Buttonwood Tree

The Laszlo Gardony-Marco Pignataro Jazz Duo

March 8 @ 8-10 pm, $15

Details here/Reserve seats

New England’s world-class musicians, Laszlo Gardony (piano) and Marco Pignataro (saxophone) will perform unique takes of South-American and Caribbean standards as well as originals and jazz standards with arrangements especially suited for the duo. They have toured the Dominican Republic as a duo and have played major festivals (Rochester Jazz Festival, Cambridge River Festival) together.

Hungarian-born Laszlo Gardony has delivered soulful improvisations and compositions to great critical acclaim in 26 countries. Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Gardony has been called “a pianist worthy of praise within the highest pantheon of performers” by Jazz Review and “a great pianist” by Dave Brubeck. He has released 11 albums, including his sextet’s new live album, “Life In Real Time” which has been named by the Boston Globe as one of the Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2015. He has been featured with the Boston Pops, the Utah Symphony and The Smithsonian Institute’s “Beyond Category” Traveling Duke Ellington Exhibit. A Bostonian for over two decades, he currently serves as Professor of Piano at Berklee College of Music.

About Laszlo Gardony

About Marco Pignataro

Pignataro performs and tours internationally with several musical groups, including the Marco Pignataro Jazzet and the Eddie Gomez Quintet, which is featured in the widely acclaimed recent CD Per Sempre (BFM Records). Marco Pignataro is a multitalented saxophone player, composer, and educator originally from Bologna, Italy. He has shared stages with artists such as Eddie Gomez, Danilo Pérez, George Garzone, John Patitucci, Rufus Reid, Kenwood Dennard, Antonio Sanchez, Laszlo Gardony, Ben Street, Billy Drummond, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis, Clark Terry, and Jon Faddis, among others. Pignataro’sCD, Sofia’s Heart, was also produced by jazz legend Eddie Gomez and features Pignataro’s compositions and arrangements. 

Pignataro was the director and cofounder of the Jazz and Caribbean Music Department and was the chair of the Jazz Saxophone Department at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. He was also a board member of the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE), the president and founder of the IAJE chapter of Puerto Rico, and faculty at the University of Veracruz International Summer Jazz Seminars.

His column, “Style & Influence,” was regularly featured in the quarterly magazine Jazz Improv. Pignataro is a D’Addario Woodwind Performing Artist and endorser for Applied Microphone Technology Wireless System and for Mauriat and Lupifaro saxophones.

Aligned with Source: A Personal Development Workshop & Meditation
March 9 @ 10:30-12 pm

Topic: Allowing Divine Order
We often like to be in control of life, & others. But how much control do we really have?
Details here
Official Facebook Page
Suggested Donation: $10 (Give what you can)

New Leaf Irish Band 

March 9 @ 8-10 pm, $15

A pair of tickets to our Benefit Celtic show with TEMPEST on April 5 will be given away during this concert! Reserve your seats today!

New Leaf is John Tabb on button accordion, Kira Jewett on fiddle and Adam Braunschweig on guitar, vocals and anything else he happens to bring on a typical evening - could be harmonica, tenor banjo or even an octave mandolin.  Together they play traditional tunes with tight, driving rhythm, interspersed with Adam's unique take on Ireland's song repertoire.

John Tabb is well known throughout southern New England for his box playing and leads weekly sessions at the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England. He has performed with The Healys, The Dustmen and his dad Chris Tabb, and appears on the recording Apples in Winter. Kira Jewett started playing classically when she was just three years old, but fell in love with the music of Ireland in her 20s and studied extensively with the virtuoso fiddler Brian Conway. She is the 2003 All-Ireland fiddle Slow Airs Champion. Singer/songwriter Adam Braunschweig is talented in many genres and on many instruments, and makes his living as a music educator. 

Details here/Reserve seats

Check out their website for more information: https://www.newleafirishband.com/

International Women's Day Art Reception

March 10 @ 2-4 pm

Celebrating International Women’s Day is a tradition at The Buttonwood Tree! We believe in the invincible power and spirit of women and take this time to recognize that. The event is free and a perfect opportunity to meet the talented local artists of this month's exhibit.  

Featuring Art By:

• Jenavieve Hawks

“Art has always been my passion and I have been creating it my whole life. I learned to draw before speaking and can always be found doodling on something. Art has been my way to cope, celebrate, and transform all that life has offered me…. including the seemingly ‘negative’ events. Creative expression has taught me that even the greatest pain can transformed into the most beautiful work of art.”

• Michele Gargenti

You can find all of my current artwork on my Facebook Page: Indigo ANGEL Prints. During my childhood and well into my adult years, I struggled with expressing myself creatively. I really enjoyed drawing but I was completely terrified of sharing my work for fear of being judged or ridiculed. Even though it has taken me many years, I have finally found the courage to be able to share this part of myself with the world, and it feels so liberating. If I had to share one life lesson it would be to never let fear stand in your way of accomplishing your goals and dreams. Be fearless, be courageous, be proud of who you are and share your talents with the world!

• Diane Szymaszek

My name is Diane Szymaszek. I am a retired art teacher having taught in the Meriden school system for 37 years. In retirement I am active in my Unitarian Universalist Church especially in social justice issue particularly immigration. anti-racism, and environmental causes. Occasionally I teach at Gallery 53 here in Meriden.

• Lori Tripp Jacinto
• Pamela Hartz Miller
• Maria Louise
• Carole Dubiell

This annual event offers art by local women to be displayed for the month of March. The reception will also feature music by Greg Gaylord on piano. TBT Performing Arts Center is located at 605 Main St, Middletown, CT 06457. Details here.

The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center is located at 605 Main Street, Middletown. There is ample, free parking behind It's Only Natural market. Refreshments, viewing of Buttonwood's Art show, the bookstore and refreshments are all open and available. Call for info: (860) 347-4957. If you want to see what events we have lined up for the month check our website's event calendar here.