Friday, June 26

Saturday, June 26

Sunday, June 27

Schedule

Featuring Robert Glaser, Camille Metoyer-Moten and Dave Webber

Johnny Mercer was born in 1909 in Savannah, GA. Mercer wrote an astonishing number of hit tunes, collaborating with Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Henry Mancini and Duke Ellington. His songs were recorded by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, The Mills Brothers, Sammy Davis, Jr. Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, Doris Day, Ethel Merman and Ella Fitzgerald. You’ll “Wanna Be Around” on Sunday morning as Robert Glaser and the Sing, Sing, Swing Orchestra and vocalists Dave Webber and Camille Metoyer Moten explore the music of this American master.

Join the Summer Arts Festival as we pay tribute to an Omaha legend. Luigi Waites, who passed away this April, was a life-long musician and educator who helped found the Festival in 1975. Luigi performed at every Omaha Summer Arts Festival for 35 years and in 1996 was honored with the dedication and renaming of the Festival stage as the Luigi Waites Main Stage. He served on the Festival's board of directors for many years, being named as the Festival's first Board Member Emeritus in 2008. Luigi acted as the chair of the Festival's Performing Arts Committee helping to review and select the local, regional, national and even international musicians who have graced "his" stage. He also enjoyed opening for many of the Festival's headliners including Arturo Sandoval, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Chuck Mangione, Poncho Sanchez and Spryo Gyra.

The Tribute to Luigi Waites will kick-off at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 27th with the Ol' Skool Adult Drill Team featuring Luigi's son David on drums. Next, Luigi Inc will perform a mixture of jazz standards, popular music and original tunes from the four CDs released during Luigi's amazing career. Current members of the band include saxophonist Curt McKean, guitarist Jeff Scheffler, bassist Steve Gomez, drummer Steve Knight and trumpeter Doyle Tipler. They will be joined by special guest performers guitarist and keyboard player Michael O'Donnell and piano/keyboard player Doug Ramsey. Both O'Donnell and Ramsey played with Luigi Inc in the 80s and 90s and performed with the band on separate recordings - O'Donnell on "Fear Not" and Ramsey on "Luigi Inc."

The Tribute will conclude with recognition of Luigi's family members in attendance and comments from Festival founder Vic Gutman. The Festival will also make a contribution in support of the Luigi Waites Jazz Scholarship Fund. For more information on Luigi Inc, please contact Doyle Tipler at doyle@doylemusic.com.

The Iguanas  

A New Orleans-based roots rock band, The Iguanas combine Latin and Caribbean rhythms, with R&B, blues and jazz and have a local connection with Omaha native Joe Cabral on vocals, sax, guitar, organ and percussion.
Visit The Iguanas online