Mathes Christmas Concert returns this weekend

Friday, 16 December 2011 15:15

The annual Rob Mathes Christmas Concert returns with holiday musical magic for an 18th year with three shows presented at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase (N.Y.) College, at 8 p.m., on Friday, Dec. 16, and Saturday, Dec. 17, and at 3 Sunday, Dec. 18. Tickets are available at The Performing Arts Center Box Office, Artscenter.org or 914-251-6200, or through The Music Source in Greenwich, at Themusicsource.org or 203-698-0444.

Mr. Mathes’s band includes some of the best in the business, including Will Lee on bass, Billy Masters on guitar, Joe Bonadio on drums, Rick Knutsen on keyboards, vocalists James “D-Train” Williams, Ian Cron and Tabitha Fair, a full horn section, and a 30+ member choir.

“I love doing three concerts as opposed to one,” said Mr. Mathes, who was limited to just one concert last year due to his hectic schedule. “I love it so much more. For me it is the music making, and to get that superstar band up there, it is a feast, and we rip the roof off the joint. This year will be no different. I come home from a year of madness to what is home for me, and those three concerts are the focal point of my year in many ways. Without them I wouldn’t want to do anything else. Please join us. There will be some surprises for sure.”

Mr. Mathes, of Greenwich, is a Grammy- and Emmy-nominated arranger/composer, nationally renowned music producer/director, and a performer. In the past year he has been working a great deal with Sting, recently directing Sting’s 60th Birthday Concert with artists Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Vince Gill, Will.i.am, Rufus Wainwright, Branford Marsalis, Billy Joel and Chris Botti. In addition to musically directing the live concerts, Rob produced three records for Sting in 2011: Symphonicities, Live in Berlin, and the deluxe box set, Sting: The Best of 25 Years, and arranged much of the music for Sting’s Symphonicity tour with the Royal Philharmonic, serving as that tour’s music producer/director.

He is working on a new project with Sting for release in 2012. He also produced the debut Matthew Morrison CD, the star of the TV show Glee, including duets with Sir Elton John, Sting and Gwyneth Paltrow; and produced a new version of Walk on the Wild Side with Lou Reed. In addition, he produced a new CD with Butch Walker for Panic! At The Disco, and was a judge of Abbey Road’s 80th Anniversary Anthem Competition. In April, he created and directed a special evening of songs for Maya Angelou. Rob has also been the longtime music director for the Kennedy Center Honors (2011 will mark his ninth year), and musically directed the televised Dedication to Service honoring George Bush Sr., hosted by Bill Clinton, featuring Mavis Staples, Cee Lo Green, Sam Moore, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Kid Rock and others.

The Christmas concert is the one time of year that Mr. Mathes takes center stage and performs. The concert is a benefit for World Vision and supports causes close to his heart. For more information, visit Robmathes.com or Facebook.com/robmathesmusic.

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