‘Master of the Mallets’ Steve Raybine Showcases His Talent August 4
Omaha Performing Arts welcomes Omaha’s own Steve Raybine to its free summer series Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing on Thursday, August 4. The jazz and funk vibraphonist will perform in Turner Park at Midtown Crossing, 31st and Dodge streets, at 7 p.m. The venue opens at 5 p.m.
Known as the “master of the mallets,” Steve Raybine is a virtuoso vibraphonist who has earned a reputation for his melodically appealing original contemporary jazz compositions and exciting live performances. Raybine’s unique and refreshing musical sound and style has captivated jazz audiences throughout the United States and Europe.
As the co-founder, co-musical director and performer/composer of the critically acclaimed progressive jazz ensemble Auracle, Raybine toured the United States and Europe and recorded two albums. During his eight-year tenure with Auracle, Raybine performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland; Frankfurt Jazz Festival in Frankfurt, Germany; the Sopot Jazz Festival in Sopot, Poland and numerous jazz venues in Los Angeles.
Raybine’s music has been featured on over 150 national and international radio stations. In addition, his music has been showcased on the nation’s top-rated smooth jazz online radio station, smoothjazz.com and XM satellite radio.
Raybine has taught Jazz Studies and Percussion at universities for over 10 years with lectures and performances featured on Nebraska Public Radio and Nebraska Educational Television. He received the Jazz Educator of the Year Award for the State of Nebraska in 1997 from the National Band Association. Raybine holds degrees from the prestigious Eastman School of Music, University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa.
All concerts for Omaha Performing Arts Presents Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing are free to the public. No reservations or tickets are needed. The venue opens at 5:00 p.m. and performances start at 7 p.m.
One more performance remains for this year’s Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing series: Thursday, August 11: Steve Lucky and The Rhumba Bums featuring Miss Carmen
Getit (Boogie woogie swing) Midtown Crossing offers convenient and secure parking for more than 3,000 vehicles. Two parking garages are easily accessible from 33rd, Farnam and Harney streets. In both garages, the first three hours are free and visitors pay only $1 for each hour thereafter (with a maximum daily fee of $6).
Ample metered parking is available along Farnam Street. Metered parking is short-term (max. two hours) and is monitored Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. $5 Valet parking is also available at Farnam Court from 5 p.m. to close. Midtown Crossing will be offering a free event shuttle throughout the evening, beginning at 5 p.m. For more information on parking and shuttle services, please visit MidtownCrossing.com.
Sponsors for Omaha Performing Arts Presents Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing are Mutual of Omaha, Omaha Steaks, Alegent Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, C&A Industries, Inc., Fran and Rick Juro and Mutual of Omaha Bank. Media sponsors for this year’s series are Omaha World-Herald, KETV, NET, KIOS and Curzon Promotional Graphics. In-kind sponsorship is provided by Crystal Clear Water and Ink Tank Merch. For more information on Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing, visit JazzOnTheGreenOmaha.com.
