LIFE, LOVE & LENNY
A Celebration of the life and music of Lenny White
The iconic Grammy-winning drummer, who is among jazz music’s most prolific and celebrated artists, producers, composers and sidemen — will be fêted at a one-night-only celebration filled with music and memories at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall.
Presented by Tzedakah 4 All, the event will feature performances in multiple combinations – Return to Forever w/ Stanley Clarke, Al DiMeola and orchestra conducted by Maestro Steve Mecurio, Miles Davis Bitches Brew, Red Clay, Echoes of an Era, as well as exploring material from his illustrious five + decade career. Laurence Fishburne will serve as emcee with appearances from fellow artists Buster Williams, Omar Hakim, Patrice Rushen, Al Foster, Mike Clark, Billy Hart, and Billy Drummond.
Tickets: $175.00~$250.00
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PATRICK WOLFF QUARTET
Featuring Matt Wilson
Patrick Wolff is a jazz saxophone and clarinet player with a long history in the jazz scenes of New York City and San Francisco. His playing has been characterized by a focus on lyricism and an embrace of the whole lineage of jazz styles. As one of SF’s longest running jazz groups, Wolff’s quartet has spent more than a decade honing a quirky repertoire focusing on overlooked gems of the bebop era and great American songbook in weekly residencies at Club Deluxe and the Redwood Room. For this special show, Wolff is joined in the front line by a frequent collaborator, the Bay Area’s grandmaster of jazz tenor, Noel Jewkes, in a mutual admiration society evoking the great two-tenor tradition popularized by pairings like Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons and Al Cohn and Zoot Sims.
Patrick Wolff – saxophone
Eric Markowitz – bass
Tickets: $31.20 with fee
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BOBBY SELVAGGIO QUINTET
Bobby Selvaggio is one of the leading alto saxophone voices on today’s jazz scene. In the words of pianist Kenny Werner, “Bobby is among the best of players out there,” and legendary saxophonist Joe Lovano praises Bobby by calling him “one of the few young saxophonists on the scene today that captures you with his strong presence, focus, and sound.”
Bobby, who grew up in the Cleveland area, earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Performance from Kent State University. He eventually moved to New York City and earned a master’s degree in jazz performance from the Manhattan School of Music. While in New York he studied with Joe Lovano, Bobby Watson, Dick Oatts, and Maria Schneider.
The Band: Bobby Selvaggio ~ saxophone, composer, and educator | Tommy Lehman ~ trumpet | George Delancey ~ bass | Zaire Darden ~ drums | Zach Jones ~ guitar
Tickets: $20 General Admission
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Fred Staton was born on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1915 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His musical life began with his mother’s player piano and 78 records of Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson. He began singing in his church’s gospel choir, but got introduced to playing jazz when the group’s sponsor brought in a full band’s worth of equipment, complete with charts of popular music. He first picked up the drums but having to pack up his kit left few women to flirt with as his bandmates left after the gig. This and the influence of a Johnny Hodges cut on an Ellington big band record inspired him to choose the saxophone.
He played in the first ensemble Art Blakey ever formed, alongside pianist Erroll Garner. The lack of opportunity and venues for a young black man in segregated Pittsburgh led Staton to leave the Steel City and find his fortune gigging on the East Coast. He fell in with Horace Silver and watched fellow Westinghouse High School graduates Billy Strayhorn and Ahmad Jamal pen iconic compositions.
Staton went on to become a veteran member of the Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, and toured Europe, Russia and the United States to much acclaim. He has received numerous honors and awards, and was a lifetime member and supporter of WBGO Radio. Tenor saxophonist Fred Staton continued to play jazz until his death at 102 years of age on October 25, 2017.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Don M’Orton was born on February 10, 1942. Having landed the gig as the resident reedman at the famous Boston, Massachusetts Lincs Jazz Club , in Europe during the 70s and 80’s he played with many British jazz musicians like Digby Fairweather and Roy Williams among others. He also played with many visiting Americans as well, including Thomas Jefferson, Wingy Manone, Alton Purnell, Al CAsey and Benny Waters, the latter with whom he played several tours.
By the mid 1990’s he was off again first to London and then Europe, the Middle East, the USA and the Caribbean. He had a trio in London with bassist Paul Godfrey and Ray Dempseywho was replaced by Cedric West on guitar. New York City saw him meet up with Al Casey again and played alongside him and tenor saxophonist George Kelly.
He went on to play with Michael Boothman and Kysufusion in Trinidad, before returning to the East Midlands. Since returning to the UK, Don has spent much of his time composing new tunes which vary from ballads to jazz tunes, including Caribbean and Latin American rhythms, and arranging material for his bands.
Tenor saxophonist Don M’Orton is still active as a player, performing regularly with the Red Hot Chillies, Dave Gladdish’s Irregulars, and the Big Wheel Quartet, in addition to his own swing trio.
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