An Evening of Jazz with Ali Webb
Friday, July 14, 2023 | 6:00pm-7:30pm
Jazz as you’ve never heard it before – Ali’s humorous vignettes celebrate life through song, the ironies and self-effacing moments, the defeats and triumphs, the heartbreaks and love that build resolve. Join Ali Webb, Wells Hanley, Randall Pharr, and Brian Caputo as they reveal the magic and the music of the human spirit.
Musician Bios:
Ali Webb has been singing for over forty years. She attended the Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles focusing on jazz vocals. She has performed with many musicians, but few as accomplished and talented as Wells, Randall, and Brian! Ali is a co-founder of The Virginia Institute of Autism, and has been working with the organization since 1996. She and her husband Bernie have two adult children, Harrison and Georgia, both of whom have autism.
Wells Hanley is a pianist, composer, improviser, and arranger. He has performed at major festivals and clubs all over the U.S. and Europe, including the Spoleto Festival in Italy, the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, and Birdland and the Iridium in New York City. He has performed with a variety of artists including Dave Matthews, Wynton Marsalis, Betty Carter, Tom Wopat, Steven Lutvak, David Liebman, and John McCutcheon. He has co-presented at the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium using improvisation and song to help participants rediscover and reframe their stories. Wells earned a Bachelor of Music in classical piano from JMU and a Master of Music in jazz and commercial music from Manhattan School of Music. He has taught at The New School, UVA, JMU, and VCU where he is currently on the faculty teaching jazz piano and improvisation. Wells lives in Richmond with his wife, Maria, who is also a pianist, and his son, Sasha, who is a cellist and a dancer.
Randall Pharr is an acoustic and electric bassist residing in Richmond, VA. Specializing in many genres of American and Latin music, and comfortable in various settings from solo to large ensembles, Randall enjoys a wide variety of musical opportunities including performing with jazz orchestras, symphony pops, recording sessions, and international travel. He is a member of the music faculties at VCU and the University of Richmond teaching jazz and electric bass, small jazz ensemble, and jazz improvisation.
Brian Caputo graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) where he studied jazz and classical percussion. He has been a fixture on the Virginia music scene since 1993, performing and recording with diverse groups from Richmond, Charlottesville, Washington DC, and Hampton Roads markets. Since June 2019 Brian has been running a weekly piano trio residency at the Oakhurst Inn in Charlottesville, VA. He currently resides in Richmond, VA.
Open to all.
Location: The Center
