The Howard County Arts Council is pleased to announce the guest performers for the 17th annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County gala, presented by Howard Bank. Featured this year are: jazz pianist Alex Brown and bassist Zach Brown. You can catch them, along with the ten finalists in the Arts Council’s Rising Star Competition, at the Celebration gala on March 29, 2014 at 8 p.m. Emcee for the event is Richard W. Story, Senior Vice President, Community Relations and Government Affairs, and Business Development Liaison for Howard Bank.
Pianist Alex Brown has performed with everyone from saxophonist Miguel Zenon to the legendary Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. A member of Paquito D’Rivera’s ensemble since 2007, he shared in that ensemble’s 2010 Grammy nomination for the album Jazz-Clazz. Alex’s own album, Pianist, debuted in 2010. He holds a B.M. from New England Conservatory of Music.
Bassist Zach Brown has played with numerous artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Donald Harrison, among others. In 2009, he was invited to perform at Jazz at the White House, a nationally televised concert organized by First Lady Michelle Obama. He is a 2013 graduate of the Berklee College of Music. Both Alex and Zach have performed at major national and international jazz venues and jazz festivals, are graduates of Wilde Lake High School, and former HCAC Scholarship recipients. Additionally, Alex was a Rising Star winner in 2006.
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The Celebration is a multi-faceted signature event, showcasing and promoting the arts and raising funds for Howard County artists and arts organizations. In addition to the main stage performance, the evening also features a reception from 6-8 p.m. with a Silent Auction of work by local artists and culinary delicacies from area restaurants. Entertainment during the reception includes the musical stylings of Bruce Casteel followed by Brian Simms on keyboard. The Celebration will take place in Columbia at Howard Community College’s Peter and Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center. Information and tickets are available on the Celebration page of the Arts Council website at www.hocoarts.org or by phone at 410-313-2787.
