Buffalo State Performing Arts Center Announces Great Performers Series

The Buffalo State Performing Arts Center, on the campus of SUNY Buffalo State, proudly announces the first four events of the 2017–2018 Great Performers Series, presented by M&T Bank. The Great Performers Series features world-class artists in the intimate setting of Rockwell Hall. The series includes smooth jazz guitarists Peter White and Marc Antoine, folk legend John Sebastian, rising stars Lindsey Webster and Kandace Springs along with Norman Brown's Joyous Christmas with Bobby Caldwell and Marion Meadows.

Tickets for the Great Performers series go on sale August 17 at 9:00 a.m. All shows in the Great Performers Series are priced between $35 and $45. Patrons aged 60 and older take $3 off the price of upper-tier tickets. One-hour prior to curtain, full-time students with proper ID can purchase one ticket for $15, subject to availability. Tickets may be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave. by calling (716) 878-3005, or online. Box office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Guitar Tango: Peter White and Marc Antoine
Wednesday, October 18, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.
$35-$40

Opening the series on October 18 is Guitar Tango: Peter White and Marc Antoine, with a special acoustic performance featuring the two smooth jazz guitarists and a bass player. Over the years, White has maintained a reputation as one of the most versatile and prolific acoustic guitarists on the contemporary jazz landscape. Armed with an unparalleled combination of lyricism and energy, he combines elements of jazz, pop, and classical guitar to create a sound that is singular and at the same time accessible to a broad audience. Antoine has been a force in contemporary jazz since the mid-90s with a trademark sound captured in the title of his debut album Classical Soul. Antoine has shared his joyous musical wanderlust on a discography infused with extraordinary exotic journeys, while keeping his deep melodic flow and exotic textures front and center.

An Evening with John Sebastian
Friday, November 3, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.
$30-35

On November 3, the Performing Arts Center welcomes Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Sebastian to the stage. Over four decades, Sebastian's contributions have become a permanent part of our American musical fabric. His group, the Lovin' Spoonful, played a major role in the mid-'60s rock revolution. You know the songs by heart: "Do You Believe In Magic?," "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice," "Daydream," "Younger Girl," "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?," "Summer In The City," "Rain On The Roof," "Nashville Cats," "Six O'Clock," "Darling Be Home Soon," and "Younger Generation." Sebastian will perform a solo acoustic evening of music.

Lindsey Webster and Kandace Springs
Saturday, November 18, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.
$30-35

On November 18, the Performing Arts Center welcomes two rising stars on the music scene, Lindsey Webster and Kandace Springs. Webster was honored by Billboard magazine as 2016 Smooth Jazz Artist of the year. She scored a #1 hit with her soulful original “Fool Me Once," her #1 song is the first vocal-driven song that has topped the Billboard smooth jazz chart since Sade’s “Soldier of Love” in 2010. To quote musical icon Prince, "Kandace Springs has a voice that can melt snow." Springs counts such stylists as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, and Norah Jones as her heroes yet mimics none of them. Embracing mentor Prince’s advice to ‘be who you are,’ Springs allows her comely alto to become a conduit that touches upon soul, jazz, and pop while transforming those aforementioned influences into a personalized sound that reveals itself effortlessly. 

Norman Brown's Joyous Christmas featuring Bobby Caldwell and Marion Meadows
Friday, December 15, 2017, at 8:00 p.m.
$40-$45

Just in time for the holiday season, Norman Brown's A Joyous Christmas takes the stage on December 15. Brown, a contemporary jazz guitarist, will be joined by veteran R&B singer Bobby Caldwell and jazz saxophonist Marion Meadows, in a celebration of the holidays.