Upcoming Musical Offerings Are in Tune With the Keys

FLORIDA KEYS — Live musical performances, concerts and music festivals provide Florida Keys visitors entertainment options that enhance the area’s winter 2019 roster of arts and cultural events.

A selection of “notable” venues with upcoming musical goings-on, as well as some significant musical organizations and events, is listed here. A complete calendar of creativity can be found at fla-keys.com/calendar/arts-culture/florida-keys/current/.

Florida Keys Concert Association presents its 50th season with a handful of extraordinary performances at venues in Marathon and Islamorada through February. Audiences can enjoy offerings by the Naughton Twins, 29-year-old pianists (Feb. 11,12); remarkable performances by Camerata RCO, featuring members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam (Feb. 18,19); and the sounds of Spanish Brass, one of the most dynamic and admired brass groups on the international music scene (Feb. 25, 26). Shows start at 7:30 p.m.

Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St., presents enticing live musical offerings. Among them are shows by one of today’s most prolific songwriters, Susan Werner (Feb. 8); the richly romantic sounds of the Ben Rosenblum Trio (Feb. 14); and in March, the percussion and piano collaboration of Passepartout Duo (March 12) and the contemporary jazz of the quartet Otherworld (Mar. 21). 

Impromptu Classical Concerts of Key West has brought stellar chamber music artists, ensembles and string orchestras to the Florida Keys since 1972. The acclaimed organization’s 2019 season continues that tradition with Camerata RCO (Feb. 17), the “must-see” Goldstein-Peled-Fiterstein Trio (March 3); the complex, Old World flavor of South Florida’s Amernet String Quartet (March 17); and the Lomazov Rackers Piano Duo (March 31). Performances take place at 4 p.m. at the historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 401 Duval St.

In Marathon, the Third Annual American Legion Riders Coral Head Music Festival (Feb. 16-17) is a fully loaded weekend of rock-and-roll music by national and regional bands. Popular 1980s “hair bands” Jackyl, Sweet and Vince Neil, the voice of Motley Crüe, are to join several other musical groups to raise money for veterans and Florida Keys charities.

The Key West Theater continues to delight music lovers with a packed season of performances including two scheduled shows by Los Lobos, known internationally for their smash hits “Come On, Let’s Go” and “La Bamba” (Feb. 14). In March, headliners include 10,000 Maniacs (March 7), legendary rock band Poison’s front man Bret Michaels (March 17), Joan Osborne (March 23) and Jefferson Starship (March 27). For most shows, doors open at 7 p.m. and performances start at 8 p.m.

Key West’s Sunset Green Event Lawn presents the Beach Boys (April 4), an iconic American band that has birthed a torrent of hit singles and sold albums by the tens of millions. Still an enduring force in popular music, the Beach Boys are to perform at the multipurpose event lawn located at Key West’s 24 North Hotel. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

For an outdoor blanket-on-the-lawn experience, the Florida Keys Community Concert Band hosts free public concerts at Founders Park, mile marker 88 bayside on Plantation Key. Upcoming performances, each on Saturday afternoons at 4 p.m., include a pet-friendly music concert (Feb. 16), Florida heritage in history and song (March 30) and a traditional end-of-season young musicians concert featuring local music students (April 27).

The cool arrangements of the 17-piece Paradise Big Band hit the stage at Tennessee Williams Theatre (March 31, 8 p.m.) located at 5901 College Road. In addition, the renowned South Florida Symphony has three concerts scheduled at the theater. The symphony’s eminent musicians are to appear with pianist Natasha Paremski (Feb. 20), pianist Svetlana Smolina (March 10) and cellist Julian Schwarz (April 13).

Also on tap for Sunday, March 31, is BayJam25, a leading Keys outdoor music and art festival at Islamorada’s ICE Amphitheater at Founder’s Park. The not-for-profit Islamorada Community Entertainment presents the daylong music festival, which helps fund in-school programs as well as art, music and dance scholarships for Upper Keys high school students.

The following month, the Afro Roots Fest (April 18-20) is to feature the Latin funk fusion of Electric Piquete and a celebration of Cuban music by Cortadito, as well as other attractions at Key West venues for fans of live music and distinctive cultural events.  

Florida Keys calendar of events: fla-keys.com/calendar

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS

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