Sarah McKenzie World Premiere Concert 2018
Open Tuesday – Sunday
Closed Monday*
Open for Calls
Tuesday – Sunday: Noon – 6:00pm
Friday – Saturday: Noon – 7:30pm
(925) 943-7469
Open for Walk Up
Tuesday – Thursday: 11:00am – 6:00pm
Friday – Saturday: Noon – 7:30pm
Sunday: Noon – 6:00pm
1601 Civic Drive
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
*In addition to the hours noted, the Ticket Office is also open one hour prior and thirty minutes after curtain for ticketed performances, including performances on Mondays.
September 14, 2018
Melbourne, Australia-born and Paris-based vocalist/pianist Sarah McKenzie returns to California following her U.S. debut at Monterey Jazz Festival for the “World Premiere” of her 13-song live concert of newly composed material commissioned by Jazz at Lesher Center, San Francisco - Paris of the West. McKenzie brings to life the wondrous story of the Verdier family starting with Felix´ and Emile´s voyage during the Gold Rush in 1850 aboard the “Ville de Paris” ship trekking from France to San Francisco and their quest to open a store, the ‘City of Paris’, celebrating French culture in downtown San Francisco, all the way to the post-prohibition 1930ies when Paul Verdier and his friend and store manager Charles Gassion turned the “City of Paris” into the center of French culture in the Bay area.
An adept composer in her own right, McKenzie debuts 13 commissioned songs written in the tradition of the Great American Songbook for the premiere of San Francisco - Paris of the West: a collective of gorgeous narratives set to 1930s-inspired music, McKenzie performs alongside an acclaimed live band featuring John Clayton (bass), Jeff Hamilton (drums), Warren Wolf (vibes), Randy Napoleon (guitar), Jeff Clayton (sax), Rickey Woodard (sax), and Gilbert Castellanos (trumpet).
Running Time: approx. 90 minutes, with no intermission
Photo Credit: Philippe Lévy-Stab