When the Needham Great Hall Concert Series kicks off its 11th season Saturday night, it will be following its now-familiar mix of musical styles.
“The original vision was that we would do four concerts: folk/Americana, jazz, classical, and ‘something else’ — kind of like Monty Python’s ‘Now for Something Completely Different’,” said Michael Greis, one of the series founders and co-president (with Gloria Greis) of the Great Hall Performance Foundation. “And that’s how we begin each year.”
Starting a concert series in an unusual location — a suburban Town Hall, not a regular music venue — was no small feat. The board, said Greis, got a lot of support from Fred Taylor, who had brought jazz musicians to a range of Boston venues for decades before his death in 2019. Taylor and other experienced impresarios introduced the Needham group to the world of agents, bookings and backstage management.
One thing the series can promise: the likely sellout of 400 seats. While performers such as Judy Collins or Melissa Manchester may be very famous, they may not often play to audiences that size. “Some of the artists recommend other artists to us,” said Greis. “It’s been a lot of collaborative effort, building connections so we can source artists.” The series’ reputation is enhanced by the installation of an excellent sound system, in part thanks to a fundraising performance by Livingston Taylor, along with significant corporate contributions.
One of the “completely different” groups that the audience loved was Sons of Serendip—a quartet of musicians who met at Boston University and became famous by performing on “America’s Got Talent.” “They were just amazing,” Greis said, singing modern songs while playing classical instruments.
This year’s series begins with Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Catherine Russell and John Pizzarelli, the renowned guitarist and singer. Expect a full house on Saturday night.
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