MATTHEW PARRISH QUARTET FEATURING HOUSTON PERSON

Jazz bassist Matthew Parrish has ‘come into his own’ as a sought after performer, arranger, composer, producer and instructor. Matthew brings skills and swing as he puts his heart into every note he plays. He has a genuine warmth and loyalty to the music that transcends into every note, every tune, and every interaction with his fellow musicians.

Houston Person grew up in Florence, S.C., studied at the state college there, was later named to the school’s Hall of Fame in 1999, and continued his studies at Hartt College of Music in Hartford, CT. Earlier, in the U.S. Air Force, he played with Don Ellis, Eddie Harris, Cedar Walton, and Leo Wright. Contrary to popular belief, he was never married to the late singer Etta Jones, but did spend many years as her musical partner, recording, performing and touring.

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The Jazz Voyager

Masked up and on the wing to that city by the bay is the next stop for this Jazz Voyager to take in an evening at the Comstock Saloon situated at the crossroads of North Beach, Chinatown, Financial District and Jackson Square. I’ve been hearing about Gaucho Jazz, and having sparked my curiosity, decided to satisfy or see if it will kill this cat. So it’s off to hear them live and experience a performance for myself.

Of course while I’m in this city I’ll ride another trolley, make my way down the crooked street, roll across the bridge to Berkeley, go hang in the Tenderloin, Haight~Ashbury and Nob Hill and just enjoy the sights and sounds. I’ve also heard about this Dynamo Spiced Chocolate Donut that the saloon serves up with vanilla ice cream and during the night I’m going to see what this dessert hoopla is all about.

Showtime is 8:00pm ~ 11:00pm and there is no mention of a cover or reservations required. I guess I’ll be dropping in a little before showtime. The address of the Comstock Saloon is 155 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, California 94133. For more information, the number is 415-617-0071 or comstocksaloon.com.

CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION

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ROY HARGROVE BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE

CELEBRATING THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE JAZZ GALLERY

Jaleel Shaw ~ saxophones
Giveton Gelin – trumpet
Orrin Evans -piano
Mimi Jones -bass
Johnathan Blake –drums

With Special Guests
Renee Neufville -vocals
Tadataka Unno -piano
Justin Robinson –saxophone

Guest MC: Lezlie Harrison

Sets at 7.30pm + 9.30pm ET
$30/$10 members; cabaret seating: $40/$20 members; LIVESTREAM: $20/$5 members

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Jack Patrick Fallon was born on October 13, 1915 in London, Ontario, Canada and played violin and studied with London Symphony Orchestra founder Bruce Sharpe. In 1935 when he was 20 years old he made double bass his primary instrument.

During World War II he played in a dance band in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and settled in Britain after his discharge. Fallon joined Ted Heath’s band in 1946, and played bebop in London, England clubs in his spare time. In 1947 he played with Ronnie Scott and Tommy Whittle at the Melody Maker/Columbia Jazz Rally. Following this through the late Forties he worked with Jack Jackson, George Shearing, Duke Ellington, and Django Reinhardt.

He went on to play in a Count Basie ensemble which also included Malcolm Mitchell and Tony Crombie. Jack played with both of them after leaving Basie, working together with Hoagy Carmichael and Maxine Sullivan and touring in Sweden together with Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.

Fallon worked in the 1950s as an accompanist to Mary Lou Williams, Sarah Vaughan, and Lena Horne. He served as a sideman in the ensembles of Humphrey Lyttelton, Kenny Baker, and Ralph Sharon and was the house bassist at Lansdowne Studios.

Outside of jazz he worked with blues musicians such as Big Bill Broonzy, Josh White and played with Johnny Duncan’s Blue Grass Boys. As the bass guitar became more popular, Jack became a champion of its use, and played both instruments in the latter part of his career.

Fallon was also involved in the industry as a booker/promoter, having established the booking agency Cana Variety in 1952. He booked primarily jazz artists in its early stages but expanded to rock acts in the 1960s, including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Because of this connection, Fallon was asked by the Beatles to play violin fiddle style on the song Don’t Pass Me By in 1968.

He continued to play jazz locally in London and in the studios into the 1990s but retired from performing in 1998 due to ill health. In 2002, he was awarded the Freedom of the City of London and published a memoir titled From the Top in 2005.

Double bassist Jack Fallon transitioned on May 22, 2006 at age 90. He was posthumously inducted into the London Music Hall of Fame in his hometown.

BRONZE LENS

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CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE’S NEW JAWN

Eight-time Grammy Award-winning jazz bassist Christian McBride is a force of nature, fusing the fire and fury of a virtuoso with the depth and grounding of a seasoned journeyman. Powered by a relentless energy and a boundless love of swing, McBride’s path has described a continuous positive arc since his arrival on the scene. With a career now blazing into its third decade, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today. Drawing from the lexicon of his hometown, Philadelphia, McBride calls his pianoless quartet The New Jawn.

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