Payson Roundup

Courtesy photo

Nicole Pasternak performs at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 7 at the Community Presbyterian Church.

Jazz vocalist Nicole Pasternak will perform at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 7 at the Community Presbyterian Church, 800 W. Main St.

Pasternak has developed an enthusiastic audience in the Northeast United States with her honest, straight-ahead style, and equal energy for swings songs, bebop, ballads and Latin jazz. Pulse Magazine said she has “a sound too good not to notice.”

Scott Yanow, AMG All Music Guide claims Pasternak is “a fine singer with an appealing voice, comfortable range and a natural feeling for jazz.” And, Chuck Berg of the JazzTimes said she is “reminiscent of a young Ella... the brightest young jazz singer I’ve heard since Bobby McFerrin.”

Lew Turano will accompany Pasternak on piano. A Connecticut resident during part of the year, Turano works regularly with Pasternak when he is in the Northeast. Pasternak is coming directly from an engagement at the Fairfield Cafe in Fairfield, Conn., and then she is returning to an engagement at the Jazz Underground Cafe in New London, Conn.

Sedona resident Steve Douglas will play bass, and Payson’s Gerry Reynolds is on drums.

Ken Taylor Quartet

A second jazz concert is planned in March with the Ken Taylor Quartet performing Songs about Spring at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 14 at the Community Presbyterian Church. The group features Ken Taylor on fluglehorn and trumpet, Woody Woodrow on piano; Jack Radavich on bass; and Gerry Reynolds on drums

The afternoon’s program will have beautiful ballad love songs to celebrate the coming of spring, such as: Spring Fever, Spring is Here, Suddenly It’s Spring, April in Paris, Joy Spring, I’ll Remember April, Younger Than Springtime and more.

Don’t miss these two performances. A $5 donation at the door includes refreshments.

Please reserve a seat by sending an e-mail to gerryr @cox.net, or leaving a message at (602) 619-3355.