Fans of jazz may feel the urge to get up and dance next week: Paul Cosentino’s Boilermaker Jazz Band will play Dixieland jazz in the Jan. 13 and 14 openers of the 2025 concert season of the Florida Keys Concert Association.
Monday’s concert will be held at Marathon High School’s performing Arts Center, while Tuesday’s performance shifts north to Coral Shores High School.
Program director Norman Werbner said that, while classical music mainstays such as string quartets and piano virtuosos are again on tap for the FLKCA season, “I thought it would be special to do something unexpected, and blow the roof off the venue with the nationally famous Boilermaker group for our opener. Their enthusiastic performances have audiences dancing in the aisles.”
The concerts will feature a six-man lineup of clarinetist and saxophonist Paul Cosentino, who serves as the band leader, along with Clint Baker on trumpet, Jake Handelman on trombone, Antonio Croes on piano, Russ Wilson on drums and Greg Zabel on string bass.
The concert programs will delve deeply into the great American songbook, and will include favorites for all ages.
“Starting in New Orleans where it all began, you’ll hear the sounds of street parades and steamy honky-tonk blues,” the concert website states. “The band will then travel north up the Mississippi River to Chicago, as did so many jazz greats including Louis Armstrong. We’ll bring you music from the dance halls and clubs from the Windy City of the 1920s. Following the migration to Harlem, you’ll hear familiar melodies from the 1930s featuring music by Duke Ellington and stride piano master Fats Waller.”
“Tickets are available at the door, and we would love to see some new faces,” said Webner. “Give us a try; I know you will have a great time.”
Showtime is 7:30 on both nights. Tickets are $30 at floridakeysconcerts.com or at the door, with a $45 option for preferred seating. Season tickets are also available for the six-concert weekly series, which concludes at the end of February.
