This year marks the inaugural season of Stanford Live Summer Sessions, a series of concerts, from classical to alternative, held mostly at Bing Concert Hall throughout the summer. Here are our picks for the top five shows to catch this summer.
1) La Santa Cecilia & Los Cenzontles – July 20 at 3 p.m. at Bing Concert Hall, $15
Catch La Santa Cecilia, a Latin-based alternative band that was named the “Best Alternative Band of the Year” by L.A. Weekly. The lead vocalist, La Marisoul, will pull you in with her unique voice and style. You can check the band out on YouTube where they were featured on the “NPR Music” channel.
2) Dance Party with Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers – July 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Gunn Atrium
At this event, you will not only get to enjoy a live performance by Jazz and Blues singer Lavay Smith, but you also get a free 45-minute swing dance lesson. Hearing her voice will bring you back to the Swing Era of the 1940s. The free dance lesson will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the live show will start at 7:30 p.m. You can hear the music for free or buy a $15 ticket to get on the dance floor. There will be food trucks outside so arrive hungry. You can hear some of her music, such as “Big Fine Daddy,” on YouTube here.
3) Midsummer Mozart Festival Program – July 19 at 7:30 p.m. and July 27 at 3 p.m., $15
Conducted by Maestro George Cleve, the founder of the festival and one of the world’s most renowned Mozart interpreters, this is a must-see for all Mozart lovers. The first show will feature Symphony No. 40 in G minor and the second will feature the Piano Concerto in D minor, K. 466.
4) Shawn Colvin – August 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Bing Concert Hall, $15
Three-time Grammy winner Shawn Colvin will sing a solo performance of folk music accompanied by her guitar. She has a calming voice worth spending an evening listening to. One of her biggest hits, “Sunny Came Home,” can be found onYouTubehere.
5) Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer – September 21 at 7 p.m. at Bing Concert Hall, $30
Don’t miss these two Grammy Award-winning instrumentalists performing together at Bing in September. Both Thile and Meyer incorporate jazz, Bach and Americana into their styles. They tend to perform both composed and improvised pieces. Thile, the mandolinist, and Meyer, the double bassist, have previously played with Yo-Yo Ma and fiddler Stuart Duncan at the 2011 Grammy Award-winning “The Goat Rodeo Sessions.” They have also released a self-titled duet album, “Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile.”
If you would like to see a complete list of artists playing this summer, check out the Stanford Live website.