Paul Carr, a Houston native and 1985 Howard University graduate, has dedicated his professional career to mastering the saxophone and the art of jazz. He carries on the Texas tenor tradition espoused by great heroes such as the late Houstonians Arnett Cobb and Don Wilkerson, who served as his early idols and mentors. Carr grew up in inner-city Houston, Texas. He was a member of the Kashmere High School Stage Band—whose director, the late Conrad Johnson, is the subject of a documentary Thunder Soul produced by actor Jamie Foxx. Though Carr never had private music lessons, he received several outstanding musician awards at high school and college jazz festivals.

Carr has toured Russia, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, and he has shared the stage with many of the greatest names in jazz. Carr was a favorite of President Clinton during his term in office and Carr performed at many of the Clinton’s private events.

Encouraged to make jazz a career by her father and high school music teacher, Sharón Clark began her professional career with the Bottle Caps doing promotional work for the Coca Cola Company. The other “Bottle Cap” was her twin sister, Sharee. Leaving Coca Cola to fend for itself, Sharón Clark got her first significant jazz gig at King’s Dominion just outside of Richmond, Virginia. Since then, she has since performed at such jazz and non-jazz venues as Blues Alley, the National Press Club, the Twins Lounge in Washington, D.C., and Sweet Basel in New York City. Equally adept with jazz, blues, and gospel, Clark has a husky but mellow voice with good phrasing and diction. She is also a fine interpreter of lyrics. For her first album Finally, released by the Union Records in 1997, she chose a playlist which gave her the opportunity to bring out her vocal dexterity and comfort level with up tempo songs and ballads. Listing Sarah Vaughan, Johnny Hartman, Ella Fitzgerald, and Doris Day as musical influences, Clark continues to work in the Washington, D.C. area with a steady gig at Laportas Jazz Lounge in Alexandria, Virginia.

For all Millennium Stage performances, a limited number of advance reservations are available on a first come, first served basis. Advance reservations do not guarantee a seat, and patrons are encouraged to arrive early.

Online advance reservations for a given performance date will open on a rolling basis, opening every Wednesday two weeks out from the date.

For live Millennium Stage performances free tickets will also be available at the Hall of States Box Office on the day of the performance, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Seating is first come, first served. Standing room is available behind the seated area as space allows.