Scholarship Benefit Concert with Patti Austin
"BeBop to HipHop"
Featuring Trevor Lawrence Jr.
Join us for a benefit concert to help provide need-based scholarships to young, aspiring artists interested in the performing arts.
Patti Austin
Patti Austin’s keen interest in being a total entertainer likely started when she stepped onto the stage of the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem at the age of four at the urging of music legend Dinah Washington. The daughter of jazz trombonist Gordon Austin, Patti was a bonafide recording artist in her teens, achieving her first chart success in 1969 with “The Family Tree” (a Top 50 R&B single) after a string of 45s that would later become treasured collector’s items among Britain’s Northern soul community.
During the 70s Patti was the undisputed "Queen" of the New York session scene, her voice was heard behind everyone from Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, James Brown and Joe Cocker to Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, Luther Vandross and Diana Ross and on countless memorable commercial jingles. After a series of much-acclaimed albums for CTI Records, she signed with her godfather Quincy Jones’ Qwest label and began achieving mainstream success on an international level thanks to the GRAMMY®-nominated hit "Baby Come To Me," her now classic duet with James Ingram and the follow-up duet, the Oscar-nominated "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" as well as her appearance on albums with Jones on his best-selling Stuff Like That, his GRAMMY®--winning classic The Dude and later, his From Q With Love Vols. 1 & 2.
The GRAMMY®-nominated For Ella album opened up new doors for Patti as a performer and her embrace by the jazz world was further cemented with her Grammy winning classic CD “Avant Gershwin: Patti’s upcoming 2019 Album offering entitled “Let’s Do It” will surely garner serious Grammy consideration. Now after more than two decades of touring her unique take on the classic American Song Book has expanded Patti’s appeal and garnered standing ovations all over the USA and Europe. Her tour of Australia with the great James Morrison has now secured an ongoing love affair between Patti and Australian music lovers. They will do it all again in 2020, and this time covering all the major cities of Australia.
Continuing to cover all her music bases, her latest critically acclaimed Pop/ R&B release entitled “Sound Advice” will soon yield a sequel “Sound Advice 2” and will further demonstrate her amazing artistic versatility. This versatility has created frequent invitations to conduct master classes for young musicians and demand from elementary schools for performances of her children’s CD entitled “Mighty Musical Fairy Tales”
In 2019, Patti continues her philanthropic work with “The Over My Shoulder Foundation” and keeps up a constant touring schedule that keeps her faithful fans wanting more from this eclectic and always exciting entertainer.
Performance Date:
Friday, May 24, 2019 -- Doors open at 7pm
Venue:
Campus Theatre in Nordhoff Hall
Tickets:
Associated Students Ticket Office • (818) 677-2488
or Ticketmaster.com
Reposted from CSUN TODAY
May 14, 2019
Grammy Award-winning artist Patti Austin, known for her R&B, pop and jazz music, will perform at a benefit concert to support California State University, Northridge’s Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) later this month.
The Scholarship Benefit Concert will take place on Friday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. in CSUN’s Campus Theater. Proceeds from Austin’s “BeBop to HipHop” performance will provide scholarships for incoming TADW students.
“TADW is thrilled to have an artist of this caliber for our first benefit concert. Her career is a great example of versatility: an excellent role model for our students,” said Garry Lennon, TADW Executive Director.
During the 1970s, Austin was the queen of the New York session scene. As a session musician and background vocalist, her voice was heard behind artists from Paul Simon, James Brown, Bette Midler, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross and countless others. In 2019, Austin values her philanthropic work with The Over My Shoulder Foundation and keeps up a constant touring schedule that keeps her faithful fans wanting more. In 2008, Austin received the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Austin is continuing her philanthropic efforts by using her voice for students who may hope to follow in her footsteps and in all performing arts.
“We strive to make TADW a program for all students interested in theatre and the arts,” said Lennon. “We depend on the generosity of our donors to keep the program accessible. Last summer, we gave away over $40,000 in scholarships awards and this year, we hope to award more.”
TADW is using all proceeds from this event to benefit TADW students for the summer of 2019. Over the years, 55 percent of TADW students have been able to participate in the summer program because of scholarships. Students usually audition for scholarships in the spring months, prior to attending TADW.
The conservatory-style summer program offers teens — those going into sixth grade through those just graduating 12th grade — the opportunity to develop skills in the theatre arts at the CSUN campus. All students are welcome to attend, no matter their technical background. Students will be placed in classes according to personal interest which includes vocal, acting and set design. Some secondary schools give academic credit for participation in TADW.
A limited number of meet-and-greet tickets will be available for purchase. For more information and to purchase tickets visit: https://www.ticketmaster.com/csun-tadw-presents-scholarship-benefit-concert-feat-patti-austin/event/0B0056899E862AF1, or call CSUN Associated Students at (818) 677 -2488.