Sammons Center for the Arts kicks off 35th anniversary season of its acclaimed jazz series

September 5, 2024 by

Vicho Vicencio performs in 2017. Photo: Bart Marantz at Eye B.M. Photography

The Sammons Center for the Arts is home to the DFW area’s longest, continually running jazz series, and 2024 marks its 35th anniversary.

The music got underway on Sept. 4, with a special performance called “Coming Full Circle,” which will feature the Sammons Center’s founding artistic director (as well as saxophonist and composer) Vicho Vicencio joined by his band to launch this season’s performances. (Vocalist Heather Paterson & Straight Ahead will also feature on the bill.)

Vicencio performed at the inaugural Sammons Jazz concert in 1988, and played a key role in getting the ongoing jazz series off the ground.

“There aren’t many concert series in existence that employ exclusively local musicians while simultaneously offering some of the best music that can be found anywhere,” said Joanna St. Angelo, Sammons Center Executive Director, in a statement. “These concerts are unique and special. While we greatly benefit from the exceptional musicians here in DFW, there is no doubt about the contribution our concert series has made to the musical stature of Dallas.”

Additional highlights from this year’s 35th anniversary line-up (2024 also marks the 12th anniversary of the Sammons Cabaret series) include: Astrid Merriman Caberet & Cabernet Fete, which will feature artists like Keron Jackson and Liz Mikel (Sept. 19 as part of Sammons Cabaret); the Buenos Dias Social Club Latin Jazz Quartet and the Whitney James Quartet (Oct. 2 as part of Sammons Jazz); Rosana Eckert (Oct. 17 as part of Sammons Cabaret); The Brannen & Red Show and the Lynn Seaton Quartet (Nov. 6 as part of Sammons Jazz); Peter DiCesare (Nov. 21 as part of Sammons Cabaret); Mahogany TheArtist and Myles Tate & the Soul Revival (Dec. 4 as part of Sammons Jazz) and Making Spirits Bright: Around the World (Dec. 20 as part of Sammons Cabaret).

Season tickets are on sale now for both the Sammons Jazz series ($50) and the Sammons Cabaret series ($45). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit sammonsartcenter.org.

Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.