Jay Dref, Carolyn Lansom, and Broadway veteran Don Rebic come together for a rare celebration of the music of Andrea Bocelli in downtown Buffalo.
One of the things we’ve tried to do with Summer of Jazz is create experiences.
Not simply concerts.
Experiences that give you a reason to spend a Sunday afternoon downtown with family and friends. Experiences that introduce you to music you may already love—or perhaps allow you to hear it in an entirely new way.
On Sunday, August 16, I believe we’re going to experience one of the most special afternoons we’ve created this summer.
Voci d’Amore will bring the music of Andrea Bocelli to Ellicott Street in a performance featuring Jay Dref and Carolyn Lansom, with noted Broadway veteran Don Rebic at the piano and creating the musical direction, joined by Wayne Moose on upright bass and Devin Kelly on drums.
There are several reasons why I think this will be an afternoon worth experiencing.
A Remarkable Voice from Buffalo
Those who have heard Jay Dref know that his is not an ordinary voice.
There is a richness, power, and classical beauty to his singing that immediately commands your attention. It’s also what makes the music associated with Andrea Bocelli such a natural fit for him.
Jay’s artistry has taken him well beyond Buffalo, including touring with Sarah Brightman, the internationally renowned soprano and classical crossover star, giving audiences around the world the opportunity to experience his remarkable voice.
What makes this afternoon especially meaningful is the opportunity to experience that voice here in Buffalo, outdoors, in a setting quite different from the concert halls where we might ordinarily expect to hear this repertoire.
There’s something wonderful about that idea.
A beautiful voice. Beautiful melodies. And a summer afternoon in the heart of our city.
The Magic of Two Voices
Some of Andrea Bocelli’s most memorable performances have come through duets.
That’s why the addition of Carolyn Lansom is so important to Voci d’Amore.
Jay and Carolyn will move between individual performances and duets, giving us the contrasts, conversations, and emotional moments that make this music so memorable.
It won’t simply be a collection of songs associated with Bocelli.
We’re hoping to create a musical journey.
The Special Touch of Don Rebic
Then there is Don Rebic.
Don brings a remarkable career in music and Broadway to this performance—not simply as pianist, but as the musical director helping shape what we will hear. . His Broadway credits include conducting Jesus Christ Superstar, Dancin’, Sweet Charity, and Anything Goes, alongside long-standing collaborations as a musical director for legendary vocalists like Leslie Uggams and Karen Akers.
That distinction matters.
We’re not attempting to reproduce recordings of Andrea Bocelli. The opportunity is to take this extraordinary body of music and create something specifically for this afternoon, these voices, these musicians, and this setting.
With Don at the piano, Wayne Moose on upright bass, and Devin Kelly on drums, the music will have an intimacy and character all its own.
That’s part of what makes Voci d’Amore so intriguing to me.
Something Different for Summer of Jazz
We’ve enjoyed so many different sounds on Ellicott Street this summer.
We’ve danced. We’ve swung. We’ve experienced the rhythms of Latin jazz. We’ve celebrated the Great American Songbook.
Now we’re going somewhere different.
For one Sunday afternoon, Ellicott Street will be filled with the romantic melodies and soaring songs associated with one of the world’s most beloved voices.
That kind of variety is intentional.
If we’re going to encourage people to experience downtown Buffalo, we need to give them different reasons to come.
Sometimes that means creating something people didn’t expect to find.
And Voci d’Amore is certainly one of those experiences.
An Example of What We’re Beginning to Build
There’s another reason Voci d’Amore is meaningful to me.
It represents something we’re beginning to explore through ArtsBuffalo: how arts and culture can become part of a broader civic effort to strengthen downtown Buffalo.
That begins with creating experiences people genuinely want to be part of.
Voci d’Amore is a good example. ArtsBuffalo, JazzBuffalo, and Tappo Restaurant are coming together to create something none of us would likely create in quite the same way on our own—a beautiful musical experience, outdoors, on a Sunday afternoon in the heart of downtown.
People can come for the music. Have lunch or dinner. Meet friends. Stay awhile.
And perhaps most importantly, leave thinking:
We should do this again.
That’s how I believe a civic movement begins to take shape.
Not with one organization or one event, but with arts organizations, restaurants, businesses, civic partners, and people working together to create more reasons to spend time downtown.
No single organization revitalizes a downtown. It takes partnerships.
And it takes people choosing to participate.
We’ve begun to see the possibilities this summer through Summer of Jazz 2026 on Ellicott Street, and we’ll continue building on that momentum with the 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival on September 6.
Voci d’Amore may be one Sunday afternoon, but it represents the kind of experience ArtsBuffalo hopes to encourage throughout our city.
An Afternoon to Treasure
There are concerts you attend because you already know exactly what to expect.
And then there are experiences that make you curious.
I think Voci d’Amore is one of those.
The remarkable voice of Jay Dref. The addition of Carolyn Lansom. Don Rebic’s artistry and arrangements. Wayne Moose and Devin Kelly. The extraordinary music associated with Andrea Bocelli.
All of it coming together outdoors on a summer Sunday afternoon in downtown Buffalo.
Sunday, August 16, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on Ellicott Street at Tappo Restaurant. Admission is free.
Come downtown. Enjoy a meal. Bring someone special. Find a place to sit and allow yourself to become captivated by some truly beautiful music.
I have a feeling Voci d’Amore will be one of those Summer of Jazz afternoons we’ll treasure for a long time.
