Ocean County Library Toms River Branch to Present Jazz Performance by Brian Betz and Behn Gillece

TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Library Toms River Branch is pleased to present the jazz virtuosity of guitarist Brian Betz and vibraphonist Behn Gillece in Mancini Hall, 7 PM Wednesday, March 27. They will play American standards and original compositions and will answer questions after the performance. 

Toms River-raised Brian Betz is a guitarist, composer and educator who has performed throughout the United States in venues including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and the Cape May Jazz Festival. The two-time Betty Carter International Jazz Competition winner has released six compact discs on the Dreambox Media label.

Brian holds two degrees from Rowan University, where he is a faculty member. He also teaches in the Paulsboro Public School system. The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and Philadelphia’s FOX 29 placed him among their 10 "Top Teachers" of New Jersey in 2018.

New Jersey native Behn Gillece owns a well-earned reputation as an instrumentalist, composer, sideman, bandleader and recording artist. He has performed around the world, including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and Smalls Jazz Club in New York City, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, and music festivals. Behn has issued six compact discs on the Posi-Tone label.

He is a faculty member at Rowan University, teaching vibraphone, jazz ensemble, music theory, and online courses. He conducts workshops at colleges and universities worldwide and has more than 700 online lessons on the Vibes Workshop website.

The concert is sponsored by the Friends of the Ocean County Library – Toms River. The Friends are volunteers who support the Library through advocacy, fundraising, and programs. New members are always welcome. Applications can be found at all OCL branches and at https://www.theoceancountylibrary.org/oclfriends.

Please register at http://tinyurl.com/OclTrBetz for this free program. For more information, stop by the OCL Toms River Branch, 101 Washington Street, call (732) 349-6200, or visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org/events. 

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