“Joy To Lewisburg with Bob Thompson and Friends” returns to the Greenbrier Valley on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. at Carnegie Hall. The annual concert will feature Christmas classics and holiday favorites performed by West Virginia Music Hall of Fame member Thompson and his band, the Bob Thompson Unit, with special guests Zara Bode.
Guests are invited to come early to Club Carnegie from 6 to 6:45 p.m. in the Board Room located adjacent to the Hamilton Auditorium. A cash bar and snacks are available.
West Virginia music hall of fame pianist Bob Thompson is perhaps the state’s best-loved musician and ambassador of jazz. He has touched many people’s lives both as an entertainer and a teacher.
Born in New York in 1942, he moved to West Virginia in the mid-’60s to attend West Virginia State College. Growing up in NY, he sang in street corner doo-wop bands and originally attended WVSC on a scholarship to study trumpet and music education. After switching to piano, he quickly became a staple on the local scene with bands like the Modern Jazz Interpreters and Joi.
After some independent releases, he signed to Capitol Records subsidiary Intima and later to the Ichiban label. Two of his albums climbed into the Top 25 in Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart while four of his releases made their way into the Top 10 on the Radio and Records jazz chart. Those nationally released works furthered his reputation significantly.
In the meantime, he performed in Brazil, South Africa, and Scandinavia. Appearances on BET, as the house pianist on the NPR show Mountain Stage, and several tours abroad have made Thompson a visible presence in the jazz world for more than 40 years. In addition, for the past decade Thompson’s annual holiday jazz show Joy to the World has become a regular feature of Public Radio International’s holiday programming.
Thompson will be joined on the Hamilton Auditorium Stage by Zara Bode, a seasoned starlet whose work with the Sweetback Sisters has given her a knack for whipping up holiday magic. Renowned for her enchanting voice and influenced by the great crooners of the 20th Century, Zara takes her exceptional rhythm, tone, and vivacious delivery to set her apart from the rest. A brilliant musician, and undeniable talent, to see her perform is a rare treat, not to be missed.
Tickets for the performance are $25. Thanks to the Carnegie Cardinal Fund, Greenbrier County Students attend for free, but still must reserve a seat.
To purchase tickets, call Carnegie Hall Box Office at 304-645-7917, visit www.carnegiehallwv.org, or stop by at 611 Church Street, Lewisburg. Carnegie Hall Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Joy To Lewisburg with Bob Thompson and Friends is made possible with support from the Casasanta Foundation.