Florida Agenda

DAN BASSETT:

A LIFE OF MUSIC Recently, local musician and conductor, Dan Bassett was named by the Miami Herald as one of twenty local artists under the age of forty who are already making an impact in the arts in South Florida. Only four of the artists chosen were musicians and Bassett was the only gay-affiliated artist.

Bassett has been the conductor of the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble, based in Fort Lauderdale, for five years. Recently I caught up with Bassett to talk about their upcoming 25th anniversary concert. The band’s concert will be held on November 6 and is titled “The Classics” and will also feature a holiday concert on December 15 with the Pride Jazz Ensemble and the Fort Lauderdale Women’s Chorus.

In Bassett’s words “expect to be incredibly entertained with some of the most challenging music we’ve performed. I am so proud of the Wind Ensemble … prepare for a fantastic evening.” The event will once again be held at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

In addition to the wind ensemble, Bassett also conducts the South Florida Pride Jazz Ensemble and Marching Band.

Among Bassett’s biggest accomplishments was a national conference of gay and lesbian bands in New Orleans in the fall of 2009. As artistic director he conducted a 180 piece concert band and coordinated the first Lesbian Gay Band Association (LGBA) Honor Jazz Ensemble with sixtime Grammy Award-winner, Gary Burton as guest soloist and John Mahoney of Loyola University as conductor.

In addition to conducting, Bassett is also an accomplished trumpeter. He has been a featured soloist with the Singing Sons Boychoir, Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, MCC Sunshine Cathedral and South Florida Wind Ensemble. As church musician, he spent fourteen years at the MCC Sunshine Cathedral as trumpeter and instrumental coordinator.

South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble

Sold Out Show Concludes 24^th Season

By DMITRY RASHNITSOV

Like a She BOP wrap from Rosie’s, sometimes it’s easy to forget how good the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus really is. But just because these boys have been tooting their vocal horns for 24 years, doesn’t mean that they have lost any of their steam.

On Friday June 25, more than 60 members of the group performed their final show of the season, “Feeling Groovy” a high energy concert with clips from over 70 songs from the 1960’s.

Gay Men’s Chorus Director Todd Wiley led his merry band of misfits through renditions of songs originally sung by The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and The Beach Boys. The group also put together a section of nostalgia, singing favorite TV themes from the 1960’s including “Gilligans Island”, “The Andy Griffith Show” and “The Munsters”.

This was also the first season that the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble led by Artistic Director Dan Bassett accompanied the Gay Men’s Chorus. The bringing together of so many talented singers and musicians into one show is exactly why the Parker Playhouse, a venue that holds several thousand, was overflowing with applause, laughs, cheers and standing ovations during the entire show.

The Gay Men’s Chorus is taking a break until their holiday show next season, but rumor has it that they are teaming up with a well known Broadway and television actress and “fag hag” next season to present their very own original musical.

Until then, the Gay Men’s Chorus is looking for people to help them out with donations, so the shows can continue to be an amazing representation of their community. The group has put together a “Director’s Circle” club for those that are interested in donating between $500-5,000. Some of the perks include free tickets to shows, free parking passes, invitations to VIP receptions and the chance to get face time with Todd Wiley!

For more information about the group or to donate visit: www.fortlauderdalegaymenschorus.org.