LAURENCE HOBGOOD

Laurence Hobgood: pianist, Matt Clohesy: bass, Jared Schonig: drums.

Laurence Hobgood, a multifaceted artist with a career spanning over three decades, brings his exceptional talents to the stage. From a young age, he immersed himself in the world of music, ultimately transitioning to jazz during his time at the University of Illinois. It was there that he developed his skills and artistic philosophy in a thriving musical environment.

In 1988, Hobgood made his mark in Chicago, collaborating with legendary musicians, including Kurt Elling. Their partnership resulted in Grammy-nominated albums, with Hobgood recognized as a producer when they clinched the 2010 Grammy for “Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane and Hartman.” Hobgood’s achievements also include receiving ASCAP’s Deems Taylor Award and earning critical acclaim for his own albums, such as “When The Heart Dances” and “PoemJazz,” featuring poet Robert Pinsky.

In 2013, he introduced the Laurence Hobgood Quintet, a project celebrated by Downbeat magazine. Hobgood’s musical journey continues to captivate audiences worldwide, making his performance on November 21st an event not to be missed. See you there!

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RODNEY JONES

Jazz guitarist Rodney Jones and his quartet perform.

With a musical journey that began at age 6, Rodney has recorded for Blue Note, toured globally, and collaborated with icons like Dizzy Gillespie and Stevie Wonder. He’s also been a prolific composer, a musical director, and a respected educator at Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music.

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MICHAEL WOLFF

Michael Wolff ~ piano, Ben Allison ~ bass, Allison Miller ~ drums.

In the summer of 2015, the renowned pianist-composer battled a rare cancer, defying the odds to make a remarkable recovery. His sons Nat and Alex, known from The Naked Brothers Band, played by his side during his darkest moments. Today, he is completely cancer-free, and his outlook on life and music has transformed profoundly.

His latest album, “Swirl,” is a radiant piano trio masterpiece featuring bassist Ben Allison and drummer Allan Mednard. This new work reflects Wolff’s newfound appreciation for life’s joys, focusing on creating beautiful music that resonates deeply.

Michael Wolff’s storied career spans decades, with collaborations with jazz legends like Cannonball Adderley and Tom Harrell. He’s also known for his role as the musical director of Arsenio Hall’s late-night talk show. Additionally, Wolff is an avid fan of blackjack and has shared his insights into the game.

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The Jazz Voyager

Departing the Midwest for the nation’s capital is the next hop for this week. The Jazz Voyager is landing at Reagan National and hopping over to Wisconsin and M Streets in Georgetown to the Blues Alley. Situated in an actual alley, this intimate venue has long established themselves as one of the premiere jazz clubs on the East Coast. Opening in 1965 it has hosted the biggest names in jazz and blues along with emerging young stars.

This week I will see the incomparable Grammy nominated guitar Stanley Jordan. Be it bold reinventions of classical masterpieces or soulful explorations through pop-rock hits, to blazing straight ahead jazz forays and ultramodern improvisational works, whether solo or in a group, Jordan can always be depended upon to take listeners on a journey into the unexpected. If you’ve never heard him perform, this is an opportunity to witness his solo virtuosity.

The venue is located at 1073 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007 and for more information you can visit https://notoriousjazz.com/event/stanley-jordan-3

CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION

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JOEY ALEXANDER

Joey Alexander, is an Indonesian jazz pianist. He became the first Indonesian musician to chart on Billboard 200 when his album My Favorite Things debuted at number 174 and then peaked at 59. His first album, My Favorite Things, was released in 2015 when he was 11 years old.

Widely regarded as a wunderkind, Alexander taught himself to play jazz at the age of six by listening to his father’s classic jazz albums. He won the Grand Prix at the 2013 Master-Jam Fest when he was nine.

In 2014, Wynton Marsalis invited him to play at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Alexander played at the Montreal and Newport Jazz Festivals in 2015 and has performed for Herbie Hancock, Bill Clinton, Wendy Kiess, and Barack Obama.

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