Charles Overton Group

December 5, 6, 7 at 7 PM

Howard Gilman Performance Space

Tickets $39 ($35 + $4 fee) | Running time: 60 minutes

Harpist Charles Overton presents a program of original compositions and arrangements of jazz standards in his first run of shows as a band leader in New York City. Having strong foundations in classical music, Overton explores finding his own identity as a creative musician through the reimagining of existing work and the exploration of new sounds. This production will take place salon-style in the Howard Gilman Performance Space at Baryshnikov Arts.

Originally from Richmond, VA, Boston-based harpist Charles Overton began his musical journey with formative experiences with the American Youth Harp Ensemble and the Interlochen Arts Academy before moving to Boston in 2012 to expand his musical horizons at the Berklee College of Music. During his studies he became immersed in the world of jazz and improvised music, owing much of his outlook on music to lessons from the renowned artist-faculty of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

Overton performs frequently with the Boston Symphony as both a second and substitute harpist, and highlights in chamber music include concerts with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia and several summers performing at the Yellow Barn Summer Music Festival. An avid jazz musician, he performs regularly in venues across the northeast as a band leader and internationally in collaboration with such artists as Shabaka Hutchings, Ganavya Doraiswamy, and Rajna Swaminathan. He released his first recording as a bandleader entitled “Convergence” in 2017 under the Boston-based Jazz Urbane record label, and is currently writing and arranging music for a follow-up recording project entitled “Once More.”

Overton currently serves on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.