CCA—Chandler Center for the Arts
250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler
Tickets: 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org
HCPA—Higley Center for the Performing Arts
4132 E. Pecos Rd., Gilbert
Tickets: 480-279-7194, higleycenter.org
HCT—Hale Centre Theatre
50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert
Tickets: 480-497-1181, haletheatrearisona.com
MAC—Mesa Arts Center
One E. Main St., Mesa
Tickets: 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com
SCPA—Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale
Tickets: 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org
WHP—Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino
5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler
Tickets: 800-946-4452, www.wingilariver.com/wild-horse-pass
Jack Wright: The Songs and Stories of Neil Diamond, Saturday, Feb. 4, HCPA. Jack Wright shares stories about Neil Diamond’s life, as well as explanations of his sometimes complex and complicated lyrics. The Heartlight Show Band is made up of touring professionals from the San Francisco Bay Area who played with Grammy Award-winning artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Cole, Buddy Miles, Van Morrison, Susan Tedeschi and John Lee Hooker.
Tony Orlando, Friday, Feb. 10, WHP. He has sold millions of records, including five No. 1 hits: “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree,” “Knock Three Times,” “Candida,” “My Sweet Gypsy Rose” and “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You).” He has two platinum and three gold albums.
A GENTRI Valentine, Saturday, Feb. 11, CCA. Experience a Valentine to remember with the fresh music of GENTRI, featuring timeless love songs and backed by the sweeping sounds of an orchestra.
The R. Carlos Nakai Quartet, Saturday, Feb. 11, MAC. Mixing original compositions with inspired improvisations, the music of RCNQ spans the sonic spectrum from quietly contemplative to highly combustible and from soothingly meditative to irresistibly danceable.
California Guitar Trio & Montreal Guitar Trio, Friday, Feb. 17, CCA. Since 1991, Bert Lams, Hideyo Moriya and Paul Richards have enthralled listeners with a singular sound that fearlessly crisscrosses genres. The trio’s questing spirit drives it to explore the intersections between rock, jazz, classical and world music.
War, Saturday, Feb. 18, CCA. War has sold 50 million records, and earned 17 gold, platinum and multialbum awards. This rock-funk-Latin-jazz-R&B band burns in a live performance of hits. The evolution of War began in 1969 and it’s been evolving ever since.
United States Air Force Band of the Golden West, Sunday, Feb. 19, CCA. Under the direction of Master Sgt. Jeremy Laukhuf, this energetic group of 20 highly trained professional airmen-musicians carries on the American musical tradition of the great traveling big bands, yet offers a lot more than the big band sounds.
The Piano Men: Generations—The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John, Sunday, Feb. 19, WHP. Join the father-and-son team of Terry and Nick Davies for this celebration of the two stellar artists’ talents.
Marty Haggard: A Tribute to Merle Haggard, My Dad, Thursday, Feb. 23, WHP. Marty Haggard’s love for his dad and his father’s “real country” music inspired him to begin “A Tribute to Merle Haggard, My Dad.”
Glenn Miller Orchestra, Sunday, Feb. 26, CCA. With its unique jazz sound, the resilient orchestra was formed in 1956 and has been touring consistently since, playing an average of 300 live dates a year all around the world.
Art Garfunkel: In Close-Up, Saturday, March 11, CCA. Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoree and Golden Globe-nominated singer and actor with a live set that encompasses his solo hits, Simon and Garfunkel songs and cuts from his favorite songwriters—Jimmy Webb, Randy Newman and A.C. Jobim.
The Doo Wop Project, Saturday, March 18, CCA. A journey from foundational tunes of groups like the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through their influences on the sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons all the way to Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz and Amy Winehouse.
Piano Battle, Sunday, March 19, CCA. The brainchild of internationally acclaimed pianists Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis, the duo go head-to-head on stage, charming and enchanting the audience with a variety of classical pieces.
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Friday, March 24, CCA. A Chicago-based brass ensemble consisting of seven sons of the jazz trumpeter Phil Cohran, its musical style ranges from hip-hop to jazz to funk and rock, including calypso and gypsy music.
Stormy Weather: The Story of Lena Horne, Saturday, March 25, CCA. Starring Mary Wilson of the Supremes, this combines song, narration, and video to celebrate a triumphant but embattled star that changed history.
Chandler Symphony Classical Series, Sunday, March 26, CCA. Quality symphonic and orchestral music performed by a wide range of volunteer musicians.
In the Mood, Friday, March 31, MAC. In the Mood, America’s favorite big band show is a patriotic, upbeat and sentimental salute to America’s Greatest Generation.
Recycled Percussion, Saturday, April 8, CCA. Since Justin Spencer formed the band in 1995, Recycled Percussion has been unstoppable. Its junk rock music became a national phenomenon week after week during its smash hit performances on “America’s Got Talent” in 2009.
Yanni, Saturday, April 8, MAC. For the first time, platinum-selling Yanni is stepping off the concert stage to give fans the chance to interact with him on a more intimate and personal level. Each show is unscripted and will unfold differently each night depending on the questions being asked.
Clint Black, Friday, April 21, WHP. The multimillion-selling country megastar is releasing his first full-length album of new songs in a decade and he’s doing it on his own terms. To date, he has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and racked up 57 charted singles, 31 top-10 hits and 22 No. 1 smashes.
Kansas, Sunday, April 23, CCA. Composing a catalogue that includes 15 studio albums and five live albums, this band has produced eight gold albums and three sextuple-platinum albums.
Sinbad, Friday, April 28, WHP. Michigan-born Sinbad caught his big break as a contestant on “Star Search” in the early 1980s. Since then, he has appeared on television and in films. He was a competitor on “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2010.
Aida, Thursday, May 18, to Saturday, July 1, HCT. Winner of four 2000 Tony Awards, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida is an epic tale of love, loyalty and betrayal, chronicling the love triangle between Aida, a Nubian princess stolen from her country, Amneris, an Egyptian princess, and Radames, the soldier they both love.
