Friday, December 13, 2024
7:30 PM
Parker’s at Thompson Central Park
Lee Musiker, Piano
Jeffrey Carney, Principal Bassist
James Saporito, Principal Percussionist
Hilary Kole, Vocals
Join us in Parker’s for a night of revelry with members of The New York Pops as they present “A Night of Holiday Magic”. Some of New York’s best musicians will carry you to new heights in a special one night only concert in Parker’s. Eat, drink, and be merry with 12 Days of Christmas-inspired cocktails—crafted with options for every style, including zero-proof, and a special bar bites menu that will fill your heart with joy.
About the Artists
Grammy, Emmy, and Platinum award–winning pianist, conductor, music director, arranger, and orchestrator Lee Musiker has established a distinguished and multifaceted career as soloist and collaborator in the classical, opera, Broadway, jazz, and pop genres. A Steinway artist, he has performed with the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet; Metropolitan Opera; Mostly Mozart Festival; Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; New York City Ballet; American Ballet Theatre; Atlanta, London, and American symphony orchestras; Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Hollywood Bowl orchestras; San Francisco Symphony; and New York, Boston, Cincinnati, and Philly pops.
Mr. Musiker has guest-conducted the New York Philharmonic; Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, National, and St. Louis symphony orchestras; Houston Symphony; Jazz at Lincoln Center, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Henry Mancini Institute orchestras; and was music director and principal conductor of the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon and The Palm Beach Pops. For many years, he was music director and pianist for legendary singer Tony Bennett. His recordings include the award-winning albums Duets: An American Classic, Duets 2, and Cheek to Cheek featuring Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, as well as their 2021 Radio City Music Hall concerts and CBS special.
A native New Yorker and fourth-generation musician, Mr. Musiker received degrees from the Manhattan School of Music and Eastman School of Music and also studied at The Juilliard School and Bard College. He has given master classes for the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and at Indiana University; in addition, he was guest artist-in-residence at the Tanglewood Music Center and Ravinia Steans Music Institute.
Mr. Musiker has performed and recorded with artists who include Kathleen Battle, Joshua Bell, Harolyn Blackwell, Stephanie Blythe, Andrea Bocelli, Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Denyce Graves, Josh Groban, Nathan Gunn, Marilyn Horne, Sylvia McNair, Julia Migenes, Dawn Upshaw, and Deborah Voigt.
Jazz, pop, and Broadway artists with whom he has collaborated include George Benson, Chris Botti, Michael Bublé, Kristin Chenoweth, Natalie Cole, Judy Collins, Barbara Cook, Eddie Daniels, Michael Feinstein, Sutton Foster, Aretha Franklin, Joel Grey, Michael Jackson, Jewel, Billy Joel, Elton John, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Seth MacFarlane, Manhattan Transfer, Wynton Marsalis, John Mayer, Paul McCartney, Audra McDonald, Maureen McGovern, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Rita Moreno, Leslie Odom Jr., Kelli O’Hara, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, John Pizzarelli, Buddy Rich, Doc Severinsen, Sting, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor, and Mel Tormé.
Jeffrey Carney is touring bassist for Barbra Streisand and jazz great Bobby McFerrin. He has performed with such jazz artists as Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson, as well as pop icons Sting, James Taylor, Elton John and Andrea Bocelli.
Jeff is principal bassist of the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.
On Broadway, he has played first chair for many productions including The Secret Garden, Cyrano, Beauty and the Beast, Anything Goes, and Les Misérables.
Studio/Film credits include Gemini Man, The Greatest Showman, Hail Caesar!, Carol, Mr. Holmes, True Grit, Julie & Julia, The Good Shepherd, Secret Window, Shaft 2, and The Producers.
Jeff was a member of Garrison Keillor’s NPR radio band for Prairie Home Companion. For over 15 years he has been professor of double bass and electric bass at The New School University.
James Saporito is currently Principal Percussionist with The New York Pops orchestra. He has played on over 150 records and 70 movie scores, from Billy Joel and Tony Bennett to Fargo and Chicago. He currently teaches percussion at New York University.
Hilary Kole is a singer, composer and arranger who can be seen performing throughout the USA, Europe and Japan with her small ensemble and as a guest artist with symphony orchestras including the NY Pops, Indianapolis Symphony and The Colorado Symphony among others. Before becoming a solo orchestral artist, she co-wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed, Off-Broadway reviews, “Our Sinatra,” and “Singing Astaire” both of which had long New York runs and toured extensively nationwide. She made her professional career debut at the legendary Rainbow Room as the youngest singer ever to grace the stage. From there, she made her concert hall debut at Lincoln Center and has appeared at Carnegie Hall in a Tribute to Oscar Peterson as well as at the Canadian Memorial to Dr. Peterson at Roy Thompson Hall alongside Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock.
Additional major concert appearances include headlining in New York City at Town Hall, The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. Hilary also headlines throughout the world at major Jazz Festivals including the Umbria Jazz Festival, The Montreal Jazz Festival, as well as throughout Japan and Europe.
As a recording artist, Hilary has recorded with music legends David Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Michel LeGrand, Hank Jones, John Pizzarelli, Monty Alexander, Kenny Barron, and Freddy Cole among others.
Hilary’s debut recording, “Haunted Heart” was released to critical acclaim in 2009, (Gold Disc Award in Japan, 4 stars in Downbeat) and her sophomore recording, “You Are There” was named as “Record Of The Year” in USA Today, as well as the 2010 Bistro Award for “Record of the Year”. Her third release, “A Self- Portrait” has been named as a top ten in USA Today. Her newest record will be released early in 2025. Hilary is currently composing a three act original musical. She is also an award winning composer (Delius Award, National Federation of Music) and received her BA from Manhattan School of Music in composition.
Header photo by Natalie Powers.