Be Here Now: Sachal Vasandani @ the Spa Little Theater, 6/3/10

NOTE: We’re giving away a FREE pair of tickets to see Sachal Vasadani in concert at SPAC’s Spa Little Theater on Thursday evening. To enter, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this story – any comment will do. Be sure to include your email address (we won’t publish it) so we can contact you if you win the tix. The winner will be chosen at random on Thursday morning.Random Number Generator says: Congratulations to Jason!

Currently touring in support of his sophomore album, “We Move,” acclaimed jazz vocalist Sachal Vasandani first grabbed the jazz spotlight as a semi-finalist in the 2004 Thelonious Monk Institute Competition.

A Chicago native now based in NYC, Vasandani made his recording debut in 2007 with his album, “Eyes Wide Open,” which also featured vibraphonist and Albany native Stefon Harris. And local jazz fans will likely remember him from his Saratoga debut on the gazebo stage at the Freihofer Jazz Festival later that same year.

“My music always starts off with jazz, but can end up in any number of places because of all my different influences,” he explains. “I guess I value the freedom to explore as much as the discipline of tradition.”

Sachal Vasandani and his band – pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Quincy Davis – head into SPAC’s Spa Little Theater in Saratoga Springs at 8pm on Thursday to wrap up SPAC’s Extended Season/Emerging Artists concert season. Tix are $25.