NICOLE GLOVER QUINTET

Saxophonist Nicole Glover is one of the most exciting new voices in jazz. WBGO already calls her “a fixture on the scene in New York” and says, “we’re sure to be hearing a lot more from her soon.” Originally from Portland, Oregon, she has worked with Esperanza Spalding and George Colligan as well as Reggie Workman, Victor Lewis, and Renee Rosnes among many others. She leads a sensational quintet of rising stars featuring vibraphonist Simon Moullier, pianist Miki Yamanaka, bassist Tyrone Allen, and drummer Kayvon Gordon.

Nicole Glover – tenor saxophone
Simon Moullier – vibraphone
Miki Yamanaka – piano
Tyrone Allen – bass
Kayvon Gordon – drums

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ERIC REED

Eric Reed – piano
Chris Lewis – saxophone
Dezron Douglas – bass
Kendrick Scott – drums

Eric Reed celebrates the release of his inspiring new album Black, Brown, and Blue, which features a program of compositions written by composers of color. It includes works by jazz masters such as Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Horace Silver, Buddy Collette, and Buster Williams, along with jazz-conversant pop/R&B songwriters Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers. Reed calls Black, Brown, and Blue, “the culmination of my life thus far. I’m freer than I’ve ever been in my personal life, and I’m freer than I’ve ever been in my music. I’m accepting who I am. I love who I am. And as I continue to evolve – my artistry, my sexuality, and my overall humanity – my music will continue to become more and more personal.” A widely respected and popular musician and mentor, he first rose to fame with Wynton Marsalis and has performed with artists as varied as Jessye Norman, Quincy Jones, and Patti Labelle. His perpetually swinging and sophisticated style has made him one of the important ambassadors of the music.

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KEVIN BALES QUARTET

By some measures, Kevin Bales was a latecomer to jazz, already 17 when he encountered the sounds and structures and became captivated by the freedom and corresponding challenges of the music. But if late to the party, he wasted no time in immersing himself in the celebration, declaring total commitment to what would be his life’s work and backing his announcement by resigning his job and designated career in computer programming. Kevin could commit to jazz with a reasonable degree of expectation. He was already an accomplished pianist, with classical chops refined since the age of 10. So accomplished he was invited to audition for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, then under the direction of its most storied conductor Robert Shaw, at age 16.

Kevin’s initial career move was to the University of North Florida and a budding if little-known jazz program. There he met and performed with, and went on to record and tour with, a number of monumental artists who had settled into that burgeoning North Florida jazz scene. Giants like Wynton Marsalis, Louie Bellson, Eddie Daniels, James Moody, Ben Tucker, Ira Sullivan, Sam Rivers, and Nat Adderley. He counts among his mentors bassist Ben Tucker, multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan, guitar legends Nathen Page and Jack Petersen, and the fiercely individual saxophonist Bunky Green. His meeting with Bunky Green led to five years of tours. His encounter with guitarist Nathen Page blossomed into 15 years of spot tours and four albums. And his work with trumpeter extraordinaire Marcus Printup has become a lifetime association that has included recordings on Blue Note/Capital records. Ten years touring and recording with vocal iconoclast Rene Marie culminated in a Grammy Nominated album. His most recent recording of music composed by Fred Rogers was selected as one of the top 10 albums of 2018 by Cadence Magazine and AllAboutJazz.com

Few artists have the patience for teaching – as are few teachers accomplished players. But Kevin has amassed a reputation for his prowess in both professions. While still a senior at North Florida he was drafted into a full teaching load, and continued to be an integral part of the school’s jazz program for upwards of a decade. Today, Kevin manages his own jazz program, overseeing an ambitious schedule of ambitious jazz students and runs the improvisation and small group programs at Georgia State University.

Kevin has amassed a long list of awards and a reputation as one of the finest jazz pianists performing anywhere. In 1994, less than a decade into jazz, he won the American Pianist Association’s Jazz Piano Competition. In addition to nearly every important jazz venue in the South, he has performed in some of the most acclaimed clubs and festivals in America and around the world: the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, The Bakery in Los Angeles, The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center jazz series, the Toronto and Edinburgh jazz festivals, and the Moscow Center for the Performing Arts.

Shows ~ 7:30pm | 9:30pm

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TERENCE BLANCHARD

Featuring E~Collective & the Turtle Island Quartet

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VANESSA RUBIN

All That Jazz
Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra
with special guest Vanessa Rubin

Revered as a torchbearer and storyteller, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin lends her voice to the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra as the ensemble performs popular selections from the jazz repertoire. Rubin possesses a voice hailed for crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful sass, with influences from her Trinidadian mother and Louisiana-born father. With her multicultural upbringing, diverse influences and wealth of experience, Rubin can seamlessly transition between styles and settings — from the Great American Songbook to bebop and modern jazz — making her a powerful addition to any jazz ensemble.

Vanessa Rubin, vocalist
Luciano Morello, founding producer
Lew Del Gatto, artistic director, tenor saxophone
Randy Sandke, trumpet
Mike Harvey, drums
Chuck Bergeron, bass
Jerry Stawski, co-bandleader, vocals, piano

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