Luis Perdomo Trio
Saturday, July 19th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Luis Perdomo - piano, Hans Glawischnig - bass, Eric McPherson - drums

Last fall we had the thrill of presenting Luis Perdomo as part of our acclaimed Composers Series, during which he premiered his Central Coast: Impressions on Afrovenezuelan Music. We're proud to showcase Luis now in a triumphant return engagement.

Born in 1971, a native of Caracas, Venezuela and a resident of New York since age 22, Luis Perdomo has become known as one of the finest pianists and composers of his generation, with deep roots in the bebop, postbop, avant-garde and Afro-Latin traditions. Luis pursued a formal education in jazz and classical music, and on a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, he studied with Harold Danko and Martha Pestalozzi. Later, pursuing his Masters at Queens College, he studied extensively with piano legend Sir Roland Hanna. He also began working with such figures as Ray Barretto, Butch Morris, Jane Bunnett, Jerry Gonzalez, Yosvany Terry, Dafnis Prieto, John Benitez and many more.

A major voice in the new wave of advanced Latin jazz, Luis has released two acclaimed recordings on the RKM label, Focus Point and Awareness. He has also maintained a busy sideman schedule with the likes of Ravi Coltrane, Miguel Zenon, Ben Wolfe, Andy Narell and more. Come hear the "exploratory urgency" and "unforced yet unexpected turns" (New York Times) of this important new figure in 21st-century jazz.

Gretchen Parlato
Friday, July 25th, 2008 to Saturday, July 26th, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Gretchen Parlato - vocals, Fabian Almazan - piano, Ben Williams - bass, Jamire Williams - drums

"A singer with a deep, almost magical connection to the music" - that is Herbie Hancock's description of Gretchen Parlato, winner of the 2004 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition and beloved member of the Jazz Gallery family. In addition to releasing a sterling self-titled debut album in 2005, Gretchen has appeared on a host of recent cutting-edge recordings, including Lionel Loueke's Virgin Forest, Kenny Barron's The Traveler, Terence Blanchard's Flow, Esperanza Spalding's Esperanza, Nick Vayenas's Synesthesia, Massimo Biolcati's Persona and plenty more.

Gretchen's studies in jazz, Brazilian music, African percussion and other traditions have armed her with a musical versatility matched by few other singers. The first vocalist to gain acceptance to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, Gretchen brought her musicianship to the next level by studying with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, John Scofield, Dave Holland, Terence Blanchard and more. Since making the move to New York in 2003, she's become an irreplaceable component in the sound of the city, sought after by listeners and fellow musicians alike.

Lage Lund 5
Friday, August 1st, 2008 to Saturday, August 2nd, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Lage Lund - guitar, Seamus Blake - saxophones, Aaron Parks - piano, Ben Street - bass, Johnathan Blake - drums

Jazz Expo
Friday, August 8th, 2008
featuring
Knight Session Sextet
Drake Colley and James Fleet Project
Mike Fitzsbenjiman Quartet

Jazz Expo is produced by Cornell Knight.

Fringe Festival
Saturday, August 9th, 2008

Gregg August Sextet
Friday, August 15th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for the Memebers
Gregg August - bass, John Bailey- trumpet, Jaleel Shaw- alto saxophone, JD Allen - tenor saxlphone, Luis Perdomo - piano, EJ Strickland- drums

Fringe Festival
Saturday, August 16th, 2008

Fringe Festival
Friday, August 22nd, 2008 to Saturday, August 23rd, 2008

Vijay Iyer Special Quintet
Friday, August 29th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Vijay Iyer - piano, Ambrose Akinmusire - trumpet, Prasanna - guitar, Stephan Crump - bass, Marcus Gilmore - drums

Will Vinson Quintet
Saturday, August 30th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Will Vinson - alto saxophone, Lage Lund - guitar, Luis Perdomo - piano, Orlando Le Fleming - bass, Jochen Ruekert - drums

Tigran Hamasyan
Thursday, September 4th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$12.00 / $10.00 for Members

Dave Liebman DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME
Friday, September 5th, 2008 to Saturday, September 6th, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$20.00 / $10.00 for Members
Dave Liebman & Ellery Eskelin - saxophones, Tony Marino - bass, Jim Black - drums

James Carney
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$12.00 / $10.00 for Members

Miles Okazaki Group
Thursday, September 11th, 2008 to Friday, September 12th, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Miles Okazaki - guitar, Jen Shyu - vocals, David Binney - alto saxophone, Miguel Zenon - alto saxophone, , Christof Knoche - reeds, Jon Flaugher - bass, Dan Weiss - drums

John Escreet
Thursday, September 18th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$12.00 / $10.00 for Members

Ben van Gelder
Thursday, September 25th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$12.00 / $10.00 for Members

Tony Malaby's TAMARINDO
Friday, October 17th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members

Omer Klein
Saturday, October 18th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members

Taylor Ho Bynum
Friday, November 14th, 2008 to Saturday, November 15th, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members

Miguel Zenon
Thursday, December 4th, 2008 to Saturday, December 6th, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members

Steve Lehman
Friday, December 19th, 2008 to Saturday, December 20th, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members

Luis Perdomo Quintet
Friday, July 18th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Luis Perdomo - piano, Jaleel Shaw - alto saxophone, Marcus Strickland - tenor saxophone, Hans Glawischnig - bass, Ignacio Berroa - drums

Last fall we had the thrill of presenting Luis Perdomo as part of our acclaimed Composers Series, during which he premiered his Central Coast: Impressions on Afrovenezuelan Music. We're proud to showcase Luis now in a triumphant return engagement.

Born in 1971, a native of Caracas, Venezuela and a resident of New York since age 22, Luis Perdomo has become known as one of the finest pianists and composers of his generation, with deep roots in the bebop, postbop, avant-garde and Afro-Latin traditions. Luis pursued a formal education in jazz and classical music, and on a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, he studied with Harold Danko and Martha Pestalozzi. Later, pursuing his Masters at Queens College, he studied extensively with piano legend Sir Roland Hanna. He also began working with such figures as Ray Barretto, Butch Morris, Jane Bunnett, Jerry Gonzalez, Yosvany Terry, Dafnis Prieto, John Benitez and many more.

A major voice in the new wave of advanced Latin jazz, Luis has released two acclaimed recordings on the RKM label, Focus Point and Awareness. He has also maintained a busy sideman schedule with the likes of Ravi Coltrane, Miguel Zenon, Ben Wolfe, Andy Narell and more. Come hear the "exploratory urgency" and "unforced yet unexpected turns" (New York Times) of this important new figure in 21st-century jazz.

The Jazz Gallery will be closed for summer vacation.
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 to Saturday, July 12th, 2008

Have a great summer.

World Culture Music Presents:
Saturday, June 28th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Nick Vayenas & Kendrick Scott Group featuring Nick Vayenas - trombone, Kendrick Scott - drums, Marcus Strickland - saxophone, Gerald Clayton - piano, Fabian Almazan - piano/keyboards, Matt Clohesy - bass

Trombonist Nick Vayenas and drummer Kendrick Scott have also each released an album on the World Culture imprint. But for this special appearance, they'll be working as co-leaders, in a sextet featuring the acclaimed Marcus Strickland and Gerald Clayton.

Kendrick Scott is a drummer's drummer hailing from Houston, Texas, with sideman stints including John Scofield, Stefon Harris, Lizz Wright and many more. As a longtime member of Terence Blanchard's acclaimed band, Kendrick developed an advanced sensibility and appeared on two of Blanchard's Blue Note albums: Flow and A Tale of God's Will: A Requiem for Katrina. In 2007 Kendrick took on an even more ambitious role in the furtherance of jazz by launching the World Culture label-collective. Under World Culture's auspices he released one of the season's strongest debut recordings, The Source. A multi-genre feast, the album featured the likes of Robert Glasper, Myron Walden, Lionel Loueke, Mike Moreno, Lage Lund and Aaron Parks: a who's-who of artists close to the Jazz Gallery's heart.

Boston-born Nick Vayenas attended Berklee, the Manhattan School of Music and the Thelonious Monk Institute and is poised become an important exponent of modern jazz trombone. His World Culture debut, Synesthesia, was praised by Michael G. Nastos of All Music Guide as "a valiant opening salvo … Vayenas has a modern and progressive jazz aesthetic in his soul, accented by youth, futuristic sounds, and fueled by a fertile imagination." Following in the footsteps of J. J. Johnson, Julian Priester and other searching trombonists, Nick is also getting a crash course in the popular music arena by playing with singer Michael Bublé - a job that has taken Nick on tour around the world, performing in some of the biggest and most famous venues on the planet.

World Culture Music Presents:
Friday, June 27th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
Mike Moreno & Julie Hardy Group featuring Mike Moreno - guitar, Julie Hardy - vocals, Aaron Goldberg - piano, Doug Weiss - bass, Jochen Ruekert - drums

Guitarist Mike Moreno and vocalist Julie Hardy are two of World Culture Music's signature artists, each with an album to their credit on the World Music imprint. Tonight they'll be pooling their considerable talents and making music together in the company of an exceptional rhythm section.

In a March 2005 cover story in Jazz Times, Pat Metheny singled out Mike Moreno as a guitarist worth watching. In the July/August 2007 issue of that magazine, Nate Chinen devoted an entire column to Mike, praising his "expansive yet well-defined musical personality." Mike has been a fixture at the Gallery for some time, as a sideman and leader, and he's appeared on a raft of fine recent recordings by Kendrick Scott (The Source, on World Culture), Robert Glasper, Jeremy Pelt, Yosvany Terry, John Ellis, Eldar, Myron Walden and more. In addition, Mike's 2007 debut album, Between the Lines (World Culture), a feast of bold, evocative composition and fluid improvisation, landed on a number of critics' top-ten lists for the year. Mike followed up this year with Third Wish, a hardbop-oriented date for the Criss Cross label, featuring original music and classics by Joe Henderson, Billy Strayhorn and more.

Julie Hardy, a New Hampshire native and New England Conservatory alum, debuted in 2003 with A Moment's Glance on the Fresh Sound label. Her follow-up - and her debut on the World Culture label - is called The Wish, and it has met with wide critical praise. "Hardy emits bell like clarity, cool precision and glowing warmth," writes Ken Micallef in Downbeat. "Hers is a serious art, based in songs of longing and reflection with arrangements that challenge anyone's notions of what constitutes forward-thinking music." Inspired by the wordless vocalizing of Dominique Eade and the evocative harmony of Wayne Shorter, Julie has arrived at her own take on the jazz vocal tradition, in all its panorama.

Helen Sung Quintet
Thursday, June 26th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$12.00 / $10.00 for Members
Helen Sung - piano, Mike Rodriguez - trumpet, Richie Goods - bass, Quincy Davis - drums plus special guest Steve Wilson - saxophones

Pianist Helen Sung, a Houston native of Chinese descent, has consistently wowed the jazz world with her deep feeling for swing and her innate abilities as a composer and conceptualist. A 1997 graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute at New England Conservatory, Helen has worked with everyone from Clark Terry to Lonnie Plaxico and Greg Tardy, and she seized the public's attention with two fine albums on the Fresh Sound label (2003's Push and 2006's Helenistique). Then Helen made an intriguing departure, shifting to the Sunnyside label and returning to her classical roots for Sungbird, which focuses on jazz interpretations of the music of Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909). Fresh from winning the Kennedy Center's 2007 Mary Lou Williams Piano Competition, Helen will now grace the Jazz Gallery bandstand with a quintet, featuring the formidable horns of Steve Wilson and Michael Rodriguez.

Dedicated to Miguel "Angá" Diaz: Un Homenaje Para Angá
Saturday, June 21st, 2008 | 1:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Free and Open to Public
Outdoor concert on Dominick Street (between Varick and Hudson Streets).

Kwaku Martin Obeng: African Percussion Preamble
Kwaku Martin Obeng, a native of Ghana, has taught the ceremonial songs, dances and traditional drumming of his country at Brown University since 1988. He's played a valuable role in the Jazz Gallery's mission as an international jazz cultural center, bringing the brilliance of his heritage to our stage in the company of such jazz instrumentalists as Taylor Ho Bynum, Bill Lowe and more. His vision of jazz as a diasporic language stretching from Africa to the New World is perfectly in keeping with Angá's legacy.

Gema y Pável featuring Gema Corredera - Vocals, Pável Urkiza - guitar/vocals
Gema & Pável, the scintillating vocal/guitar duo, originated in Cuba in 1990 and then relocated to Spain in 1993, becoming a fixture of that country's musical landscape. With several acclaimed recordings and years of international touring experience to their credit, they continue to draw on a wealth of influences: from the Beatles to Caetano Veloso; from old Cuban boleros to the even older songs of the Trova; from Spanish melodies to the African rhythms of the Orishas; from the blues to psychedelic.

Yosvany Terry's Afro-Cuban Roots featuring Yosvany Terry - saxophone/chekere, Michael Rodriguez - trumpet, Osmany Paredes - piano, Yunior Terry - bass, Obed Calvaire - drums and others
The Cuban-born saxophonist and chekere player returns for a daytime performance to celebrate Make Music New York!

Roy Hargrove's Grammy-Winning Crisol Band featuring Roy Hargrove - trumpet, saxophone - tba, Frank Lacy - trombone, Osmany Paredes - piano, Yunior Terry - bass, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez - drums, Luisito Quintero - timbales, percussion - tba
Trumpeter Roy Hargrove has two Grammy Awards to his credit, and one of them is Habana, the 1998 album by his pathbreaking Afro-Cuban ensemble Crisol. It was a privilege of Angá's, the percussionist for Crisol, to share in this historic victory. Roy is widely recognized as one of the superior jazz instrumentalists of his generation - not just a keeper of the flame of jazz tradition, but a pathbreaking stylist in genres from small-group swing to R&B and hip-hop and, of course, Afro-Cuban jazz. Tonight Roy reunites with trombonist Frank Lacy of the original Crisol lineup, bringing along a stellar cast of New York's leading Afro-Cuban players who will do Angá's memory proud.

Dedicated to Miguel "Angá" Diaz: Un Homenaje Para Angá
Friday, June 20th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Yosvany Terry Percussion Ensemble featuring Yosvany Terry - saxophone/chekere, Osmany Paredes - piano, Yunior Terry - bass, Ernesto Simpson - drums

A fixture of the Jazz Gallery's programming for many years, Yosvany Terry had the privilege of premiering his new music "Trio + Keys" as part of our Composers Series in 2007. Born in 1971 in Camaguey, Cuba, he was a major force behind Columna B, a group of talented musicians dedicated to finding a new direction for modern Cuban music. After attending the Stanford Jazz Workshop on scholarship, he made his way to New York in 1999 and has become an important contributor to the city's extremely lively international music scene. In addition to recordings made as a sideman with artists such as Antonio Hart, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Eddie Palmieri, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Avishai Cohen and Dafnis Prieto, he has released two powerful CDs under his own name, Twisted Noon (Bombo Music, 2001) and Metamorphosis (Kindred Rhythm, 2006).

Dedicated to Miguel "Angá" Diaz: Un Homenaje Para Angá
Thursday, June 19th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$12.00 / $10.00 for Members
Flor Urrutia: TIMBA JAZZ para Angá
Flor Urrutia - piano, Osmay Calvo - vocals, Carlos Boys - vocals/bongo, Pablo Rodriguez - trombone, Ozzie Cardona - trumpet, Esteban Abreu - bass, Manu Biseu - congas, Diego Lopez - drums & timbales

Born and raised in Central Havana, pianist Flor Urrutia has been immersed in Cuban musical traditions her entire life. She was trained in classical piano from a very early age and received degrees from the Alejandro Garcia Cartula Conservatory and the Instituto Superior del Arte. She played piano/keyboards with the all female Cuban group Ricacha, recorded with them (Ricacha en la Calle) and traveled with them throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and Italy. Since moving to New York two years ago she has been heard - often at SOB's - in performance with a variety of salsa and charanga bands. Along the way, she has played with outstanding musicians such as Giovanni Hidalgo, Pedro Martinez, Ralph Irizarry, Alfredo de la Fe, Jose Tabares and others. She made her auspicious Jazz Gallery debut, her first engagement as a leader in New York, in October of last year.

FLY
Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Mark Turner - saxophone, Larry Grenadier - bass, Jeff Ballard - drums

Drummer/percussionist Jeff Ballard blazed through the Gallery recently in a rare trio encounter with Miguel Zenón and Lionel Loueke - they played "as if they were meant to be together, and also demonstrated how wide the knowledge of the well-prepared jazz musician can be today" (Ben Ratliff, NY Times). Now Ballard returns with FLY, the co-led trio featuring Mark Turner on tenor sax and Larry Grenadier on bass.

This grouping released a stellar self-titled debut in 2004, with original music by each member and even a Hendrix interpretation to boot. Since then we're proud to say that FLY has made the Gallery one of its creative home bases in New York, alongside the Village Vanguard. Alas, their appearances aren't terribly frequent, as the band members juggle a large number of commitments. Turner is busy with Kurt Rosenwinkel and plenty of others; Ballard and Grenadier are the rhythmic engine behind the Pat Metheny-Brad Mehldau quartet.

Now FLY makes its return to our stage, as they prepare to release their next studio recording and embark on a September tour in Europe.

Dedicated to Miguel "Angá" Diaz: Un Homenaje Para Angá
Sunday, June 15th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Commemorating what would have been Angá's 47th birthday
with
Pedro Martinez y IBBORU featuring Pedro Martinez/Roman Diaz/Mauricio Herrera/Igor Arias/Rafael Monteagudo - percussion/vocals, Dafnis Prieto - drums

A native of Havana, Cuba, percussionist/vocalist Pedro Martinez is uniquely suited to pay tribute to the late Angá Díaz, as his roots in the folkloric Afro-Cuban tradition go all the way back to his youth. Pedro cut his teeth in a dance and percussion troupe called Oriki (Yoruba for "worship of the gods"), which featured him on lead vocals and batá drums. His rising profile and long list of performing associations took him to France, Spain and other global destinations and led to a collaboration with the late, great conguero Tata Güines, one of Angá's chief mentors as well. Pedro's transition to North America came through a high-profile stint with Jane Bunnett's Spirits of Havana that began in 1998. He went on to take first place in the annual Thelonious Monk Competition in 2000, the first year ever to focus on Afro-Latin hand-drumming. Since then he has worked with Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Steve Turre, Brian Lynch, Me'shell Ndegeocello and many other pathbreaking artists in jazz and beyond. Pedro's IBORRU ensemble, a riot of five percussionists plus drums, will feature the acclaimed Dafnis Prieto, who has dedicated his latest album Taking the Soul for a Walk to Angá's memory.

Donny McCaslin Trio
Friday, June 13th, 2008 to Saturday, June 14th, 2008

9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Donny McCaslin - saxophones, Hans Glawischnig - bass, Johnathan Blake - drums

One of the most accomplished tenor and soprano saxophonists of his generation, Donny McCaslin has distinguished himself most recently in the frontline of the incredible Dave Douglas Quintet. He has also played with fire and creativity alongside Gary Burton, Steps Ahead, Danilo Perez, David Binney and many more. Californian by birth, New Yorker by choice, McCaslin has met with recognition on the highest level as an improviser - his solo on "Buleria, Solea Y Rumba" from Maria Schneider's album Concert in the Garden received a 2004 Grammy nomination for best jazz instrumental solo.

Donny is a composer and bandleader of great depth as well. Now a Sunnyside recording artist, he recently released his sixth album, the David Binney-produced In Pursuit, which has met with widespread critical praise. He last performed here in January with a heavy-hitting band that included guest vocalist (and Palmetto recording artist) Kate McGarry. We're proud to welcome Donny back to our stage for two nights, in what is perhaps the most challenging and revealing setting for any horn player: trio, with just bass and drums.

Eli Degibri & Kevin Hays Duo
Thursday, June 12th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$12.00 / $10.00 for Members
Eli Degibri - saxophones, Kevin Hays - piano

Saxophonist Eli Degibri and pianist Kevin Hays began hashing out ideas for their duo project aboard Al Foster's tour bus. The two had formed deep musical bonds while working in the legendary drummer's quartet, and they brought the results of their duo musings before the public with the bold 2006 album One Little Song. Despite the apparent modesty of its title, the disc contains worlds of inspired sound: swinging, impressionistic, melodic and searching to the core. Eli and Kevin reveal not only their shared and deeply compatible instrumental virtuosity, but also their expressive singing abilities. On the title track they harmonize together, in Hebrew and in English.

Eli has two fine titles on the Fresh Sound label and world tours with Herbie Hancock under his belt. Hancock lauds him as "an impeccable composer, arranger and performer of a magnitude that is rare to find these days." Kevin, hailed by Brad Mehldau as "a true original," burst on the scene with a succession of Blue Note and SteepleChase discs in the '90s. He's displayed consistent, inspiring musicianship alongside Roy Haynes, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton and more, and his artistry has reached new levels on such efforts as Open Range and the brand new ArtistShare release The Dreamer. Together, Eli and Kevin bring the full range of their collective experience to bear on music of deep pathos and expertly wrought design.

Roy Hargrove Big Band
Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$25.00 / $10.00 for Members
Two-time Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Roy Hargrove is widely recognized as one of the superior jazz instrumentalists of his generation. Not only is he a keeper of the flame of jazz tradition, he is also a pathbreaking stylist in a variety of genres. He's made vital contributions in straight-ahead small-group swing, Afro-Cuban jazz (with his band Crisol), and R&B and hip-hop with his ever-evolving RH Factor.

For years, Roy has also developed an impassioned, refined voice in the big band idiom. The 19-piece Roy Hargrove Big Band has played to sold-out crowds here at The Jazz Gallery, at Chicago's Symphony Hall, at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and beyond. Recent guest artists have included Q-Tip and Bilal. Don't miss Roy as he keeps alive one of the most revered traditions in jazz, while breaking new ground with a fiery mix of Latin tunes and his own sparkling compositions.

Marcus Strickland Trio
Saturday, June 7th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Marcus Strickland - saxophones, Ben Williams - bass, Justin Brown - drums

Fresh from his appearance here last week with David Gilmore, tenor/soprano saxophonist Marcus Strickland returns in perhaps the most challenging configuration of all: trio, with just bass and drums. If anyone can handle it, Marcus can. It's no accident that Ben Ratliff concludes his recently published book Coltrane: The Story of a Sound by quoting Marcus at length on the subject of Coltrane's enormously complex legacy. Along with his identical twin brother, drummer E. J. Strickland, Marcus has become known over the last decade as one of jazz's most authoritative figures.

Marcus's playing is described by Jazz Times magazine as "liquid and luminous, yet forceful and exact." He has appeared on the Grammy-nominated recordings Fountain of Youth (Roy Haynes) and Keystone (Dave Douglas), and can also be heard on Douglas's follow-up Moonshine, which is surely headed for the top-albums list of 2008. Marcus has logged many important performances here at the Gallery, not least of all with his quasi-electric band Twi-Life, whose most recent release is Open Reel Deck. In the trio setting he'll provide a whole new angle on his melodic gifts. And he'll set the stage for Donny McCaslin's trio gig next week.

Orrin Evans Quintet
Friday, June 6th, 2008 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
$15.00 / $10.00 for Members
Orrin Evans - piano, Tim Warfield - saxophone, Eddie Henderson - trumpet, Luques Curtis - bass, Obed Calvaire - drums

In addition to being one of the major catalysts in a newly assertive Philadelphia jazz scene, Orrin Evans is also one of the most sought-after pianists in the national and international arena, having worked with everyone from Branford Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Ralph Peterson, Donny McCaslin and the Roy Hargrove Big Band to rapper Mos Def and soul singer Jaguar Wright. With about a dozen albums as a leader to his credit, Orrin is also an important part of the Jazz Gallery family. Over the years he's contributed to a long list of projects, including our duo piano series and our Four Hands/Eighty-Eight Keys series, among others. In March 2007 he premiered his "Suite for Juanita" in our space, and in March 2008 he put in a muscular performance as part of bassist Eric Revis's quintet. Now Orrin returns with a high-powered quartet, featuring his Pennsylvania compatriot Tim Warfield - too seldom heard around these parts - on tenor sax.