Ritz Theatre & Lavilla Museum: 2015 WINTER/SPRING SCHEDULE

829 N. Davis Street, 807-2010, www.ritzjacksonville.com

Feb 7 SYL JOHNSON IN CONCERT Born Sylvester Thompson he migrated to his family to Chicago in 1950’s, blues guitarist son and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold and Junior Wells to mention a few.  Billboard R & B charts in 1069 for “Is it Because I’m Black.

Feb 15 REIGNITING THE REVOLUTION: THE GIANTS WHOSE SHOULDERS WE STAND UPON A historical journey through the Civil Right’s movement. See excerpts of the first African-American Marines that fought our country to fight for our country winning WWII.

Feb 20 REBIRTH BRASS BAND While committed to upholding the tradition of brass bands, they’ve also extended themselves into the realms of funk and hip-hop to create their signature sound.

Feb 27-March 1 RED MOON THEATRE FESTIVAL The three-day festival will present an enticing mixture of theatrical performances that honor the past while gathering a host of contemporary artistic talents to inspire a new generation of audiences to redefine the cultural landscape of Northeast Florida.

March 13 DEON COLE The Ritz Theatre & Museum Presents: Stand-up Comedy with Deon Cole. He was one of the ingenious comedy writers for The Tonight Show with Conan O’brien and Conan.

March 14 DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND In their prime, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band successfully mixed together R&B with the instrumentation of a New Orleans brass band. Featuring Kirk Joseph on sousaphone playing with the agility of an electric bassist, the group revitalized the brass band tradition, opening up the repertoire and inspiring some younger groups to imitate its boldness.

March 20 CYRUS CHESNUT Chestnut enjoys mixing styles and resists being typecast in any one niche, though his gospel sound is apparent on a number of his recordings.

March 21 MAVIS STAPLES  For six decades, Staples has been the solid rock of American music.

April 4 PIECES OF A DREAM  In 2001, Pieces of a Dream signed with Heads Up International and celebrated their 25th anniversary with what was undoubtedly their best album in years, Acquainted with the Night. The group’s silver anniversary release featured guitarist Ronny Jordan, vocalist Maysa Leak, and saxophonists Gerald Albright and Kenny Blake.

April 17 HERITAGE BLUES ORCHESTRA  The grit of low-down country and urban blues with the bold brass of New Orleans; the hand-clapping fervor of gospel punctuated with fiery postmodern, jazz-infused horn arrangements; the haunting cries of work songs and pulsating drums that reach back to the real roots of it all.