Jazz vibraphonist Christian Tamburr will lead his talented quartet to Blowing Rock this weekend for a concert at the Meadowbrook Inn. Putting Out Groovy Vibes Vibraphonist Christian Tamburr Live at Meadowbrook Sunday By Jeff Eason Playing the vibraphone is not for the meek. You have to have the dexterity of someone who plays the xylophone with the musical chord knowledge of an advanced pianist. Even though it is one of the coolest sounding instruments ever invented only a handful of great jazz musicians have ever decided to play it. Fans of the vibraphone are probably familiar with the names Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Victor Feldman and Gary Burton. In the near future they will most likely add the name Christian Tamburr to their list of favorite vibraphonists. Multi-instrumentalist Christian Tamburr and special musical guests will perform at the Meadowbrook Inn on Sunday, April 10th starting at 7 p.m. The concert is presented by the Blowing Rock Jazz Society as part of its ongoing Second Sunday Concert Series. In addition to being a world-class vibraphonist, Tamburr is accomplished on the piano and trapset and other percussion instruments. In May of 2001 Downbeat Magazine awarded him its “Outstanding Solo Jazz Performance” prize. He is currently the leader of the Christian Tamburr Quartet and also performs as a member of the Grammy Award-winning group The Dazz Band. Tamburr first burst upon the jazz scene at the tender age of 14 and since has had the opportunity to play with some of the jazz legends of the day including Dave Brubeck, Michael Feinstein, Ira Sullivan, Clark Terry, Benny Green, Bucky Pizarelli, Slide Hampton, Bunky Green, Bob Mintzer and many others. He has also performed as a member of the jazz groups Swingerhead and The Vibe Tribe. Originally from Floriday, Tamburr moved to Las Vegas in 2001 and joined the Noel Friedline Quintet where he and the group performed as the house band at the Allegro Jazz Club at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. Over the past three years, Tamburr has toured North America and Europe and has performed at such notable jazz venues as Merv Griffin’s Coconut Club in Beverly Hills, the Brown Derby in Hollywood, and the Twins Jazz Lounge in Washington, D.C. More recently, Tamburr performed as part of Penn and Teller’s Las Vegas show and has also worked as a resident music teacher in various high schools and colleges. “Tamburr and his group are well within the jazz tradition,” wrote Jack McCray for the Charleston Post and Courier. “He sets the pace of collective improvisation with never-ending energy, with the mallets going from a slow feathery touch to a blurring speed. His phrasing when soloing is thoughtful and slowly simmers as he resolves his musical ideas.” For Sunday’s show, Tamburr will perform with tenor saxophonist Justin Varnes, pianist Scott Giddens and upright acoustic bassist Elisa Pruett. Varnes is a veteran of the Noel Friedline Quintet and toured for six years with vocalist Phoebe Snow. He has also performed with singers Jewell and Paula Cole. Giddens has performed with jazz greats Bunky Green, the Brecker Brothers and Clark Terry, among others. He has performed at a number of jazz festivals around the country and now resides in Jacksonville. Pruett, another former member of Friedline’s group, is originally from southern California and moved to the east in the early 90s to study jazz. She has performed with Clark Terry, Chad Lawson, and Wycliffe Gordon, among others. She has appeared at numerous jazz festivals including the prestigious Kennedy Center Woman of Jazz Festival. Tickets Admission for Sunday’s concert featuring the Christian Tamburr Quartet are $15 for the general public, free for all Blowing Rock Jazz Society members in good standing. Tickets are available at the door and seating is determined on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, call Fred Germann at (423) 727-0795.