QUARTET SAN FRANCISCO W/ GORDON GOODWIN
Quartet San Francisco’s CDs have gathered multiple Grammy nominations for Best Crossover; three for Best Engineered, Classical (Leslie Ann Jones and Judy Kirchner); and two for Best Instrumental Composition (Gordon Goodwin and Vince Mendoza). QSF was the grand prize winner of the Argentine Consulate’s International Tango Competition in New York City.
Founded in 2001 by violinist and composer Jeremy Cohen, QSF expresses itself in its agility and standout virtuosic playing. These crossover specialists excel in multiple styles — from jazz to tango, pop to funk, blues to bluegrass, gypsy swing to big band and beyond. Since its concert debut in 2001, Quartet San Francisco has offered its groundbreaking literature to local, national and international audiences in performing arts centers, tango and concert halls, jazz festivals, museums across the US, Italy, China, South Korea, and Japan.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Maria Viana was born on March 17, 1958, Lisbon, Portugal and was the daughter of famous actor and painter, José Viana; and Brazilian singer and actress Jujú Baptista. A meeting with jazz critic and missionary José Carlos Monteiro Costa introduced her Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Anita O’Day. He also introduced her to the producers of Cascais Jazz Festival, Luis Villas-Boas and Duarte Mendonça who took an immediate interest in her, arranging for rehearsals and jam sessions.
It was not until 1983 that she vigorsly pursued her professional ambitions in Jazz, because previously she had been an actress and a famous popsinger. She became the host-singer at the jazz bar, Drogaria Ideal, where dozens of soloists, amateurs and professionals performed. Within months Maria’s career progressed and revealed unquestionable talent and abilities.
She would go on to do television, festivals, record, and work with Al Grey, Bernardo Sasseti, and David Gausden. She created the Maria Viana Quintet, and toured the country for the National Secretary of Culture. 1995 Produces / features in concert, Around the World, Around the Forties, for the celebration of fifty years since the Second World War ending; an initiative of C.M. de Cascais. Tours Portugal with her quintet, and tours with Bill Goodwin quintet.
Maria’s work is rewarded with a Declaration of Manifest Cultural Value, has guested on several recordings and concerts, and became the Artistic Director for Hotels with Jazz. She produced Jazz na Casa da Guia, and Blues for Cascais, benefiting an ecological organization in Cascais.
Through the years vocalist Maria Viana has been featured on over sixty national television shows and concerts and continues to perform and tour.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jan Verwey was born on February 24, 1936 in Vlissingen, The Netherlands. A self-taught harpist, he created his own style on this characteristic instrument. He is the only one who plays octaves on the harmonica.
Very much a bebopper and his unique self-developed instrumental technique, he boldly brings about his desired harmony and melody to his solo’s. During his first visit to the United States in 1990 he was immediately rushed into the recording studio by producer Bill Goodwin, Phil Woods drummer, to record The Dutch Connection which led to a performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.
In 1991 he was back in the States being the only European invited to play at the festival Celebration Of The Arts in Watergap, as a soloist. He also gave a duo concert with pianist Hod O’brien who recorded with Chet Baker at The Dearhead Inn. In 2007 he was playing at festivals in Medicine Hat and Calgary in Canada. He has toured Europe, playing in Copenhagen, Denmark as well as Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Rhede and Darmstadt in Germany.
He has a nomination for the Pall Mall Export Award, was a guest soloist with the Metropole Orchestra, in addition to guest performances on television- and radio shows. As a composer he has written for television series, documentaries and commercials.
He has recorded eight albums as a leader with his last being his 2019 The Music of Horace Silver. Harmonica player Jan Verwey, who plays bebop and cool jazz, continues to perform.
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WYCLIFFE GORDON & FRIENDS
Wycliffe A. Gordon jazz trombonist, arranger, composer, band leader, and music educator at the collegiate-conservatory level. Gordon also sings and plays didgeridoo, trumpet, soprano trombone, tuba, and piano.
His early works as a professional were with Wynton Marsalis, but in 2010 he has expanded beyond swing and has experimented with new instruments. The strongest example of this might be The Search where he plays didgeridoo and covers Thelonious Monk songs. He has also played Gospel music.
In 1995, Gordon arranged and orchestrated the theme song for NPR’s All Things Considered. Gordon’s arrangement and orchestration is the third version of the melody composed in 1971 by Donald Joseph Voegeli (1920–2009).
On September 24, 2004, Gordon conducted the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in the premiere of his new, original score for “Body and Soul”, the 1925 silent film directed by Oscar Micheaux.
He has recently gained more worldwide popularity, being featured in South Australia’s Generations In Jazz 2016 and 2017, playing alongside artists such as James Morrison, Jazzmeia Horn, Gordon Goodwin and Ross Irwin among others. For over a decade, he has also worked with visual artist and educator Ligel Lambert on numerous collaborative projects.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Eric Marienthal was born on December 19, 1957 in Sacramento, California but moved with his family to San Mateo, California when he was two years old. He was taught music while in school and picked up the saxophone in the fourth grade. His father bought him a $400 Selmer saxophone and enrolled him in Corona Del Mar High School. Throughout his education, he learned to play guitar, flute, clarinet and piano.
After graduating from high school he studied saxophone at the Berklee College of Music. By the time he left Berklee, Eric had achieved the highest proficiency rating given by the school. He began his professional career in 1980 with New Orleans trumpeter Al Hirt. Heading west he settled in Los Angeles, California and became a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band. He recorded six albums with that band and two of them won Grammy Awards.
Marienthal has also written instructional books, including Comprehensive Jazz Studies & Exercises, The Ultimate Jazz Play Along, and The Music of Eric Marienthal. He has made instructional videos, Play Sax From Day One, Modern Sax and Tricks of the Trade. He occupies the lead alto chair of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, playing alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, and piccolo.
Grammy Award-nominated alto saxophonist Eric Marienthal continues to perform and record.
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