Sunday, May 5, 2024 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Maria Jacobs (Vocals): The Music of Cole Porter
Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach (ORMACO) and the Wadsworth Public Library continue Live at the Library with Cuyahoga Falls-based vocalist Maria Jacobs, accompanied by pianist Joe Leaman, on Sunday, May 5, 2024, at 2 pm at the Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad Street, Wadsworth, OH 44281. The duo will showcase the tunes and lyrics of American composer Cole Porter, who penned some of Broadway’s most famous musicals, including “Anything Goes”, “Kiss Me Kate” and “Night and Day”. With his sophisticated, witty and memorable melodies, Porter is one of the most successful and influential composers of the 20th century and remains a personal favorite of Maria Jacobs.
The program is free. Seating is on a first-come basis. For more information, call 419-853-6016.
About Maria Jacobs
Maria Jacobs is an American vocalist of Syrian Lebanese and Armenian descent. She is a national recording artist who has charted on the Groove Jazz and Smooth Jazz holiday charts. She’s also a licensed music educator and the vocal jazz professor at Kent State University. Maria has released nine solo albums and 15 singles. Her most recent album, “Back at the Bop Stop”, is a live album that was accepted for Grammy review in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category for the 66th annual Grammy Awards. Maria records not only in the jazz genre but her stylistic range also spans pop, R&B, Christian and gospel music. She lived and performed in Los Angeles for 12 years but is thrilled to be back in Ohio where she performs with some of the area’s finest musicians and in world-renowned jazz venues. She has opened for national acts, such as Chuck Mangione, Bob Dorough, the Average White Band, and the British soul band Loose Ends. You can find all of Maria‘s music on digital music streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. She is listed on IMDb as the composer of an award-winning film and television show theme song and as an actress. Learn more at www.mariajacobs.com.
About Joe Leaman
Akron-based Joe Leaman is an in-demand musician. The child of a music teacher, Joe showed curiosity in music and performing from an early age and was playing professionally by the age of 16. Relocating to Northeast Ohio to attend the University of Akron, Joe was fortunate to be able to cultivate his love for piano and percussion simultaneously, studying with legendary teachers Dr. Larry Snider, Rock Wehrmann, Mark Gonder, Matt Dudack, Philip Thompson and Jack Schantz. Currently, Joe runs his own teaching studio. He’s the Music and Worship Director at Montrose Zion United Methodist Church in Bath and maintains an active and stylistically eclectic performing career. He has also been involved with ORMACO outreach programs for many years. Learn more at www.joeleaman.com.