Canadian Jazz Chanteuse June Garber to Return to Sarasota with A COOL YULE

Acclaimed Canadian jazz vocalist June Garber returns to Sarasota to ring in the holidays with "A Cool Yule," December 16, 7:30 p.m., and December 17, 3:00 p.m., at the Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bayshore Road, Sarasota.

Garber will be joined by the jazz trio of Rick Costa, drums; Joe Delaney, piano; Brandon Robertson, bass; and a sextet of singers from Choral Artists of Sarasota.

The program features a selection of holiday songs and celebrates the centennial of legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald with an assortment of Fitzgerald's own arrangements of holiday favorites, including "Little Town of Bethlehem," "Jingle Bells," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Tickets are $25 to $45 and are available online at www.artistseriesconcerts.org or by calling 941-306-1202. Student tickets, priced at $10, are available with current student ID at the door.

Called "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald reigned as the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than 50 years. "Ella Fitzgerald set the standard for jazz vocalists worldwide," says Artist Series Concerts artistic director Joseph Holt. "An heir apparent of that tradition is June Garber, whose voice has an airy nimbleness and richness of sound that is reminiscent of the great Ella. We're thrilled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald-and the holiday season-with June."

With her sizzling voice and megawatt smile, vocalist June Garber has lit up concert halls, theaters and jazz festivals throughout her long performing career in Canada and the United States. Garber has been hailed by critics for her ability to "soar from note to note in musical textures that are hard to imagine," as she growls, grinds, purrs and belts out the songs. She has toured and performed in major venues and festivals in Canada, the United States, Cuba, the Caribbean, Mexico, South Africa and Australia. Her recent album, "This I Know," received rave reviews and extensive airplay around the world.

The merry sounds of "A Cool Yule" will be rounded out by a trio of area jazz aces, pianist Joe Delaney, bassist Brandon Robertson, percussionist Rick Costa and a back-up vocal ensemble from Choral Artists of Sarasota.

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota was formed in 1996 as Artist Series of Sarasota. The non-profit organization presents world-class musical experiences in a diverse range of genres, including classical, cabaret, pop, Broadway, orchestral and opera. A central focus of Artist Series Concerts' mission is to spark a lifelong love of the musical arts by exposing young people to interactive music experiences. It accomplishes this through its performance-based outreach programs in area schools, creating unique learning opportunities for thousands of students and educators every year. In addition, Artist Series Concerts' preeminent Sarasota National Music Scholarship Awards grants more than $20,000 annually to gifted, young musicians from around the country. Past winners have gone on to study at leading music conservatories and pursued successful music careers. For more information, visit www.artistseriesconcerts.org.