Jazz Thursday featuring The Simon Lasky Group

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, featuring The Simon Lasky Group and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Sip on refreshing cocktails and enjoy small bites in the Bistro. Each second Thursday of the month features a different style of jazz–from straight-ahead to free jazz, bebop to swing–programmed in partnership with Jazz Club of Sarasota. Galleries are open until 7 pm on Jazz Thursdays.

Jazz Thursday activities:

• Enjoy a performance from The Simon Lasky Group on the Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza from 5:30 pm to 8 pm

• Grab dinner and drinks at Bistro, which opens at 5 pm, serving a special evening menu, beer, wine, and cocktails.

• Explore the exhibitions in our galleries, with hours extended to 7 pm.

• Treasure hunt in SHOP all evening!

CHECK-IN

Check-in will take place outside of the main gates beginning at 4:30 pm - early entry will not be permitted.

For guest safety, personal chairs are not permitted on-site.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Food and Beverage are available for purchase on-site through the Bistro. Please refrain from bringing outside food and beverage.

Members always receive their 10% discount in SHOP.

Members receive a 10% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages in Bistro.

About The Simon Lasky Group

British composer/pianist, Simon Lasky, is known on both sides of the Atlantic for his expansive and melodic jazz compositions and arrangements which draw on his background as an improvising pianist and classically trained composer. Born in London, but now living in Central Florida, Simon’s composition ‘Close To Ecstasy’ won the 2018 Ivors Composer Award in the ‘Jazz Composition for Small Ensemble’ category. Upon receiving the award, BBC Radio 3 presenter Andrew McGregor described the winning composition as “a joyous exuberant piece, brilliantly crafted on all levels, and with great textural and melodic writing.” In 2019 Simon was awarded a Fellowship to complete his Masters in Jazz Studies at The University of South Florida, working as assistant to five-time GRAMMY nominated jazz composer Chuck Owen.

As a recording artist, Simon signed with independent British jazz label – ‘33Jazz’ Records – in 2015, releasing two albums of his own compositions under the Simon Lasky Group banner. His music has been broadcast extensively on BBC Radio in the U.K and on NPR and the CBC in North America, and his compositions for the concert platform have been performed in London’s Barbican Hall, South Bank Centre and St John’s Smith Square. Simon’s arrangement of ‘Over The Rainbow’ for string quartet was performed by The Afiara Quartet in London’s Wigmore Hall in 2015, and subsequently in 15 countries across the globe.

An in-demand member of the London jazz scene for 15 years, Simon taught jazz piano, composition, harmony and General Musicianship at Trinity College of Music (now Trinity Laban) in London from 2005-2018. He was Head of Jazz at Bradfield College during the same period. He currently lives in Tampa, FL working as a pianist and band leader on the Central FL jazz scene and as an NPR jazz host 3 nights a week on WUSF 89.7FM.

Host or Publisher Sarasota Art Museum