2018 February

Scott Amendola vs Wil Blades

Wednesday, February 28, 8pm at California Jazz Conservatory

The duo of Wil Blades and Scott Amendola conjure various sonic deities though the magic of organ and drums. It started when Scott had the vision of performing Duke Ellington’s “Far East Suite” in duo with Wil. While quite a daunting task translating a suite (originally written for a big band) into duo, the Hammond Organ had previously been used in the 1940’s and 1950’s to emulate the sound of big bands. With Wil’s knowledge of this tradition and Scott’s desire to push boundaries, they were able to pull it off in an explorative, yet cohesive manner. The duo continues to perform the Ellington suite in their live performances, while also developing their original material. In performance, Amendola and Blades cover everything from Avant Garde to Funk, Bebop to Rock.

Purchase tickets for this Jazz in the Neighborhood event through the CJC box office.

Gaea Schell Trio

Friday, February 23, 6pm at Copperfield’s Books, San Rafael

Through the unique instrumentation of flute, bass, and vibes, the Gaea Schell Trio performs a unique mix of original compositions and standards of great composers like Benny Golson and Horace Silver. Gaea Schell, who is a a prominent Bay Area pianist, will treat us to her work as a jazz flutist. Accompanying her will be John Wiitala, one of the most in-demand bassists in the Bay Area, along with Dillon Vado on vibraphone, who is a young innovative composer and band leader as well as a fine drummer. Together the trio creates an atmosphere of swing, excitement, and pleasing timbre!

This free concert is a collaboration between Jazz in the Neighborhood and Copperfield’s Books, which provides use of their space. Though there is no income from ticket sales, Jazz in the Neighborhood pays each musician a guaranteed fair wage. To make these concerts possible, we depend on contributions from our JITN membership, audience members, and sponsors such as Magic Flute and Bananas at Large. We extend our thanks and appreciation for your continuing support, because we couldn’t do it without you!

No admission charge — Copperfield’s Books 850 4th St. San Rafael

Power of Five: New Chamber Jazz for Quintets

Friday, February 16, 8pm at Community Music Center

Three voracious, innovative young Bay Area jazz composers share their new music in a vibrant exposition of the state of jazz today. Brazilian composer, guitarist, and vocalist Ian Faquini leads a luminous exploration of traditional Brazilian rhythms and rich harmonies with his group, Quinteto Brasiliense. Composer, pianist and flutist Erika Oba premiers her new chamber jazz suite Strange Moon, inspired by a celestial love story from Japanese folklore. Her group, Ends Meat’ Catastrophe Jazz Ensemble, is an inventive ensemble that extends an invitation to all the sounds of the universe. Drummer and vibraphonist Dillon Vado, leads his band Never Weather from behind the drums. Like his music, Dillon’s drumming is explosive, groovy, and tranquil at once. The concert is presented as part of Jazz in the Neighborhood’s Next Stage program and has been partially funded by InterMusic SF.

Quinteto Brasiliense
Ian Faquini, guitar
Rebecca Kleinmann, flute
Natalie Cressman, trombone
Scott Thompson, bass
Brian Rice, percussion

Ends Meat’ Catastrophe Jazz Ensemble
Erika Oba, piano/flute
Rachel Austin, vocals
Eli Maliwan, woodwinds
Chris Bastian, bass
Daria Johnson, drums

Never Weather
Dillon Vado, drums
Josh Reed, trumpet
Aaron Wolf, saxes
Justin Rock, guitar
Tyler Harlow, bass

Community Music Center, 544 Capp Street, San Francisco
$18 advance / $20 day of show / $10 students

Words on Jazz with the Guarneri Jazz Quartet

Friday, February 9, 6-8pm at Copperfield’s Books, San Rafael

Jazz in the Neighborhood is introducing a new format — live music plus conversation — at some of our Copperfield’s Books events. It’s an opportunity to learn about the history, theory, and practice of jazz straight from the horse’s mouth.

The Guarneri Jazz Quartet is led by trumpeter Mario Guarneri—who has done everything from playing Dixieland with Louis Armstrong at the age of 13 to performing in the L.A. Philharmonic for fifteen seasons. The rest of the foursome is guitarist Randy Vincent, bass player John Wiitala, and drummer Akira Tana. They will perform original compositions by Guarneri as well as tunes from the standard repertoire. The quartet has three CDs to their name including From My Heart, praised by Herb Alpert for its “wonderful sound, great heart and beautiful ideas.”

Vocalist Shana Dinha will join the quartet as a Jazz in the Neighborhood Emerging Artist.

Copperfield’s Books, 850 4th Street, San Rafael — no admission charge

Five Spot Quintet

Saturday, February 3, 7:30pm at Bird and Beckett

John Clark, bass —Mike Greensill, piano and vocals — Charlie McCarthy, tenor sax and flute — Joe Cohen, alto sax — Akira Tana, drums

The seasoned players are first-call musicians and long-time fixtures on the Bay Area jazz scene. Greensill provides originals as well as lovely arrangements of chestnuts from the Great American Songbook, while McCarthy, a superb arranger who has done work for everything from quartets to orchestras, writes intricate and sophisticated charts for the group.

This is a Guaranteed Fair Wage Fund event where each musician will be paid $150 in advance, regardless of ticket sales. Jazz in then Neighborhood makes this possible by subsidizing 40% of their pay. Bird & Beckett and the Jazz Philanthropists Union guarantees the rest. For tickets and other information, please contact Bird & Beckett.

Bird & Beckett — 653 Chenery Street, San Francisco

Michael-Zilber-John Stowell Quartet

Friday, February 2 at California Jazz Conservatory

Mike Zilber, saxes — John Stowell, guitar — Jason Lewis, drums

This critically acclaimed quartet has recorded three CDs on Origin Records and has a fourth in the works. Their Live Beauty was named a top CD of 2015 by Downbeat magazine. They’ll be performing all new material for this event.

This is a Guaranteed Fair Wage Fund event where each musician will be paid $150 in advance, regardless of ticket sales. Jazz in then Neighborhood makes this possible by subsidizing 40% of their pay. California Jazz Conservatory guarantees the rest. For tickets and other information, please contact CJC.

California Jazz Conservatory — 2087 Addison Street, Berkeley

Lorca Hart OrganTrio

Friday, February 2 at Marin Country Mart

The Lorca Hart Organ Trio – featuring Brian Ho on Hammond B3 organ, Mike Scott on guitar and Lorca Hart on drums – is rooted in the classic Jazz organ sound (Jimmy Smith, Larry Young; Jazz Standards and Be Bop) but also explores more contemporary elements (original compositions; John Scofield, Joshua Redman, John Ellis, R+B and pop compositions) to create itʼs own unique musical identity.

This is a Guaranteed Fair Wage Fund event where each musician will be paid $150 in advance, regardless of ticket sales. Jazz in then Neighborhood makes this possible by subsidizing 40% of their pay. Marin Country Mart guarantees the rest. For tickets and other information, please contact Marin Country Mart.

Marin Country Mart at 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle

JITN Recommends: Ian Dogole & Music Beyond Borders

Friday, February 2, 8pm at Throckmorton Theatre

Multipercussionist/bandleader/recording artist Ian Dogole presents a concert of adventurous music that pushes the envelope. straddling the intersections of Jazz, world music and free improvisation. Experience a stunning array of drums and melodic percussion instruments from around the globe that bridge the ancient and the modern – from the traditional clay pot (udu) and talking drum of Nigeria – to the East African thumb piano (kalimba) – to the Afro-Peruvian box drum (cajon) – to the riveting futuristic Swiss melodic percussion invention inspired by the steel pans of Trinidad (hang). Dogole will be joined by Paul McCandless, woodwinds; Sheldon Brown, woodwinds; Dave Tidball ,woodwinds; Frank Martin, piano; and Fred Randolph, double bass

Purchase tickets online at https://tickets.throckmortontheatre.org/Online/ or call the Throckmorton Theatre box office at 415-383-9600.

More information about the event at https://throckmortontheatre.org/event/ian-dogoles-music-beyond-borders-concert/

Throckmorton Theatre — 142 Throckmorton Avenue, Mill Valley, CA

art • equity • access