Tracks Music Series: Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad & Dreamroot

September 30, 2021 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
University Place

Live & Local Music

Thursday September 30: Jazz
6:00-6:45 p.m. Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad
7:15-8:00p.m. Dreamroot

Chapel Hill’s local music streaming platform, Tracks Music Library, announces four free outdoor concerts on Thursday evenings in September at University Place. Each night’s lineup is themed around a genre and will feature two 45 minute sets from Tracks artists. Discover new music in a way it’s meant to be heard — live and in-person.

Free & open to all!

Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad

Katharine Whalen formed JazzSquad many years ago to, frankly, provide herself with a crash course in HOW TO SING JAZZ! Her first ever band Squirrel Nut Zippers took off so quickly that she felt unprepared and quite uneducated. A member of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band whom she was touring with at the time, instructed her to go home and learn thirty jazz standards. She was lucky enough to know Griffanzo and his hip piano playing became the basis for the sound of the band. Danny Grewen, Austin Riopel, and Danny Abrahms are the other member of the squad, performing on trombone, guitar, and baritone.

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Dreamroot

Dreamroot is a band/musical collective from Durham, NC. Dreamroot released their debut album Phases in May 2020, hoping to put out positive energy during a dark time. The band consists of Theous Jones (drums), Serena Wiley (saxophone/flute/spoken word/vocals), Ittai Korman (acoustic and electric bass), Lynn Grissett (trumpet) and Joe MacPhail (piano and keyboards).

The album, Phases, was collectively composed and arranged by the members of Dreamroot. The performance style combines pre-written and improvised sections, creating what Indy Week calls “One of the distinctive strains of the Durham jazz scene, melding R&B forms with modern jazz solos that all fit nicely into the length of a longish pop song.”

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Plenty of parking is available on the east end of the mall by the recycling center.

Alternate modes of transportation is always encouraged.

Chapel Hill Transit provides service to University Place via the A and F routes. Attendees who don’t mind walking can use the CL and D routes, which provide more frequent service along Franklin Street. To learn more about Transit options, visit chtransit.org.

People wishing to ride their bikes can use Bolin Creek and Battle Branch trails for southern and western access to University Place; the Lower Booker Creek Trail provides access from the north. A map to help you get around Chapel Hill is available here.
Carolina Brewery will be selling beer and wine for attendees 21 and over. Ice cream will be available from Maple View Farms.

You’re encouraged to pack a picnic or bring takeout from a University Place restaurant.

Although you can bring a cooler, no outside alcohol is allowed at the event.

FOOD SPECIALS

Hawkers Asian Street Food will be offering a “Tour of Asia” Bundle for $33. The bundle feeds 2-3 people and includes:
- Yi Yi’s Chicken Dumplings (representing China)
- Shrimp Summer Rolls (representing Vietnam)
- Yaki Udon (representing Japan)
- Char Kway Teow (representing Malaysia)
Hawkers will also be offering an exclusive cocktail each night of the concert! Stop by and enjoy.

See The Menu
Our friends at Kidzu Children’s Museum are offering a live music inspired program for kids before the event!

Shake off the School week and get in on the fun with your family singing, dancing and jammin’! We’re “making” music every Thursday at Kidzu during our 3-5pm General Admission time slot. Join the jamboree with heart pumping tunes, a special movement storytime and instrument making in the Makery. So step to the beat and move your feet to Kidzu every Thursday afternoon in September! Preregistration is recommended, walk-ins will be welcome as space allows.

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