‘All That Jazz’ to feature bassist Brandon Robertson March 8
BY T MICHELE WALKER – The Friends of Boca Grande Community Center is presenting their monthly All That Jazz concert series, featuring bassist Brandon L. Robertson. The show is Monday, March 8 and offers two showtimes, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Brandon L. Robertson is a bassist, composer and music educator. Originally from Tampa, FL., he is a rising star on the upright and electric bass. At the age of ten, Robertson began taking bass lessons. Later that year, he was accepted into the Hillsborough County Elementary All-County Orchestra. Robertson knew then he would become a professional musician one day.
A graduate of Florida State University College of Music, Robertson became a member of the Florida-based jazz group The Zach Bartholomew Trio. In 2012, Robertson released his first album with the Zach Bartholomew Trio entitled “Out of This Town,” which received glowing reviews from jazz critics.
Brandon Robertson has performed with such notable acts such as Marcus Roberts, Jason Marsalis, Marcus Printup (Member of the JALC Orchestra), Nick Finzer, Dan Miller (former Member of the Harry Connick Jr. Orchestra), Lew Del Gatto (former Member of the Saturday Night Live Band), Patricia Dean, Thomas Heflin, Leon Anderson, vocalist Carmen Bradford (Singer for The Count Basie Orchestra) and the famous Count Basie Orchestra led by director Scotty Barnhart.
Robertson received his M.M. in Jazz Studies from Florida State University and is currently the Professor of Jazz Studies & Director of the FGCU Basketball Band at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, FL. His current album “Bass’d on a True Story” has reached #16 on the iTunes Top 200 Jazz Released. Robertson continues to perform regularly throughout the north and southeastern part of the U.S. with various jazz, blues, and pop acts. For more on Brandon Robertson, visit brandonrobertsonmusic.com
The All That Jazz concert series is one of Friends of Boca Grande Community Center’s most popular offerings. The series features one jazz artist or band each month, January through April. Season subscriptions typically fill a year in advance; however, the pandemic has brought an interesting upside. Friends of Boca Grande Community Center have been able to extend their reach beyond the traditional brick and mortar building by simulcasting throughout the Community Center, including the outdoor pavilion, and livestreaming the real-time performance to ticket holders watching from home.
Tickets are available for $35 per person with seating available inside the Woman’s Club room, outside in the Friends Pavilion (golf cart or lawn chair seating) or for those wanting to view from home, the livestream option. The auditorium seats are filled. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Friends of Boca Grande office 964-0827.
