Omaha Performing Arts is proud to announce the return of a beloved summer tradition, as Jazz on the Green returns to Turner Park at Midtown Crossing. The FREE outdoor concert series is back with a six-show run on consecutive Thursdays, kicking off July 6 and running through Aug. 10.
Jazz on the Green is sponsored by Mutual of Omaha. Media sponsors are KETV, KIOS Radio and the Omaha World-Herald.
All Jazz on the Green concerts are free to the public. No reservations or tickets are needed. The lawn at Turner Park opens at 5 p.m. for each concert. Blankets and chairs are encouraged, and leashed pets are welcome.
Restaurants in the Midtown Crossing neighborhood offer ice-cold beverages and delicious bites for dine-in or take-out. Beer, wine and champagne are allowed in Turner Park. Hard liquor is not permitted.
2023 Jazz on the Green lineup
**All performances are at 7:30 p.m. Preshow entertainment begins at 6:30 p.m.**
July 6: Larry McCray
Rust belt blues shouter and guitar slinger Larry McCray’s debut album, Ambition—aptly named as it fused elements of blues, rock and soul to create a contemporary blues sound—was released in 1990 to critical acclaim. Over the past three decades of nonstop touring and recording, McCray has played and shared the stage with such blues greats as BB King, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo and Joe Bonamassa, as well as rock legends the Allman Brothers, Phil Lesh, Dickey Betts and countless others. In 2021, McCray’s latest album, Blues Without You, was recorded on famed blues rock guitarist Bonamassa’s Keeping the Blues Alive nonprofit label with producer Josh Smith, a partnership that has also spawned a video (for the upcoming single “Arkansas”) and a documentary.
Opener: The Redwoods
July 13: Xperience
Xperience reigns as the ultimate soulful performance, taking the crowd down memory lane to some of the greatest jazz, soul, gospel and R&B hits of all time. The group belts out incredible vocals with beautiful harmonies and great musicianship. Audiences can’t help but move and groove to the music of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Sly & Family Stone, Etta James, Staple Singers, Earth Wind & Fire, Jean Knight and many more! The band is led by Leland Mickles and Marcos Eduardo, musical icons in the Omaha and Midwest music scene.
Opener: Jaguar James
July 20: Ron Artis II
Hailing from Hawaii and deeply influenced by gospel, soul and R&B, Ron Artis II “rips, and has a voice to match the big sounds coming from his guitar” (Glider Magazine). He has embarked on three full U.S. tours, playing sold-out shows from coast to coast with a long list of collaborators. His debut full length album, Soul Street, has garnered wide critical praise and crystallizes the full range of his influences – deep Delta Blues and Gospel, plus Northern Soul and R&B, alongside in-depth and personal lyrics – into a tight collection of fresh, yet familiar, songs that are at once timeless.
Opener: Charlie Alley
July 27: Bobby Watson
A multi-Grammy®-nominated saxophonist, composer, bandleader, educator and producer, Bobby Watson sits among the pantheon of present-day jazz greats, with a career that spans more than four decades. All told, he has issued more than 40 recordings under his own name, while appearing on well over 100 other titles. Watson has received several well-deserved awards, including induction into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame and recognition as one of the first inductees into the then-newly established 18th and Vine “Jazz Walk of Fame.”
Opener: Parfait
August 3: Chad Stoner Band
Every Chad Stoner Band performance is an unforgettable experience of R&B swagger and funk fire! Stoner’s gospel-infused saxophone voice is inseparable from the soulful power of Mitch Towne (keyboards), Myles Jasnowski (guitar), Jacob Sorenson (bass) and Jonathan Sanders (drums). The Chad Stoner Band will lift your spirit and feed your soul!
Opener: Polly O’Keary and The Rhythm Method, in partnership with Blues Society of Omaha
August 10: Ana Popovic
Internationally renowned guitarist Ana Popovic has built her career on defining and describing, on her own terms, the essence of American music. She’s shown her commitment to celebrating her guitar-driven, eclectic music style through consistent touring, awards and recognition for the past 25 years. In the process, she’s emerged as one of the most thoughtful, dynamic and committed performers in modern songwriting and guitar. Described as “one helluva guitar player” by Bruce Springsteen, Popovic has been nominated for eight Blues Music Awards and appeared on the covers of Vintage Guitar and Guitar Player magazines. Most of her albums have climbed to the Top Five of the Billboard Blues Charts and receive regular airplay on radio stations worldwide.
Opener: The Toast
