All-Star SFJAZZ Collective Tribute to Miles Davis Concludes Miller Theatre's Jazz Series, 4/1

Some of the biggest names on the jazz circuit-including Miller audience favorites Warren Wolf and Miguel Zenón-come together to form the inimitable collective SFJAZZ. This touring program celebrates one of the genre's greats: MiLes Davis. The band's explorations of this rich repertoire make it feel fresh once more, as revelatory and innovative as it sounded when Miles issued his first records back in the 1940s and 50s.

ARTISTS:
Miguel Zenón, alto saxophone
David Sánchez, tenor saxophone
Sean Jones, trumpet
Robin Eubanks, trombone
Warren Wolf, vibraphone
Edward Simon, piano
Matt Penman, bass
Obed Calvaire, drums

SFJAZZ Collective
Miguel Zenón, alto saxophone: Multiple Grammy nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón represents a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Latin American folkloric music and jazz. Zenón has led his own quartet at Miller Theatre in 2014 and 2016, and has appeared as a sideman with jazz luminaries Charlie Haden, Bobby Hutcherson, Danilo Perez, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, and Steve Coleman. As a composer, he has been commissioned by SFJAZZ, the New York State Council for the Arts, Chamber Music America, The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, Peak Performances, PRISM Quartet, and many of his peers. Zenón has given hundreds of lectures and master classes at institutions all over the world, and founded Caravana Cultural, a program that presents free-of-charge jazz concerts in rural areas of Puerto Rico.

David Sánchez, tenor saxophone: Since his early exposure with Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra, Puerto Rican tenor saxophone virtuoso David Sánchez has become one of the most celebrated instrumentalists in jazz, recording nine albums as a leader and winning a Latin Grammy Award for his 2004 orchestral session, Coral. The five-time Grammy nominee has performed with a roster of greats including Charlie Haden, Eddie Palmieri, Roy Haynes, Tom Harrell, and countless others. Sánchez has an impressive résumé as an educator, conducting master classes, workshops, and residencies at the world's top universities and conservatories. His latest album is Ninety Miles: Live at Cubadisco, a project recorded in Cuba and co-led by trumpeter Christian Scott and vibraphonist Stefon Harris.

Sean Jones, trumpet: ? For the remarkable composer, trumpeter, educator, and activist Sean Jones, the pursuit of jazz is a most serious endeavor. Deeply influenced by his immersion in Gospel music in the church as a youth, he had an epiphany at the age of 19 while he was a student at Youngstown State University. The awakening was his first hearing of the magnificent John Coltrane's masterpiece A Love Supreme. After receiving his master's degree from Rutgers University, Jones performed a six-month stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Wynton Marsalis offered him a permanent position as lead trumpeter and Jones remained there until 2010, also participating in two recordings. During those years, Jones started touring and performing regularly with his own ensembles and began his longtime relationship with Mack Avenue Records, for whom he has just released his seventh recording.

Robin Eubanks, trombone: ? A five-time "Trombonist of the Year" in the DownBeat Critics Poll, Robin Eubanks is the premier jazz trombonist of his generation. In addition to leading his own groups, EB3 and Mental Images, Eubanks has composed and performed on Grammy-winning recordings with Dave Holland and Michael Brecker. He has worked with music legends Art Blakey, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and the Rolling Stones, among others. The native Philadelphian is the recipient of composition grants from Chamber Music America and ASCAP. He is a sought-after educator and is now a tenured professor of trombone at the renowned Oberlin Conservatory, and an adjunct professor at Philadelphia's University of the Arts.

Warren Wolf, vibraphone: Warren Wolf is a multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore. A graduate and former faculty member of Berklee College of Music, Wolf has received widespread praise as both a bandleader and vibraphone player. Wolf has played and recorded with many of the world's best musicians, including Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Cyrus Chestnut, Terri Lynne Carrington, Stefon Harris, Kevin Eubanks, Wycliffe Gordon, and Esperanza Spalding, among many others. He has also recorded seven records as a bandleader: Convergence (2016), Wolfgang (2013), Warren Wolf (2011), Black Wolf (2009), Raw (2008), Warren "Chano Pozo" Wolf (2008), and Incredible Jazz Vibes (2005). Wolf's performance with SFJAZZ Collective this spring marks his fourth visit to Miller Theatre. After his electrifying debut appearance in 2012 with Christian McBride and Inside Straight, Wolf returned to Miller the following season with his own band, the Warren Wolf Quartet. His most recent Miller appearance was in March 2015, as a member of the Aaron Diehl Quartet.

Edward Simon, piano: ? Edward Simon was born in the coastal town of Punta Cardón, Venezuela, where he grew up in a family of musicians. Settling in New York City in 1989, he played with numerous jazz masters, including Herbie Mann, Paquito D'Rivera, Bobby Hutcherson, Bobby Watson, Terence Blanchard, and Don Byron. He has produced ten critically acclaimed albums as a leader, including two of The New York Times top ten jazz records of the year: Edward Simon and Simplicitas. In July 2010, Simon was named a Guggenheim Fellow, and his latest trio CD with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade, Live in New York at Jazz Standard, has recently been released.

Matt Penman, bass: ? Originally from Auckland, New Zealand, Matt Penman studied at Boston's Berklee College of Music before relocating to New York in 1995. In addition to releasing his own critically acclaimed CDs as a leader, Catch of the Day (2007) and The Unquiet (2002), he has recorded as a sideman on some 70 other discs. He has performed with Joe Lovano, Nicholas Payton, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gary Bartz, Kenny Werner, Nnenna Freelon, Madeleine Peyroux, Brian Blade, John Scofield, and Guillermo Klein. In addition to the Collective, Penman works with the supergroup James Farm, which includes founding Collective saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, and drummer Eric Harland.

Obed Calvaire, drums: ? Obed Calvaire, a native of Miami and of Haitian descent, is a graduate with both a master's and bachelor's degree of music from the Manhattan School of Music. Calvaire has performed and recorded with artists including Wynton Marsalis, Seal, Eddie Palmeri, Vanessa Williams, Mark Murphy, David Foster, Mary J. Blige, Stefon Harris, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Musiq Soulchild, Nellie McKay, Yellow Jackets, Joshua Redman, Steve Turre, and Lizz Wright. He has also performed with the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Metropole Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, Roy Hargrove Big Band, and the Bob Mintzer Big Band. Currently, Obed Calvaire can be found playing with Peter Cincotti, Richard Bona, Monty Alexander, Sean Jones, Yosvany Terry, The Clayton Brothers Quintet, and Mike Stern.
Upcoming Performances

The world premiere of The Bremen Town Band. A Grimm Fairytale Adventure Re-imagined. Saturday, May 6, 2017, 2:00 and 5:00pm.

Featuring the imaginative puppetry of Lake Simons set to an original jazz score by Courtney Bryan, performed live by an all-star quintet. Miller Theatre's 2016-17 season is supported by an award from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature

To post a comment, you must register and login.