Luna Stage's Jazz Series Features Brazilian Trumpeter Claudio Roditi Tonight

Luna Stage presents the second installment of its 2012-2013 jazz series, "Music In The Moonlight: An Intimate Evening of Jazz", tonight, December 9th at 7pm with a one-night only concert by Brazilian trumpeter, Claudio Roditi. Mr. Roditi will be accompanied by guitarists Roni Ben-Hur and Paul Meyers in a performance of Jazz Turns Samba at Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road in West Orange, NJ 07052.

Tickets are on sale now ($18 in advance, $20 at the door) and can be purchased in person, over the phone at 973-395-5551, or on the Luna Stage website: www.lunastage.org. The concert is part of a six-concert series. Three-concert subscriptions can be purchased for $45. Other artists scheduled to appear in the series include pianist Daniela Schachter, saxophonist/flutist Don Braden, and drummer Greg Bufford.

With over twenty critically acclaimed releases to his credit, South Orange-based trumpeter Claudio Roditi is truly an artist on the move with his music. Born in 1946 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Claudio began his music studies when very young. His passion for the trumpet and jazz drew him to the United States in 1970 to study at Berklee in Boston, and then on to New York City to play professionally. Integrating post-bop elements and Brazilian rhythmic concepts into his palette with ease, Claudio plays with power and lyricism. He leads his own band and tours worldwide with several leading jazz groups. Claudio also teaches throughout the U.S. and Europe. His CD Brazilliance x 4 was nominated for a Grammy in 2009 in the "best Latin jazz" category.

A pioneer for what has become an important wave of top jazz talent coming out of Israel, Roni Ben-Hur migrated to New York in 1985, at the age of 22, and was quickly embraced by Manhattan's jazz elite. Ben-Hur's Signature Sound infuses jazz with melodies and rhythms from many cultures; "his sound synthesizes the swing of Kenny Burrell and the melodic invention of West Montgomery", says Nick Bewsey from Prime Time A&E. Ben-Hur regularly performs in major festivals and clubs around the world, and along with being a prodigious player, composer, arranger, and bandleader, he has truly dedicated himself to eductaing others about the joys and rewards of playing jazz.

Paul Meyers has gained a reputation for being one of the top jazz guitarists of our time; James Gavin of the NY Times calls him "one of the most eloquent jazz guitarists since Kenny Burrell". With an original technique on the classical guitar, he has combined a deep understanding of the jazz tradition with strong influences of Brazilian, Latin, and classical music to create a truly unique sound and concept. Paul has performed and recorded with an ever growing list of jazz greats, and has a number of critically acclaimed CDs.

Jazz Turns Samba is sponsored by Lawrence Kantor Inc., Wholesale Distributors of Plumbing, Heating and Industrial Supplies, based in Orange and serving the Northern New Jersey area for over 50 years. www.kantorsupply.com

For more information on the Music in the Moonlight Jazz Series and all events and programs at Luna Stage, visit the company website:www.lunastage.org. Luna Stage is located at 555 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052. 973-395-5551. The theatre is handicapped accessible and assisted listening devices are available.