Dirty Bourbon River, Lea DeLaria and More Set for Bucks County Playhouse's JAZZ FEST 2014 in September

Bucks County Playhouse under the direction of Alexander Fraser and Robyn Goodman is delighted to announce the launch of the upcoming Bridge Street Concert Series: Jazz Fest 2014.

The series will launch with a free Outdoor Riverside Concert Wednesday, September 17th at 6pm (performers TBA), and continue as follows:

-Dirty Bourbon River Show Thursday, September, 18th, 8pm

-Eric Mintel Quartet Friday, September 19th, 8pm

-Lea DeLaria Saturday, September 20th 8pm

presented with New Hope Celebrates

-Livingston Taylor Sunday, September 21st at 3pm

Bridge Street Concert Series will be held at Bucks County Playhouse, continuing the Playhouse's ongoing commitment to bring the best in live entertainment to New Hope, Lambertville and the surrounding community. Additionally, Eric Mintel Quartet will give a master class on September 15th at Lambertville Hall, highlighting BCP's efforts to blend arts entertainment and education.

"We're delighted to present these terrific artists in our efforts to expand our programming and appeal to music lovers across the Delaware Valley. We hope audiences will sign up for our Club Pass, which offers a great deal for all four concerts. We're also thrilled that Eric Mintel Quartet has agreed to give an intimate master class at Lambertville Hall for those interested in the art form," says Fraser.

Tickets to the concerts and the master class, as well as more information, can be found on www.bcptheater.org, or by calling the box office at 215-862-2121.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Dirty Bourbon River Show:

The Dirty Bourbon River Show deftly melds sounds that range from hard-edged blues to Lisztian piano driven ballads to New Orleans brass into a result that is truly a blast of new energy into the musical landscape. Dirty Bourbon grabs hold of audiences, fascinated by their eccentricity and dexterity coupled with their ability to harken back to by-gone eras in music. Since forming in early 2009, the Dirty Bourbon River Show has released 6 studio albums and played over 500 live shows, fast earning them a stellar reputation for their tight, multi-faceted sound and high-energy performances. They can be found bringing their blend of "New Orleans Gypsy Brass Circus Rock" all over the USA, performing at festivals and respected venues year-round.

The Dirty Bourbon River Show is comprised of Noah Adams (vocals, piano, guitar, accordion, trumpet), Charles "Big Charlie" Skinner (vocals, trombone, wind toys), Matt Thomas (vocals, tenor, bari and Mississippi saxophone, clarinet), Jimmy Williams (bass, sousaphone) and Dane "Bootsy" Schindler (drums).

Their albums and live shows (both heavily intertwined) pair exuberant, syncopated lyrics with complex, harmony-rich songwriting and orchestration. They switch instruments mid-show (sometimes even mid-song), they all sing (except the drummer, of course), and they all have a penchant for theatrics (fireballs, group chants and stomps, whiskey pours - whatever the imagination calls for).

They recently played a packed set at Jazzfest this year and will be on a nationwide tour through December promoting their recent album release, Volume IV.

Website: http://dirtybourbonrivershow.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dirtybourbonrivershow?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DirtyBourbon

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DirtyBourbonRiverTV

Bandcamp: http://dbrs.bandcamp.com/

Eric Mintel Quartet:

Jazz pianist and composer Eric Mintel performed at the White House for President Clinton in 1998 and has over ten concerts at the Kennedy Center to his credit. A Bucks County-based musician, Eric has sold out area venues, Crossing Vineyards and Winery, and the James A. Michener Art Museum. This exciting performer continues to connect and communicate with audiences of all ages throughout the country and the world. In August 2010, the Eric Mintel Quartet performed by invitation at the United Nations in New York City. In 2011, the Eric Mintel Quartet returned once again to the White House, this time performing for President and First Lady Obama during a holiday dinner reception; a note from President Obama stated that the Quartet's music set the mood for the entire evening. Eric has been interviewed in Down Beat Jazz Magazine and as the featured guest on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on NPR. The Eric Mintel Quartet is currently touring in support of their 10th CD, "Just Around The Corner." Eric is a Yamaha-endorsed piano artist. The Eric Mintel Quartet features pianist and composer Eric Mintel, Nelson Hill on alto sax, Dave Mohn on drums, and Jack Hegyi on electric bass. For more info, visit www.ericmintelquartet.com.

Lea DeLaria: Lea DeLaria seems to have achieved stardom with her stand out role as Big Boo in the Neflix hit series Orange Is The New Black. Yes, she went from being able to walk around a city with the occasional, "Hey its You!" to not being able to enter a suburban Dollar Store without being asked for a picture. The fact is, Lea has actually been a professional Lesbian for over 30 years. Before that she freelanced.

In 1993, Ms. DeLaria was the first openly gay comic to perform on television in America. This launched her into world recognition.

Prior to her success on OITNB, she was seen in numerous television series, Californication, One Life To Live, SVU, Will and Grace, The Oblongs, Friends and even Matlock as well as movies like The First Wives Club, Edge Of Seventeen, Dear Dumb Diary, Fat Rose and Squeaky and Attack Of The Big Haired Lesbians.

There are far too many On and off-Broadway credits to mention, but the stand outs include, Obie and Theater World Awards, a Drama Desk Nomination and a Drama League Honoree for On The Town; Drama League Honoree for Happy Days; an Ovation Nomination for Boys From Syracuse; and portraying both Eddie and Dr. Scott in the Tony nominated revival of The Rocky Horror Show.

If that is not enough, Lea has 5 records out on the Warner Jazz and Classics label, and her book "Lea's Book Of Rules For The World" is in its third printing at Bantam Doubleday and Dell.

So yeah, she is Big Boo, but she's all that too.

Livingston Taylor:

Livingston Taylor picked up his first guitar at the age of thirteen, beginning a forty-year career that has encompassed performance, songwriting and teaching. Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, Livingston is the fourth child in a very musical family that includes Alex, James, Kate and Hugh. Livingston recorded his first record at 18 and has continued to create well-crafted, introspective and original songs that have earned him listeners worldwide.

From top-forty hits "I Will Be in Love with You" and "I'll Come Running," to "I Can Dream of You" and "Boatman" both recorded by his brother James, Livingston's creative output has continued unabated. His musical knowledge has inspired a varied repertoire, and he is equally at home with a range of musical genres-folk, pop, gospel, jazz-and from upbeat storytelling to touching ballads.

Livingston has never stopped performing since those early coffeehouse days, touring with major artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Buffett and Jethro Tull, and he maintains a busy concert schedule of over eighty shows a year. He is a natural performer, peppering his shows with personal stories, anecdotes and ineffable warmth that connect him to his fans. His relaxed on-stage presence belies the depth of his musical knowledge, and fans might just as often be treated to a classic Gershwin or something from the best of Broadway.

As a full professor at Berklee College of Music since 1989, Livingston shares his experiences and knowledge of professional touring with young artists, just beginning to hone their skills. His courses, Stage Performance I and II, are some of the most popular at the College, giving him the ideal forum in which to impart the lessons learned through his own career to a new generation of musicians. His book, Stage Performance, is drawn from those classes.

Bucks County Playhouse, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, provides the finest theatrical entertainment for visitors and residents of New Hope, Doylestown, Lambertville and the Delaware Valley. Under the direction of Alexander Fraser and Robyn Goodman, its mission is to regain the Playhouse's historic place in the national theatrical landscape, and to stimulate, support, inspire and celebrate the performing arts via community programs, partnerships and arts education.

Located between Philadelphia and New York, Bucks County Playhouse opened in 1939 in a converted 1790 gristmill after a group of community activists, led by Broadway orchestrator Don Walker and playwright Moss Hart, rallied to save the building. The Playhouse quickly became one of the country's most famous regional theaters, featuring a roster of American theatrical royalty including Helen Hayes, Kitty Carlisle, Colleen Dewhurst, Shirley Booth, Lillian Gish, Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, Bert Lahr, Walter Matthau, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Alan Alda, Tyne Daly, Liza Minnelli and Audra McDonald and remained in continuous operation until December 2010. In 2012, the Playhouse re-opened thanks to the efforts of the Bridge Street Foundation, the nonprofit family foundation of Kevin and Sherri Daugherty, and Broadway producer Jed Bernstein. Terrence McNally's Mothers and Sons, starring Tyne Daly, received its world premiere at the Playhouse in 2013 and opened on Broadway in February 2014, where it was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. This returned the Playhouse to its roots as an incubator for Broadway, including 1951′s The Fourposter starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, Neil Simon's first play Come Blow Your Horn, and Barefoot in the Park starring Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. The Bucks County Playhouse is located at 70 South Main Street in New Hope, PA.