OLEAN — The holiday break season is in comprehensive swing, and the Olean Group Theater is completely ready to maintain that festive sensation going this weekend.
Two performances of “A Christmas Celebration” by the OCTaves Jazz Band are established for tonight and Saturday in the Olean Group Theater’s new house on South Barry Avenue.
The regional jazz band consists of 17 musicians, led by director Ruth Fuller, and will play a range of holiday music, both of those spiritual and secular from regular to 20th century requirements.
The evening will also feature vocalists Angie Emley, Tim Hollamby, Mark Lungershausen, Christine Panebianco, Alexandra Scalise, Skyler Schapp and Rodney Stebbins.
“We’re playing a bunch of Xmas favorites that absolutely everyone would know,” explained Hollamby, OCT president. “And Ruth is also featuring every single segment of the band, so there is a horn section song they are performing, a flute quartet, unique issues like that.”
Considering that moving into their new property at the former Temple B’Nai Israel in the earlier yr, Hollamby explained the OCTaves have performed a few concert events but this will be their very first getaway present.
“The OCTaves will likely be performing 3 or four moments a yr at the theater going ahead in addition to the regular displays we do,” he mentioned.
The program is made up of 14 tracks ranging in genre and style from “Silent Night” to “Santa Infant,” “You’re a Mean 1 Mr. Grinch” to “O Holy Evening.” Hollamby explained one of the standouts is the final music prior to intermission, “Mary, Did You Know,” which involves the complete band and all the singers.
“A good deal of us haven’t been in a position to make it as a result of the full point without the need of crying,” he mentioned. “The harmonies in the new space we have are just so quite. I imagine that will be a crowd favorite.”
Soon after not currently being capable to engage in jointly for in excess of a 12 months, Hollamby said the band associates are fired up to enjoy collectively once again. He claimed it was tough on absolutely everyone to not be performing alongside one another for so prolonged that they had been all itching to get likely yet again.
“It’s awesome remaining…