Tony DeSare Joins Houston Symphony for IN THE MOOD: A BIG BAND NEW YEAR

Jazz headliner and star vocalist/pianist/composer Tony DeSare is the featured guest vocalist in "In the Mood: A Big Band New Year," joining Houston Symphony Principal POPS conductor Steven Reineke for the first Houston Symphony performance of 2021 in the Houston Symphony's Bank of America POPS series. DeSare replaces Houston's own David Caceres, previously announced for this concert, who has withdrawn from this weekend's performances due to illness.

"We're so fortunate that Tony was available and willing to join us for this concert," said Reineke. "This program lies right in Tony's wheelhouse, and it marks the second year in a row that we'll have the joy of ringing in the new year with Tony DeSare!"

Named Downbeat Magazine's 2009 Rising Young Male Vocalist, Tony DeSare has four top ten Billboard jazz albums to his credit. In addition to performing throughout North America and abroad to critical and public acclaim, he has appeared on CBS Early Show, NPR, A Prairie Home Companion, and the Today Show. He joined Steven Reineke to headline the Houston Symphony's immensely popular "Sinatra and Beyond," the orchestra's first concert of 2020. In its review of that concert, the Houston Chronicle noted that "his relative youth allowed him to feed off the orchestra's swell vibe...his voice brimming with vintage swagger."

Tony DeSare joins Steven Reineke and the Houston Symphony for "In the Mood: A Big Band New Year," part of the Bank of America POPS Series, Jan. 8-10. This performance is livestreamed Saturday, Jan. 8, at 8 p.m. CST. Tickets are now available for these performances at houstonsymphony.org/2021season. The program is chock full of such big band standards as "In the Mood," "Take the A Train," "Luck Be a Lady," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Fascinating Rhythm," and many more.

Livestream and in-person tickets are now available for these performances at houstonsymphony.org/2021season. Each livestream performance is available via a private link to ticket holders for $20, and livestream subscribers who purchase a package of tickets receive an additional 25% discount. For patrons attending in person, concerts will continue to have a one-hour run time with no intermission, and food and beverage service will be suspended to eliminate crowding. For a comprehensive list of safety measures, visit houstonsymphony.org/safety.

The Houston Symphony's POPS Series is sponsored in part by Bank of America, and livestream of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by Barbara J. Burger.

IN THE MOOD: A BIG BAND NEW YEAR

Friday, January 8, 2021 at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 9, 2021 8:00 p.m.*

Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Tony DeSare, vocalist and pianist

*Livestreamed at 8 p.m. CST