Holiday Concert to Feature Vocalist Denise Thimes
JONESBORO – Arkansas State University’s Fowler Center will feature renowned jazz vocalist Denise Thimes in concert on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. The event is part of the Riceland Distinguished Performance Series. The sponsor for the event is KASU.
Called the “First Lady of Jazz in St. Louis” by Roy Kastin, Thimes has performed with the likes of Tony Bennett, Dr. Billy Taylor, Clark Terry, James Moody and the Heath Brothers. Her voice has been compared to legendary singers Ella Fitzgerald and Lady Day. She has toured America, Europe and Asia and is an eight-time recipient of the St. Louis Black Repertory Woodie Award for both musicals and drama. Aretha Franklin even personally asked her to come to Detroit to sing for her 72nd birthday party.
“I have had the pleasure of hearing Denise in person several times,” says Dr. Wendy Hymes, director of Fowler Center, “and each time I marvel at the beauty, power and soul of her voice.” Thimes, accompanied by her quartet of top-notch band members, will perform favorite holiday songs, jazz standards and popular gospel tunes. Thimes has three recordings – “Live in the Lou,” “Moments, Magic, and Memories,” and “The Denise Thimes Trio.”
In a career that spans over two decades, Thimes is one of the most cherished voices of modern jazz, following in the footsteps of her famous father, St. Louis radio personality Lou “Fatha” Thimes.
Along with sharing her love of music, she loves sharing her talent for worthy causes. In 1997, Thimes started an annual concert tradition in an effort to do something special after her mother’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Following her mother’s death, Thimes created the Mildred C. Thimes Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer to help fund research for a cure as well as provide support for patients and their families. And each Mother’s Day since, she has mounted a concert that both honors her mother and benefits the foundation.
In October, she performed new works by Stefan Freund and Peter Martin in concert with Alarm Will Sound to commemorate St. Louis’ 250th birthday.
All seating is reserved. Season ticket packages are still available through the Box Office. Individual tickets for the Riceland Distinguished Performance Series are $30 and $20 for adults, and $23 and $15 for senior citizens and students, $24 and $16 for ASU faculty and staff, and $10 and $6 for ASU students with a current ID. Group discounts are available for groups of 15 or more.
For more information, contact Hymes at Fowler Center, whymes@astate.edu or (870) 972-3471. Tickets may be purchased at the A-State Central Box Office in the Convocation Center, 217 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro, or by calling (870) 972-ASU1 or by calling toll-free at (888) ASU-FANS. Tickets are also available online from the ASU Central Box Office (http://www.astate.edu/tickets/) and from Fowler Center (www.yourfowlercenter.com).
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