Grammy winner Dave Samuels kicks off Sparta's summer concerts

SPARTA - Recent Grammy winner Dave Samuels kicks off the Sparta Summer Concerts AT 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 18 at Dykstra Park. Samuels has performed and recorded with a broad scope of artists ranging from Gerry Mulligan, Oscar Peterson, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Carla Bley, The Yellowjackets, Pat Metheny, Bruce Hornsby, Frank Zappa, The Fantasy Band, Spyro Gyra, Double Image and The Caribbean Jazz Project. Samuels received a Grammy in 2003 for "Best Latin Jazz Recording" with his group, The Caribbean Jazz Project, for the CD, "The Gathering" and was nominated a second time for a Grammy in 2004 for "Best Latin Jazz Recording" for the "Caribbean Jazz Project's" newest release "Birds of a Feather." During his time with Spyro Gyra (1977-1994), the five-time Grammy nominated group was named numbe one Contemporary Jazz Artist and Contemporary Jazz Group of the ‘80s by Billboard magazine. Samuels‘ other awards include being voted Best Vibes Player in both Jazziz and Modern Drummer Magazine. His four solo recordings feature a variety of musical settings that include the Yellowjackets, Bruce Hornsby, Danilo Perez, Andy Narell, and Dave Valentin. Further information regarding Dave Samuels and the Sparta The Sparta Summer Concerts is available at www.spartaarts.org. The Sparta Summer Concerts are held Friday evenings June 18 through the end of July in George Dystra Park, behind the Sparta Public Library. In the event of inclement weather the Sparta Summer Concerts are held in the Mohawk Avenue School Auditorium, adjacent to Dystrka Park.