PORTSMOUTH--On Sunday, October 26, at 3:30 and 6:00 p.m., the spotlight will be on five renowned jazz artists performing two shows at the Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth, NH. Performing will be Donna Byrne (vocals), Gray Sargent (guitar), Tim Ray (piano), Les Harris Jr. (drums), and Marshall Wood (bass). Several of these musicians have performed a number of years with Tony Bennett as well as numerous other acclaimed jazz musicians.
 
In this brand-new showcase, these five legendary artists will reveal the essence of their artistry—each one stepping into the spotlight to share the sound that sets them apart. From intimate duos and trios to captivating solos to full quintet magic. They will offer a blend of Great American Songbook standards, original compositions, and unexpected grooves—from sultry to bebop to swing to modern.
 
Donna Byrne is an award-winning vocalist at the top of her game. With sultry good looks and a quick wit, Donna is not only a masterful singer, but also a true entertainer. She has opened here and abroad for Tony Bennett as well as performed with such renowned artists as Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Herb Pomeroy, Dave McKenna, Stanley Turrentine, Scott Hamilton, Bucky Pizzarelli, The Artie Shaw Orchestra, and many more. She can be heard frequently on Sirius XM’s “Seriously Sinatra” either singing or hosting. Songs from her newly released album “It’s All About Love,” will be among those she performs.
 
Gray Sargent is a renowned jazz guitarist, having recorded and toured with some of the most recognized names in the music industry. For 24 years, Gray was a member of the Tony Bennett Quartet, including Bennett’s final performances with Lady Gaga. But his reputation as a renowned guitarist doesn’t end there. He has performed and/or recorded with many others, including Dave McKenna, Illinois Jacquet, Benny Carter, Scott Hamilton, Herb Pomeroy, Arnett Cobb, Chuck Riggs, Buddy Tate, Frank Wess, Phil Woods, George Wein’s Newport Jazz All-Stars and the Artie Shaw Orchestra. A talented swing/bop player, Sargent’s 1993 Concord release “Shades of Gray” was his debut album as a leader.
 
Tim Ray’s wide-ranging skills as a soloist and accompanist have afforded him the opportunity to perform with legendary performers from all walks of music. Appearing on over 80 recordings to date, Tim has performed in concert with an extensive list of pop music icons, notably Aretha Franklin, Lyle Lovett, Jane Siberry, and Soul Asylum, as well as with leading figures in the jazz world, among them Tony Bennett, Kurt Elling, Gary Burton, Esperanza Spalding, Phil Woods, Scott Hamilton, and more. His classical credits include solo performances and concerts with Gunther Schuller, the Boston Pops, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Boston Classical Orchestra. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Kennedy Center, and the 1992 Presidential Inauguration, on The Tonight Show (Johnny Carson, Jay Leno), Late Night with David Letterman, The Conan O’Brien Show, Austin City Limits, and various other national TV and radio broadcasts. His first recording as a leader was “Ideas & Opinions” in 1997, and since has had solo piano CDs, several CDs with his group Tre Corda, as well as recordings with others.
 
Les Harris Jr. has performed with some of the best-known artists in jazz and has been part of the New England jazz scene for close to 50 years. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he toured and recorded with the internationally acclaimed jazz vocal group, “The Ritz”. He also toured with the Artie Shaw Orchestra and tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton and was a longtime member of the Tommy Gallant Trio and the Paul Broadnax Trio. His drumming has appeared on dozens of recordings by local and nationally known artists. He has taught at Berklee College of Music, University of New Hampshire, Phillips Exeter Academy and University of Southern Maine.
 
For 12 years Marshall Wood was Tony Bennett’s bassist. He is featured on Bennett’s Double Platinum Grammy Award-winning album Duets II, Tony Bennett At 90, and his duet recordings with Lady Gaga, “Cheek to Cheek” and “Love For Sale.” During those 12 years he performed in concert appearances around the world and on multiple TV shows worldwide. His jazz career spans over 48 years. It includes multiple performances, tours, and recordings not just with Tony Bennett, but also artists including Anita O’Day, Joe Pass, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Phil Wilson, Scott Hamilton, Randy Brecker, and a host of others.
 
Tickets for the show at the Music Hall Lounge are $36 for reserved seating; $46 for premium seating. For tickets, go to The Music Hall’s website at: https://www.themusichall.org/events/mastersofjazz/.
 
This event is presented by the Seacoast Jazz Society in collaboration with The Music Hall. The Music Hall Lounge is located at 131 Congress Street in Portsmouth, NH.
 
The Seacoast Jazz Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1990 to head up the annual Seacoast Jazz Festival, which first started in 1983 and has been held every year since then, except 2020. The Society’s mission is threefold: fostering a love of jazz in the community through special performances such as this one, supporting local musicians through education and promotion, and providing scholarships to young artists. For information about the Seacoast Jazz Society, go to: https://www.seacoastjazz.org.