University of Scranton Music Concert Set for Family Weekend

Joseph Boga and The Scranton Ramblers with guest guitarist Stephane Wrembel, and an appearance by the University Concert Choir set for Sept. 21

On Saturday, Sept. 21, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a concert featuring Joseph Boga and the Scranton Ramblers with guitarist Stephane Wrembel, as part of the University’s annual Family Weekend festivities.

The concert, which will also include an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

“All of us in Performance Music are delighted to present such an outstanding Family Weekend concert, especially where our choir gets to perform a piece alongside musical powerhouses Joseph Boga and Stephane Wrembel,” said Janelle Decker, conductor and co-director of Performance Music at Scranton.

Boga, an area native, is a member of the legendary group Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, which appears in New York City every Monday in their roost – Birdland. In addition to his work with Giordano and The Nighthawks, Boga also leads his own groups and has performed and/or recorded with a variety of other ensembles such as Stephane Wrembel’s Django New Orleans, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Jazz Museum in Harlem All-Stars, James Langton’s New York All-Star Big Band and The Kyle Athayde Dance Party, as well as with artists such as Stephane Wrembel, Wycliffe Gordon, Adrian Cunningham, Loren Schoenberg, Wynton Marsalis and many others. His film appearances include Killers of the Flower Moon, season 2 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Capote vs. The Swans and others.

Stephane Wrembel is quite simply one of the finest guitar players in the world. Though specializing in the Django Reinhardt style, he revels in transcending and expanding, and the breadth and range of his playing and compositions are unmatched. His music incorporates jazz, blues, classical, swing, flamenco and rock. All of these influences come together as a genre identifiable only as Stephane Wrembel. This prolific musician, composer, educator and musical director has released a steady stream of music since 2002, truly making his mark as one of the most original guitar voices in contemporary music. He tours the world and has headlined venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Town Hall in N.Y.C. and The Lyon Opera House in France, and has dazzled audiences at events like Montreal Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Django Reinhardt Festival in France, Ellnora Guitar Festival, Caramoor Jazz Festival and many others. Wrembel won a Grammy award for his tune Bistro Fada, which Woody Allen used as the theme song for his 2011 Oscar-winning film, Midnight in Paris.

Other musicians performing with The Scranton Ramblers for the concert will include trombonist Sam Chess; guitarist Roy Williams (a native and current resident of the Scranton area); Will Reardon-Anderson, alto sax and clarinet; and Jay Rattman, bass saxophonist (a native of the Delaware Water Gap area.

The University of Scranton Concert Choir is an soprano, alto, tenor and bass (SATB) mixed choir comprised of members of the University community from majors and departments spanning the curriculum – none of whom are music majors – who are brought together by their mutual love for making music. They will be performing “La Vie En Rose” with the featured guest ensemble.

For further information on the performance, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website. For more on Boga, visit josephboga.com, and for more info on Wrembel, visit stephanewrembel.com.