Grammy Award winner Dan Pugach and singer Allison Rumley headline the second concert in The Jazz Loft @ Southampton Concert Series, on May 29 at 7 pm at the Avram Theater at Stony Brook Southampton.
The concert, titled “The Art of New,” will provide an enlightening evening of music that celebrates the spirit of jazz through fresh, original compositions by some of the most exciting voices in the genre today.
The performance showcases selections from drummer and composer Pugach’s album Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence, a stirring musical exploration that intertwines personal narratives with the universal themes of freedom and resilience; it won the 2025 Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. The show features the Dan Pugach Big Band and acclaimed singer-songwriter Rumley on vocals.
Pugach has won multiple awards, including the ASCAP Foundation Jazz Composer Award, the BMI Charlie Parker Composition Prize and the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Residency Program at the Kennedy Center. Pugach’s nonet and big band regularly perform original music and arrangements at prestigious venues such as Birdland Jazz Club, The Blue Note, and Smalls Jazz Club as well as at international festivals and performing arts centers. The nonet also performed at the Chamber Music America National Conference.
Rumley is a singer-songwriter deeply rooted in gospel and soul music. In 2016 she self-released her debut album, First Love, with the group and continued to promote the project by performing at venues such as Pianos, Hat City Kitchen and The Knitting Factory. She co-leads the Big Beat Big Band, a 19-piece jazz orchestra, and was awarded the Mid Atlantic Arts Fellowship award for her songwriting in 2023.
Curated by Thomas Manuel — Jazz Loft founder and Stony Brook University Jazz Department Endowed Artist in Residence Fellow — the series aims to bring the rich traditions and innovative spirit of jazz to the Southampton community.
The theme of each performance looks at jazz both historically and contemporarily, incorporating extraordinary entertainment and education. The Jazz Loft’s mission is one of jazz preservation, education and performance, and this partnership with Stony Brook Southampton will provide East End residents with the opportunity to experience and learn about great jazz first-hand.
The remaining concerts in the series include:
- “Long Island Jazz Legends & Local Juke Joints” – Thursday, June 19 [Juneteenth], 7 pm
- “The Spirit & Soul of Latin Jazz” – Thursday, July 24, 7 pm
- “Abstract Angularity” – Thursday, August 28, 7 pm
Tickets will be priced individually at $36 per performance for general admission, $33 for seniors and $18 for Stony Brook students. A series pass for the four remaining concerts in the series will be $110. Purchase tickets online.
Add comment