Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

RED BANK: BASIE NAMES 2015 HONOREES

kimbandiera-1492577Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno and Shore music legend Bobby Bandiera are among the luminaries to be honored by the Count Basie Theatre on August 29, with the second annual Vanguard Awards.

Press release from Count Basie Theatre

The Count Basie Theatre has announced honorees for the 2015 Vanguard awards, honoring lifelong devotion to the arts in New Jersey. Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, musician Bobby Bandiera, and Investors Bank’s Richard Spengler will be recognized as Vanguards on Saturday, August 29, with tickets going on sale at noon this Friday, July 24 through TheBASIE.org, phone charge at (732)842-9000, and – at the Count Basie Theatre box office.

Also on August 29, Rockit! At The Basie will present its annual summer concert, The Who’s TOMMY In Its Entirety and Other Sounds of ‘69. The show will feature curation, guidance and performances from Bandiera, 2014 Vanguard winner Maureen Van Zandt and very special guests, and monies raised from the concert will go towards partnership program scholarships and other initiatives that fall within the Basie’s mission of providing arts education and outreach programs.

“I am honored to be recognized by one of Monmouth County’s leading music venues with a Vanguard Award,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno, a lifelong advocate for the arts, and as a Monmouth County resident, a longtime Basie supporter.  “As Lt. Governor and Secretary of State, I am proud to lead our vibrant arts community and will continue to ensure that the arts flourish throughout New Jersey.”

Fellow honoree Bobby Bandiera has performed on the landmark Basie stage dozens of times, but most notably as creator and bandleader behind the theatre’s legendary HOPE Concerts, the annual holiday concerts that have included cameos from dozens of world-famous musicians, and have raised nearly $2 million dollars for area nonprofits.

“I am happy and proud to be part of such a caring and giving community,” Bandiera said, hinting that he hopes to assemble a ninth HOPE concert to be held at the Basie later this year.

“As a Monmouth County resident for over 25 years, I deeply appreciate receiving this recognition from the Count Basie Theater,” said Investors Bank Chief Lending Officer Rich Spengler, “and (I) invite the community to help support this exceptional arts institution.”

“The 2015 Vanguard awards will continue to shine a light on the Count Basie Theatre’s education and outreach programs and especially support the Theatre’s partnership programs such as Rockit, JazzArts and the Central Jersey Youth Chorale,” stated Count Basie Theatre President and CEO Adam Philipson. “This year’s three honorees aren’t just supporters of the Basie’s mission, but advocates for the importance of the arts in everyday life around our region.”

 

Rockit!’s performance will open with a set of music from 1969, with songs from artists like Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, King Crimson  and more. Included will be historical information culled from the Rock & Roll Forever Foundation’s Teachrock program, founded by 2014 inaugural Vanguard nominee Steven Van Zandt. The second half of the evening will feature The Who’s famous TOMMY rock opera, performed in its entirety.

Partnership programs are yet another way the Count Basie Theatre fulfills its nonprofit mission to the people of central New Jersey. Rockit! and the Jazz Arts Academy  are audition-based programs housed at the theatre for aspiring musicians with one-on-one instruction and lessons on music theory and instrumentation from world-class, professional teaching musicians and culminating with onstage performances.

Tickets to the Basie’s Vanguard Awards, priced at $25, go on sale Friday, July 24 at noon through Countbasietheatre.org, phone charge at 732.842-9000 and the Count Basie Theatre box office. A limited number of VIP packages, including an intermission reception and sponsorship of the ceremony, will also be available.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
Partyline
RED TRUCKS AT RED ROCK
A small dishwasher fire at Red Rock Tap and Grill was put out quickly by firefighters overnight, causing minimal damage. Red Bank Fire Depar ...
CREATIVE COVER UP
The windows of Pearl Street Consignment on Monmouth Street were smashed when a driver crashed their car through them injuring an employee la ...
THEY’RE BACK!
Ospreys returned to the skies over Red Bank this week for the first time since they migrated to warmer climes in late fall. With temperature ...
SPRING IS SPRUNG
RED BANK: Spring 2024 arrives on the Greater Red Bank Green with the vernal equinox at 11:06 p.m. Tuesday.
RED BANK’S FINEST – AND NEWEST
Red Bank Police Officer Eliot Ramos was sworn in as the force’s newest patrolman Thursday, and if you’re doing a double take thinkin ...
EASTER EGG MAYHEM AT THE PARK
An errant whistle spurred an unexpectedly early start to the Spring Egg Hunt on Sunday, which had been scheduled to begin at eggsactly 11am ...
PRESEASON DOCKWORK
RED BANK: With winter winding down, marina gets ready for boating season with some dockwork on our beautiful Navesink River.
CORNED BEEF AND DISCO FRIES?
It’s Friday, and smart Lent-observing Leprechauns know the pot of gold at the end of Red Bank’s rainbow is actually the deliciou ...
SURFBOARD DITCHED
It’s a violation of etiquette in surfing to ditch your board.  (it could hit another surfer and hurt them). But someone appears to ha ...
ELSIE, TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Soaked by pouring rain with the temperature hovering in the low 40’s, this sign in the window of Elsie’s Subs on Monmouth Street ...
WALK THIS WAY
PARTYLINE: Before-and-afters of a sidewalk cleanup on West Street.
SOGGY NOTION
RED BANK: Breezeway sculpture captured the mood downtown as heavy rains fell Saturday morning.
HOME DELIVERY
RED BANK: After a subdivision, an instant house rises on a new Catherine Street lot.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
For Black History Month, Red Bank's Community Engagement and Equity Advisory Committee has been running a series of local profiles on Facebo ...
HEARTY FAREWELL FOR HARDY
RED BANK: Council to honor DPU supervisor Rich Hardy, who retired recently after almost 39 years of keeping things running.
HOMEBOUND? READ ON…
RED BANK: Can't get to the public library? It's now offering free delivery and pickups for homebound borough residents.
TAMING A BEAST OF A WEEK
RED BANK: After the second snowfall of the week, a borough family finds the perfect use for it – a Godzilla snow sculpture.
RED BANK: LIBRARY CLOSED, BUT THE HILL’S OPEN
RED BANK: Though the library was closed by a snowstorm, kids got to enjoy the riverfront property's steep slope Tuesday.
LIGHT(HOUSE) MAKEOVER
This year, getting ready for spring means a midwinter makeover for Strollo's Lighthouse in Red Bank.
TODAY: LOCAL PUPPY COMPETES ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “PUPPY BOWL”
Red Bank’s very own rescue puppy, Biscuit, is set to compete in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl this Sunday, February 11, at 2 PM. Th ...