The Sparta Cultural Affairs Committee’s 2025 summer concerts will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, July 11 with jazz drummer Karl Latham’s quartet, featuring bassist Mark Egan.
The quarter will perform tunes from Latham’s latest record, “Living Standards II,” new interpretations of classic rock and pop hits.
Latham has performed, recorded and produced with Grammy-winning artists, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members and internationally acclaimed musicians, such as Slide Hampton, Clark Terry, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars and the Shirelles.
He has subbed on the Broadway productions of “Bring It On,” “Hamilton”, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and “Ain’t Too Proud.”
One of the premier electric bassists of contemporary jazz, Egan is known for his distinctive fretless bass sound. He is an in-demand New York City studio musician who has played on multi-gold and platinum-selling recordings by Sting, Arcadia and Joan Osborne.
He has recorded with pop stars, such as Roger Daltrey, Judy Collins and Cyndi Lauper, and jazz notables, such as John McLaughlin and Freddy Cole. He was a charter member of the Pat Metheny Group and a member of the Gil Evans Orchestra for 13 years,.
Mitch Stein joins the trio on guitar. An in demand session musician, he also leads the Mitch Stein Trio.
Opening the concert will be the Kingston, N.Y.-based group Sparrow Lore, a jazz trio with Jef Brown (guitar), Max Liebman (bass) and Aidan Samp (drums).
The group plays original compositions fusing contemporary jazz techniques with ancient forms of ritual rhythms.
The free concerts are at Dykstra Park, 22 Woodport Road.
If the weather is bad, the show moves indoors to the Mohawk Avenue School auditorium, now with air-conditioning.
For information, go online to spartaarts.org