29th Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival Catalog by SFJAZZ

Official Catalog

jazz & beyond

29th Annual

SAN FRANCISCO

JAZZ

FESTIVAL

SFJAZZ EXPERIENCE 2 5 6 8 14

September 15–December 18

JAZZ GIANTS

Calendar About Us Membership SFJAZZ Center SFJAZZ Education

16 17 18 19 19

Wayne Shorter Savion Glover McCoy Tyner Mose Allison Ahmad Jamal

WORLD VOICES 20 20 21 22 23 23

NEW & NOW

GUITARISM 24 25 26

Pat Metheny Jim Hall Dorado Schmitt & the Django All-Stars

27 28 28 29 30 31

SOULFUL SINGERS

KEYNOTES 36 37 37

SFJAZZ CDs and official merchandise! Booker T. Fernando Otero Eldar Djangirov

38 39

44 45 S11 Merch Sign.indd 1

Anonymous 4 Aaron Neville

GLOBAL VILLAGE 32 32 33 34 35

40 41 42

Tickets & venue info SFJAZZ merchandise Sponsors underwriters also&at sfjazz.org 2/28/11 11:44 AM

Staff Benda Bilili Tomasz Stanko Tiempo Libre Goran Bregovic Bassekou Kouyate

DEDICATIONS

TICKETS & MORE 43

Esperanza Spalding Robert Glasper David Binney India.Arie & Idan Raichel Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau Pomplamoose

Carmen Souza Vinicius Cantuária Asha Bhosle & Shujaat Khan Daniela Mercury Luciana Souza Huun Huur Tu

Benny Green Javon Jackson Mimi Fox Pamela Rose

Catalog Production

LEGAL STUFF

Mike Charlasch: Creative direction Ronnie Shapiro: Art direction & design Megan Mock: Design Mark Ulriksen: Cover illustration Rusty Aceves: Editing & copywriting Andrew Gilbert: Copywriting Kathy Lemmon: Copywriting Teddy Hutcherson: Production Justin Walters: Box office Quad Graphics: Printing

This official catalog is a publication of SFJAZZ (San Francisco Jazz Organization). No part may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of SFJAZZ. All rights reserved. SFJAZZ is located at Three Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level, San Francisco, California 94111. Phone: 415-398-5655. Online: sfjazz.org.

Soul food. Welcome! It’s an honor to introduce you to the spectacular collection of artists we’ve assembled for the 29th Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival. The purpose of music is, above all, to nourish the soul. Connecting on a deep emotional level with an artist and their vision can inspire and satisfy like nothing else. With the range of veteran jazz masters, young game-changers and world music luminaries we’ve packed into this season, there are myriad ways to feed the need. As before, we’ve arranged these performances into eight major themes. Jazz Giants — A towering figure in jazz, Wayne Shorter brings his stellar quartet. Master pianist McCoy Tyner pays tribute to his legendary collaborator, John Coltrane. Vocalist and pianist Mose Allison is a singular artist whose impact extends far beyond jazz. Ahmad Jamal is a restless innovator who has elevated the piano trio to its most sublime level of expression. Savion Glover’s dance is the spirit of jazz incarnate and he returns to SFJAZZ with Bare Soundz, his masterful trio of unaccompanied dancers. World Voices — Bollywood queen Asha Bhosle is the most recorded singer in history, joined by noted sitar player Shujaat Khan. Brazil is well represented by reigning superstar Daniela Mercury, jazz-influenced Grammy-winner Luciana Souza and samba balladeer Vinicius Cantuária. The series also include Cape Verdean songstress Carmen Souza and the enthralling Tuvan throat singers Huun Huur Tu. Guitarism — Jazz guitar genius Pat Metheny plays a pair of duo shows with bassist Larry Grenadier. The beloved and influential Jim Hall celebrates his 80th birthday, and gypsy guitar virtuoso Dorado Schmitt channels the spirit of the great Django Reinhardt. New & Now — Best New Artist Grammy-winner Esperanza Spalding makes a triumphant return to SFJAZZ, and homegrown saxophone icon Joshua Redman duets with piano progressive Brad Mehldau. Other cutting-edge artists include R&B goddess India.Arie with the Israeli Idan Raichel, viral video masterminds Pomplamoose, hip-bop pianist Robert Glasper and saxophone firebrand David Binney. Awesome! Global Village — This wide-ranging series includes the return of Goran Bregovic’s Wedding & Funeral Orchestra, the Cuban timba celebration of Tiempo Libre, the joyous guitar-driven sounds of Congolese street musicians Staff Benda Bilili, Polish trumpet ambassador Tomasz Stanko and Malian ngoni master Bassekou Kouyate with his band Ngoni Ba. Keynotes — Hammond B-3 titan Booker T. Jones remains an ageless symbol of soul, and jazz piano virtuoso Eldar Djangirov amazes with flawless musicianship, boundless heart and deep emotion. Argentine pianist Fernando Otero’s hybrid of classical discipline and tango has created a stir. Soulful Singers — A pair of extraordinary shows are bound by spirituality and tradition. Anonymous 4, the world-renowned all-female quartet brings the otherworldly beauty of their voices to Grace Cathedral, while New Orleans legend Aaron Neville will present a special holiday-themed show, just in time for Christmas. Dedications — Berkeley-raised pianist Benny Green celebrates Thelonious Monk’s birthday, re-creating Monk’s Dream on the album’s 50th anniversary, while tenor player Javon Jackson heads a John Coltrane salute with a dream quartet. Local guitar hero Mimi Fox honors the great Wes Montgomery, and Bay Area singer Pamela Rose salutes Peggy Lee, Alberta Hunter and others in the Wild Women of Song. As you read this, we have begun construction of the SFJAZZ Center, but we still need your help to get the job done! Please see pages 8-11 to learn more about the Center and how to contribute to the World is Listening campaign or our Giant Steps program. Be a part of this incredible project and help make jazz history! Thank you for all your support of SFJAZZ.

Randall Kline Executive Artistic Director & Founder

MONDAY

tuesday

wednesday

SEPTEMBER

SUNDAY

thursday

friday

17 Booker T. pg. 36

Staff Benda Bilili pg. 32

Family Matinee pg. 15

Tomasz Stanko pg. 32

Mimi Fox pg. 42

Pat Metheny pg. 24

Vinicius Cantuaria pg. 20

Robert Glasper pg. 28

Asha Bhosle & Shujaat Khan pg. 21

OCTOBER

Carmen Souza pg. 20

1 Esperanza Spalding pg. 27 Fernando Otero pg. 37

2 Wayne Shorter pg. 16 Eldar Djangirov pg. 37

Tiempo Libre pg. 33

16 McCoy Tyner pg. 18

Benny Green pg. 40

Discover Jazz Course pg. 15

David Binney pg. 28

Daniela Mercury pg. 22

Huun Huur Tu pg. 23

Discover Jazz Course pg. 15

Jim Hall pg. 25

Discover Jazz Course pg. 15

Bassekou Kouyate pg. 35

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

15 India.Arie & Idan Raichel pg. 29

Discover Jazz Course pg. 15

saturday

SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Combo pg. 14

Luciana Souza pg. 23

22 Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau pg. 30 Family Matinee pg. 15

Javon Jackson pg. 41 Mose Allison pg. 19

Goran Bregovic pg. 34

Pomplamoose pg. 31

29th Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival

From guitar gods to hip-bop. keyboard wizardry to 13th century vocals. Brazil to Cuba, New Orleans and the Siberian steppe. we bring you everything under the sun! SUNDAY

MONDAY

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

friday

saturday

Discover Jazz Course pg. 15

Savion Glover pg. 17

NOVEMBER

12 Pamela Rose pg. 42

Robin Eubanks Listening Party pg. 6

Family Matinee pg. 15

Dorado Schmitt pg. 26

Anonymous 4 pg. 38

SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Orchestra pg. 14

Ahmad Jamal pg. 19

DECEMBER

Aaron Neville pg. 39

SFJAZZ Members-only events Oct. 28: Nov. 9:

Javon Jackson with Mulgrew Miller, Jimmy Cobb & Peter Washington Robin Eubanks Listening Party

members discount event Oct. 23: Oct. 30: Nov. 18: Dec. 10: Oct. 4– Nov. 1:

Jim Hall Bassekou Kouyate Anonymous 4 Ahmad Jamal Discover Jazz course

Education events Fascinating jazz moments for students of all ages. Inspiring, informative and interactive! pre-concert talks Sep. 29: Oct. 10: Oct. 28: Nov. 12:

Robert Glasper Benny Green Javon Jackson Pamela Rose

family matinees Sep. 17: Oct. 22: Nov. 12:

Bebop —Playin’ the Changes Birth of the Cool The Swing Era —It Don’t Mean a Thing...

Discover jazz classes Oct. 4: Oct. 11: Oct. 18: Oct. 25: Nov. 1:

The Rhythm Section The Soloist The Composer/Arranger The Third Stream 21st Century Jazz

note The presence of an icon on any calendar date indicates that a Member event or Education event occurs on that date. These events may or may not be related to the main event on that same date.

jazz & beyond

SFjazz Summerfest SFJAZZ Summerfest offers months of unadulterated fun! Many of the Bay Area’s most talented musicians will appear at three outstanding venues — and it’s all free.

Times 4

Scott Amendola

Erik Jekabson

sfjazz experience

Lavay Smith

Tito

The Loyd Family Players

Stanford Shopping Center

Union Square

Stanford Shopping Center’s Clock Tower Plaza 180 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Thursdays, 6–7:30PM

Union Square Park, San Francisco Thursdays, 6–7:30PM

Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers • June 16 Stanford Jazz Workshop Faculty All-Stars • June 23 Erik Jekabson’s New Orleans Quintet featuring Kenny Washington • June 30

Michael Zilber

Maria Volonte

The Loyd Family Players • August 11 Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers • August 18 Rupa and The April Fishes • August 25

Levi’s Plaza

Weather Wayne with Michael Zilber • July 7

Between Battery & Bay St., off the Embarcadero Wednesdays, 12–1:30PM

Tito y su Son de Cuba • July 14

Shotgun Wedding • September 7

Times 4 • July 21

Izzy and the Kesstronics • September 14

Scott Amendola Quartet • July 28

Richard Sears • September 21

Forró Brazuca • August 4

Clifford Brown III • September 28

María Volonté • August 11

Seth Ford Young • October 5

Le Jazz Hot Quartet • August 18

Evie Ladin & Evil Diane • October 12

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

the sfjazz experience celebrating jazz as an ever-evolving art form.

About Us

STAY CONNECTED TO SFJAZZ

Founded in 1983, SFJAZZ is the largest nonprofit jazz presenting and educational institution on the West Coast, serving audiences of over 100,000 annually through a variety of programs. We’re far more than just a concert promoter. Our year-round education programs help maintain and build a strong future for jazz — America’s authentic art form — in San Francisco and beyond. The generous, tax-deductible contributions of donors let us:

BRING GREAT ARTISTS TO THE BAY AREA via the San Francisco Jazz Festival and SFJAZZ Spring Season, two multi-month seasons offering a phenomenal array of jazz and world music artists.

SUPPORT A VIBRANT LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

Mobile apps for iPhone & Android

with free Summerfest concerts and monthly Hotplate shows, showcasing top Bay Area artists.

NURTURE YOUNG MUSICIANS & FOSTER NEW FANS with our year-round education programs, including the awardwinning SFJAZZ High School All-Stars, acclaimed Jazz in the Middle school residency program and interactive Family Matinees.

CELEBRATE JAZZ AS A LIVING ART FORM by commissioning new works and premiering them with artists such as the SFJAZZ Collective, a stellar octet comprised of some of the top names in jazz.

HONOR BAY AREA JAZZ LEADERS through the SFJAZZ Beacon Award, presented in recognition of contributions to jazz and by honoring music legends at our annual Gala.

Check out the all-new

sfjazz.org Join our e-list at sfjazz.org/contact

jazz & beyond

»» Best seats first

up to 35% off tickets

»» No ticket service fees

no ticket service fees

Members-Only events

A savings of up to $7.50 per ticket.

Enjoy huge savings when you combine:

• 25% OFF TICKETS TO:

sfjazz experience

›› ›› ›› ›› ››

Jim Hall, Sunday, October 23 (page 25) Bassekou Kouyate, Sunday, October 30 (page 35) Anonymous 4, Friday, November 18 (page 38) Ahmad Jamal, Saturday, December 10 (page 19) Discover Jazz course, starting October 4 (page 15)

• 10% OFF ORDERS OF 10 MORE TICKETS ›› Any combination of shows is eligible, within a single purchase.

»» Members-only Events

Enjoy access to “insider” events not open to the general public. Some of our offerings this fall: Robin Eubanks Listening Party Wednesday, November 9, 7PM Yerba Buena Center for the arts Forum Robin Eubanks has achieved a triple-crown reputation as a master performer (trombonist for the SFJAZZ Collective, Dave Holland), arranger (McCoy Tyner Big Band, Mingus Big Band) and educator. Join Eubanks as he takes us on a history of the trombone, spinning recordings from legends and innovators of the instrument while sharing his insights into the music. Our last Listening Party sold out, so don’t delay in reserving your seats. This event is free for Members-only and includes a complimentary reception. Javon Jackson tribute to John Coltrane: Members-only Concert Friday, October 28, 8PM Yerba Buena Center for the arts Forum Tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson leads a thrilling all-star group along with Mulgrew Miller, Jimmy Cobb and Peter Washington, in a project focused on Trane’s timeless compositions. See page 41 for full details.

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

Patron $600

Leaders circle $1200 and up

contributor $120

benefactor $300

individual $60

household $75

best seats first

Get exclusive access to seats at all price levels, weeks before the general public. Tickets on sale only to Members starting June 26!

»» Deep discounts — up to 35% off

Your membership practically pays for itself.

Student $25

Have fun, get more music, save money, and support an authentic American art form. Membership lasts a full year and there’s no limit to the number of tickets you can buy. Join today and enjoy:

membership levels senior $50

SFJAZZ Membership —be the beat.

10% discount on SFJAZZ merchandise additional members card free ticket exchanges san francisco jazz festival poster sfjazz program book listing Fall reception behind the scenes rehearsal Spring reception Premium reserved seating personalized ticket service intimate events with artists

Members at the $300 Benefactor level and above may qualify for our Giant Steps program as well. See page 11 for details.

To become a Member, visit sfjazz.org or call 415-788-7353.

SFJAZZ Leaders Circle —be the soul. Take it up a notch! Join the SFJAZZ Leaders Circle and be part of a community of kindred spirits who share a passion for the music and a desire to have a greater impact on our mission with annual gifts starting at $1,200. Besides receiving all the regular membership benefits, you’ll enjoy these special perks:

»» VIP service and seating

Prime seats and personalized ticket service.

»» Exclusive events

Shannon Wilson and Janine Guillot with musician Kim Phillips.

Fine wine and dessert at intermissions of select performances and fun post-show parties (see below).

»» Brushes with greatness

Receptions with the world’s finest artists and special intimate performances.

sfjazz experience

Leaders Circle exclusive events at the San Francisco Jazz Festival In addition to the Members-only events listed on page 6, you’ll also enjoy:

John Santos and Debbie Thomas.

Soulful Festival Opening Party — Booker T. Come party after the Herbst Theatre concert of the legendary music man and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee. Saturday, September 17. A benefit at $1,200+.

Holiday Party — with a New Orleans Twist Get in the holiday spirit after Aaron Neville’s Palace of Fine Arts concert. Sunday, December 18. A benefit at $1,200+.

Annual Director’s Dinner — Honoring a Legend

Buddy Guy and Doug Tilden.

An intimate dinner with honoree NEA Jazz Master Wayne Shorter and his amazing band, hosted by our Executive Directors. Sunday, October 2. A benefit at $10,000+.

Leaders Circle Lounges Complimentary fine wine and tasty desserts at all Palace of Fine Arts and Herbst Theatre intermissions. A benefit at $1,200+.

To join the Leaders Circle, contact Katie Neubauer at 415-283-0326 or kneubauer@sfjazz.org jazz & beyond

“I am sincerely happy to know that this will be a center for all of us who create jazz, for all musicians of the world.”

“I think it’s great that there’s this initiative in place, because we really need more infrastructure to support this music.”

sfjazz experience

—Omara Portuondo, vocals

“We have a similar thing in New York…so I think it’s a great idea to have the same thing happen out here. I look forward to performing —Kenny Barron, piano there.”

—Vijay Iyer, piano

“It’s wonderful to have an institution that supports the education of jazz because jazz has been so central to my life, so I love the idea.” —Lila Downs, vocals

—Ellis Marsalis, piano

“It’s a great idea to have a center for jazz that’s designated specifically for jazz performance. It provides this incredible vehicle for jazz music…” —Bob Mintzer, saxophone

THE WORLD IS LISTENING

“It’s a thing that we need and the parents can bring their kids and keep their spirit alive and make the world a better place.”

“It’s really cutting edge, and it’s very American…and it’s amazing.”

—Dr. Lonnie Smith, organ

“It’s going to be a place that nourishes musicians and they can grow. So I think this is very, very important.” —Anat Cohen, clarinet

“Oh, I think it’s wonderful, especially if it has to do with music and education. I think the younger you start with people, the better it is all around…”

—John Medeski, keyboards

“Jazz is the #1 export when it comes to culture around the world…so SFJAZZ is at the forefront of doing this and we’re really psyched.”

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

—Kai Eckhardt, electric bass

“The construction of the new SFJAZZ Center is amazing because every city should have a center…we have one in Montreal and it’s great.” —Nikki Yanofsky, vocals

“Having a locale where musicians can exhibit what they’ve structured. That’s a golden opportunity.” —Yusef Lateef, saxophone

“It’s great that you’re going to have a home and a great facility. I think it’s important for the rest of the world too, to see that this kind of thing can happen. ‘’

“It’s very important to have spaces like the one that is being created — for jazz, for education and for performance, keeping the whole… vision of jazz moving forward.”

“I’m really encouraged by this amazing news, especially because it’s going to be working towards the future, educating kids and the next generation…”

—John Scofield, guitar

—Gretchen Parlato, vocals

—Danilo Perez, piano

—Esperanza Spalding, bass & vocals

“Sounds like a fantastic idea. Way overdue. It’s great.” —Chris Potter, saxophone

“I think the concert hall is a beautiful idea for the jazz and the education of the new generations.” —Chucho Valdés, piano

And here’s what some of the musicians are saying about the new SFJAZZ Center.

“You’ll have a building where folks can come to do community events, more things to help develop our young jazz talent — so it’s very exciting.”

“It sounds like a very exciting proposition. I’m all for music and jazz and the more venues we have, the better it is for everyone.”

—Marcus Roberts, piano

—Randy Brecker, trumpet

“It’s pretty pivotal to have something like (the SFJAZZ Center) and I can’t wait to see what it does to enliven the Bay Area jazz scene...” —Taylor Eigsti, piano

“Concentrating this art form in a space like this, there’s a lot of amazing collaborations that can —Marcus Shelby, bass happen…”

“It’s something that’s really going to boost the (jazz) scene on a lot of levels…with education, with the youth, with the audiences, for the artists themselves. “ —john Santos, percussion

“To have an actual jazz-dedicated venue that’s not a smoky, funky club setting is a new thing.” —Madeleine Peyroux, vocals

jazz & beyond

sfjazz experience

“I trust SFJAZZ… I think they’re going to contribute a venue, a space where music can happen, because it needs to happen…”

sfjazz experience

Groundbreaking. In every way. Inspired by an anonymous lead gift of $20 million, the largest ever given to a jazz organization, the SFJAZZ Center has broken ground in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood at the corner of Franklin and Fell Streets. As the first stand-alone facility in the United States built for jazz performance and education, the new SFJAZZ Center represents a milestone for both this authentic American art form and the city of San Francisco. Designed by award-winning, SF-based architect Mark Cavagnero, the SFJAZZ Center comprises 35,000 square feet in a transparent, freestanding structure. Key features include: »» 700-seat concert hall, with 500 and 350 seat configurations »» 80-person multi-purpose ensemble room for education and intimate performances »» Digital music lab for rehearsals, recording and production »» Practice rooms for musicians and the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars »» Café and SFJAZZ administrative offices »» Convenient location within walking distance of Civic Center and Van Ness stations and along bus routes

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

Help us make history. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, demolition is now underway and construction of the SFJAZZ Center will soon begin. But we’re not finished yet! We still have a long way to go in order to open the doors to our first planned performance in 2012. Support the World is Listening campaign with a gift and help us build the SFJAZZ Center. To learn more about opportunities to participate via cash donations, planned giving and gifts of appreciated stocks and other assets, please contact:

Kevin Causey Director of Development 415-283-0306 kcausey@sfjazz.org

“The leading jazz presenter in San Francisco and one of the most important in the United States.” —chicago tribune

sfjazz experience

Giant Steps Become a Founding Member of the SFJAZZ Center.

Join Giant Steps and be a part of history with the SFJAZZ Center — the first stand-alone facility in the U.S. dedicated to jazz performance and education. Make a three-year membership commitment at any level from $300 Benefactor up through our Leaders Circle and you’ll be a part of Giant Steps, enjoying all the core benefits of SFJAZZ membership — plus participating in once-in-a-lifetime moments, including: »» Your name inscribed on the SFJAZZ Center (limited opportunities — please act quickly) »» An invitation to a Giant Steps-only event during our Grand Opening Celebration in Fall 2012 »» The satisfaction that you’re playing a part in jazz history

Your name at the heart of our community. Giant Steps Members have enjoyed a front row seat to history as they witnessed the SFJAZZ Center groundbreaking in May. But, there’s still time to join and have your name inscribed on the building! The names of Giant Steps Members will appear within the large “SFJAZZ” sign on the Center’s Franklin street glass wall (see artist rendering above). To join Giant Steps, visit sfjazz.org/giantsteps or call 415-283-0325. jazz & beyond

July 14 Fil Lorenz Orchestra plays Count Basie

Where Locals Meet Legends SFJAZZ Hotplate is a monthly concert series featuring up-and-coming local artists re-imagining the music of jazz icons.

sfjazz experience

August 11 Mike Olmos plays Freddie Hubbard

September 8 Marcus Stephens plays Joe Henderson

October 13 Haggai Cohen Milo plays John Zorn

November 10 Marc VW plays Jaco Pastorius

December 8 Erik Jekabson plays Chet Baker

Karen Paige plays Nina Simone, March 2011

2nd Thursday of every month Amnesia • 853 Valencia Street DJ at 8pm • Bands at 9pm • $5

sfjazzhotplate.org for live videos, photos & more

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“Something of a latter-day Jazz Messengers.” —All About Jazz

“You can propose various definitions for what this band represents, but it’s a superbrain for what serious jazz sounds like now.” —The New York Times

Miguel Zenón alto saxophone Mark Turner tenor saxophone Avishai Cohen trumpet Robin Eubanks trombone Stefon Harris vibraphone Edward Simon piano Matt Penman bass Eric Harland drums

These exceptional artists come together to celebrate jazz as a constantly evolving modern art form by honoring the work of a master composer. For 2011, the Collective steps outside of the jazz tradition to re-imagine the timeless music of pop and R&B icon Stevie Wonder. In addition to reinterpreting classics, each band member is commissioned by SFJAZZ to write a piece specifically for the ensemble. These original compositions appear along with the Stevie Wonder material on their upcoming multi-CD set recorded live at the Jazz Standard in New York City. Watch for it in September!

FALL 2011 TOUR SCHEDULE

miguel zenón mark turner avishai Cohen robin eubanks

stefon harris edward simon matt penman eric harland

Live 2011: at the jazz standard 8th annuaL ConCert tour the Works of stevie Wonder and neW Compositions

October 5

McCarter Theater, Princeton, NJ

October 6

Anderson Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY

October 7

Hamilton College, Clinton, NY

October 8

Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD

October 9

Music at Gretna, Elizabethtown, PA

October 13 Ottawa Jazz Festival, Ottawa, Canada October 14 Grand Theatre, Kingston, Ontario, Canada October 15 Royal Conservatory, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Live 2011: At the Jazz Standard The music of Stevie Wonder plus original compositions

October 18 West Virginia University, Parkersburg, WV October 20 Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel, IN October 21 Dalton Center, Kalamazoo, MI October 22 Indiana University Auditorium, Bloomington, IN

jazz & beyond

sfjazz experience

THE SFJAZZ COLLECTIVE IS:

Launched in 2004, the SFJAZZ Collective is now one of the most critically acclaimed groups on the scene — a unit demonstrating how jazz has truly become an international language. Hailing from Puerto Rico, New York, Venezuela, Philadelphia, New Zealand and Israel, the Collective’s multi-cultural lineup mirrors the explosion of jazz talent around the globe.

sfjazz education FAsciNATiNG JAZZ mOmeNTs FOr sTUdeNTs OF ALL AGes. inspiring, iNFOrmATive ANd interactive!

SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Jazz Orchestra Colors of American Music

For their annual San Francisco Jazz Festival performance, the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars offer unique compositions and arrangements with a special focus on particularly American themes — some based on well-known pieces that exemplify the American landscape, as well as the country’s distinctive musical gift to the world — jazz! Led by director Paul Contos, this performance will feature works by some of jazz’s foremost writers such as Oliver Nelson, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and others, and will highlight the brilliant musical improvisations of the top young musicians in the Bay Area. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 7:30PM • JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SF $15 GENERAL ADMISSION ADULTS; $10 ADULTS WITH CHILDREN; $5 CHILDREN AND SENIORS

SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Combo Still hot off of their Spring Season debut, the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Combo returns this fall under the leadership of Dann Zinn and features the best of the best high school students from across the Bay Area. The Combo plays original compositions and arrangements along with exciting works by the SFJAZZ Collective, wowing the crowd with impressive musicianship and a creative approach to the standard jazz repertoire. Don’t miss this great ensemble of the next generation of jazz musicians! FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 8PM THE JAZZSCHOOL, BERKELEY $15 GENERAL ADMISSION ADULTS; $10 ADULTS WITH CHILDREN; $5 CHILDREN AND SENIORS

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

Kevin Eubanks and Cory Combs

Pre-Concert Talks During every season, SFJAZZ Education hosts intimate conversations with international performing artists prior to select performances. Free to ticket holders, Pre-Concert Talks provide deep insight into the performer’s music and creative process. They begin one hour before show time. fall schedule: September 29: Robert Glasper (pg. 28) October 10: Benny Green (pg. 40) October 28: Javon Jackson (pg. 41) November 12: Pamela Rose (pg. 42)

Family Matinees Herbst Theatre $15 General Admission adults; $10 adults with children; $5 children and seniors Both fun and educational, Family Matinees provide a window into the exciting world of live jazz. Each one-hour matinee features live performance, audience participation, Q&A and amazing music. Although designed for elementary school students, our Family Matinees are open to music fans of all ages. Acclaimed bassist and composer Marcus Shelby leads this season’s wonderful program.

»» Matinee 1: Bebop — Playin’ the Changes

In this matinee, Shelby and his guests will highlight the works of Parker, Gillespie, Monk and others, demonstrating the visionary role bebop continues to play in jazz performance and composition.

»» Matinee 2: Birth of the Cool SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 11AM

The cool era in jazz was a breath of fresh air for both listeners and performers alike. Hear why the music of Miles Davis and others transformed the jazz landscape, giving composers and improvisers a broader sonic palette as well as a minimalist approach.

»» Matinee 3: The Swing Era — It Don’t Mean a Thing…

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 11AM

Explore the classic repertoire of Ellington, Basie, Herman, Goodman and discover music that was meant to make you get up and dance! Featuring an appearance by the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Jazz Orchestra.

Maria Schneider

Discover Jazz

Elvin Jones

Made possible through the generosity of Charles & Margaret Charnas

Jazz history, live performance, classic audio, exciting guest musicians and unique video make Discover Jazz the most distinctive jazz appreciation course available for adults. This fall we offer two engaging programs: THE LANGUAGE OF JAZZ: EXPLORING THE FOUNDATIONS AND SHARPENING YOUR LISTENING SKILLS (5-class series) TUESDAYS, 7–9PM, OCTOBER 4–NOVEMBER 1 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO • INSTRUCTOR, CORY COMBS NON-MEMBERS: $25 PER CLASS; $100 FULL COURSE SFJAZZ & JCCSF MEMBERS: $18 PER CLASS; $75 FULL COURSE To the initiated, jazz is a language that vibrates with meaning, while to many others jazz is highly complex — with concealed “points of entry” for the new or even advanced listener. Greater exploration of the essentials of jazz help provide deeper understanding and appreciation of this brilliant musical art form. This fall in Discover Jazz, we’re heading back to the basics, and moving beyond.

»» October 4: The Rhythm Section

The core of any jazz band from the Swing Era to today, the rhythm section — piano or guitar, bass and drums — establishes the foundation for the great soloists to make evolving, spontaneous compositions.

»» October 11: The Soloist

The best soloists attempt to crack the complex language of improvisation, continually inventing new rules, borrowing from the past and growing the language of jazz to new and unexpected musical heights.

»» October 18: The Composer/Arranger

In class three, we’ll discuss and get to know some of the most famous jazz compositions, learning how the pen influenced the growth and development of jazz.

»» October 25: The Third Stream

Many jazz composers and performers looked to the sounds of modern classical music for inspiration, borrowing heavily from composers like Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky and others.

»» November 1: 21st Century Jazz

In the final Discover Jazz class, we’ll listen to a wide variety of living, recording and performing jazz artists, looking for connections, inspiration and new directions.

EL SON AFRO-CUBANO (8-class series) WEDNESDAYS, 7–9pm, AUGUST 3–SEPTEMBER 21 MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA • INSTRUCTOR, JOHN SANTOS NON-MEMBERS: $20 PER CLASS; $160 FULL COURSE SFJAZZ, MOAD & YBGF MEMBERS: $15 PER CLASS; $120 FULL COURSE

Faye Carol

SFJAZZ, The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and The Museum of the African Diaspora present a unique series that delves into the origins, evolution, and relevance of the Cuban Son, one of the most important and influential genres in the history of the Americas. jazz & beyond

sfjazz education

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 11AM

Gil Evans & Miles Davis

jazz giants LArGer THAN LiFe. sPANNiNG GeNres aNd GeNerATiONs. UPHOLdiNG ANd beNdiNG THe TrAdiTiONs OF JAZZ.

“One of the most original of all jazz musicians” —JazzTimes “An intrepid astronaut navigating the musical cosmos...” —Billboard

» October 2: King of Kings

Wayne Shorter Quartet

“One of the few jazz musicians who can without a doubt be called a living legend.” —NPR

At 78, Wayne Shorter stands alone as the greatest living jazz composer, a worthy peer of Ellington, Monk or anyone else. He is also one of jazz history’s most influential saxophonists, along with Coltrane, Brecker and very few others. So, how do we describe someone so truly god-like? Shorter honed his composing and arranging skills during a prolific fiveyear stint with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, bringing sophistication to the forceful hard bop sound. Answering Miles Davis’s early ‘60s call, he completed the era’s definitive quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, providing now classic compositions such as “E.S.P.,” “Nefertiti” and “Footprints.” At the same time, Shorter recorded a series of hugely influential albums for Blue Note including Juju and Speak No Evil that gave jazz a new harmonic vocabulary. For his next revolutionary act he teamed up with keyboard genius Joe Zawinul to form the pioneering fusion group Weather Report, an incredibly fruitful partnership (1971-85) thought by many to be the most exciting electric band of all time. Over the ensuing decades Shorter has worked in various settings, winning multiple Grammy awards along the way. In recent years he has led a cohesive quartet with pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade, some of today’s most prominent jazz musicians. Wayne Shorter continues to blaze brilliant new trails, opening up new territory that will keep listeners busy for years to come. If there ever was a “jazz giant” it is him. Sunday, October 2, 7PM • Herbst Theatre • 45 / 65 / 85 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“To see Mr. Glover dance is to see a virtuosic and authentic artist at work.” —The New York Times

» November 5: The Essence

Savion Glover & Bare Soundz

Saturday, November 5, 7 & 9PM Palace of Fine Arts Theatre • 30 / 50 / 75 premium

“The greatest tap-dancer to ever lace up a pair of tap shoes.” —Gregory Hines

jazz & beyond

jazz giants

In recent years, Savion Glover has performed for SFJAZZ with piano titan McCoy Tyner’s trio, as well as with The Otherz, a Coltraneinspired project that moved tap out of the rhythm section and onto the front line. But with Bare Soundz, Glover strips the art of tap down to rhythmic essentials. They dispense with other instruments entirely, showcasing an ensemble of tap masters who generate melodies, bass lines and of course percussion, entirely with their feet and hands. It’s a tall order, but Glover has been boldly breaking new ground for 25 years. Only 12 when he appeared on Broadway in The Tap Dance Kid, Glover made his film debut alongside mentor Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. in 1989’s Tap. A regular on Sesame Street from 1990-95, he became a cultural phenomenon in 1996 when George C. Wolfe showcased his dazzling rhythmic dexterity in Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk (which earned a Tony Award for Best Choreography). There are precious few artists who embody, redefine, and radically expand their art form, but Glover stands tall as an elemental creative force who has returned tap to its roots while opening up vast expanses for fresh exploration. As such, we include him among this fall’s “jazz giants” — not a category we take lightly!

“Tyner is one of the most brilliant pianists and commanding leaders in modern music.” —DownBeat

“The emergence of Chris Potter as one of the most dynamic young players in jazz has been fascinating to behold.”

jazz giants

—Chicago Tribune

“Few contemporary artists can match James’ smooth voice, head-nodding beats and cosmic atmospherics.”

» October 16: The Gentle Side of John Coltrane

—Los Angeles Times

McCoy Tyner with Chris Potter & José James

Chris Potter

José James

McCoy Tyner isn’t just jazz piano royalty, he’s an overpowering presence whose music has helped shape the evolution of jazz since the early 1960s. Though his ringing, spiritually charged sound has changed little since his epochal five-year tenure in John Coltrane’s “classic” quartet, Tyner has hardly stood still. Having absorbed a global array of influences from Brazil, West Africa and the Caribbean, he’s played an essential role in expanding jazz’s expressive palette, while writing more than a dozen bona fide jazz standards. For this performance Tyner revisits the classic 1963 Impulse! album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, a session that paired Coltrane with the highly underappreciated baritone crooner. Joining Tyner’s trio for the event is Chris Potter, one of the most influential saxophonists of his generation and someone well-equipped to step into Trane’s oversized shoes. And the rising vocalist José James has embraced the formidable challenge of honoring Hartman, who passed away in 1983. A deeply soulful singer with a strong affinity for jazz, James released the acclaimed standards session For All We Know last year, cementing his status as one of the most exciting new voices on the scene. This is certain to be an evening that will live on in jazz history. sunday, October 16, 7PM • herbst theatre • 30 / 50 / 75 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“The years might have added a few layers of sandpaper to his honeyed voice, but Allison’s sense of mischief remained untarnished.” —Los Angeles Times

» October 27: The One and Only

Mose Allison

“Too jazzy for pop, too poppy for jazz and too smartass for either, Allison is a tuneful misfit with a killer songbook.” —Rolling Stone

jazz giants

Iconic pianist, singer and composer Mose Allison is nearly 84, but the inveterate social critic doesn’t seem to mellow even a bit. His gift for timeless barbs and piercing satire has provided Allison with a trunk full of classic songs as sharp and relevant today as when he wrote them. Born and raised in Tippo, Mississippi, Allison made his way to NYC and gained notice as a pianist backing saxophone greats Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn. He has since carved out a singular niche with original songs and swinging Delta blues, while influencing generations of other musicians. Though notable artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Van Morrison, The Clash and The Who have covered his tunes, Allison remains the best interpreter of his own work. He’s recorded over 30 albums across five decades and a biography, One Man’s Blues: The Life and Music of Mose Allison, was published in 1995. Allison has recently released another critically hailed album, The Way of the World, produced by Joe Henry. Get your tickets early — last time he sold out! Thursday, October 27, 7:30PM • YBCA Forum 30 general admission / 50 premium GA

» December 10: Living Legend

Ahmad Jamal

“No musician has had a more profound effect on the orchestral approach to small groups in the last 35 years than —The Village Voice Ahmad Jamal.”

“A half century into his career and Ahmad Jamal is still confounding expectations right and left.” —JazzTimes

In his autobiography, Miles Davis describes the impact of hearing pianist Ahmad Jamal. “He knocked me out with his concept of space, his lightness of touch, his understatement,” wrote Miles. The rest of the world found out about Jamal a few years later, when the pianist’s album Live at the Pershing became a runaway hit in 1958. The session perfectly captured his distinctive style, exquisite use of dynamics and subtle interplay, yielding the definitive version of Buddy Bernier’s “Poinciana.” Named as an NEA Jazz Master and a Kennedy Center Living Jazz Legend, Jamal has long been recognized as a bona fide jazz star and younger pianists including Benny Green, Eric Reed and Jacky Terrasson cite him as a primary source of inspiration. At 81, Jamal is still a ceaseless searcher, writing and arranging new music and exploring keyboard sonorities. His recent Dreyfus albums continue to receive acclaim, including last year’s A Quiet Time. Join us for an evening with someone we can certify as a “jazz giant.” saturday, december 10, 8PM • herbst theatre non-member pricing: 30 / 50 / 75 premium members: 22 / 37 / 56 premium jazz & beyond

» September 15: Chanteuse from Cape Verde

Carmen Souza

“Souza opens a window to another world entirely.” —NPR

world voices

While Cape Verde, the remote archipelago some 300 miles off the coast of Senegal, is sadly bereft of natural resources, its wealth in talent makes it a world music powerhouse. Carmen Souza is an incandescent female singer of Cape Verdean ancestry, a jazz-tinged chanteuse with a cool, smoky sound. Born and raised in Lisbon and now based in London, Souza grew up speaking both Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole. Immersing herself in the traditional rhythms of West Africa and Cape Verde, she honed a highly personal sound combining traditional rhythms and song forms with jazz and Brazilian influences. Her 2005 debut album Ess ê nha Cabo Verde catapulted her into the top ranks of rising Cape Verdean stars such as Lura, Sara Tavares, Mayra Andrade and Maria Alice. Her second release, Verdade (Truth), confirmed Souza’s status as a major new talent, and last year’s Protegid (Protected) made her a true world music force, with a sound illuminating the far-flung musical currents that germinate in Cape Verde’s impoverished soil. “Souza illuminates, stretches, and snaps back the elastic connections between Latin, African and Arabic music, American jazz and the sounds —All About Jazz of Cape Verde.”

thursday, september 15, 7:30PM jewish community center of san francisco 25 / 40 premium

» September 25: Bossa Nova Poet

Vinicius Cantuária Vinicius Cantuária attained fame in the late ‘70s, as drummer of Caetano Veloso’s controversial group A Outra Banda Da Terra. Cantuária wrote “Lua e Estrela” (Moon and Star), the 1981 hit that transformed Veloso from a revered musical visionary into a genuine Brazilian pop icon. But since settling in Brooklyn in 1994, Cantuária has devoted himself to singing, guitar, jazz and bossa nova, honing a gorgeous body of songs that embody his singular synthesis of New York City and Rio de Janeiro. Many jazz fans discovered Cantuária through fellow guitarist Bill Frisell’s smash 2003 world-jazz session The Intercontinentals (Nonesuch). With his own band, Cantuária is a bossa nova poet who accompanies his light, João Gilberto-like vocals with caressing guitar work and gorgeous melodies. Cantuária has led a prolific recording career, with 16 albums under his own name since the early ‘80s. Along the way, he has collaborated with a heavyweight cast of sonic explorers such as David Byrne, Angélique Kidjo, Laurie Anderson, Bebel Gilberto, Brian Eno, Brad Mehldau, Jenny Scheinman and others. sunday, september 25, 2PM florence gould theatre, legion of honor 25 / 40 premium Note: Ticket includes entry to the museum galleries.

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“Cantuária’s music is unmistakably Brazilian, but his sound seamlessly embraces a myriad —Boston Globe of influences.”

world voices MUSIC iS SWEET IN ANY LANGUAGE. ESPECIALLY WHEN TOUCHED BY WORLD-CLASS VOCALISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

“India’s undisputed queen of Bollywood.” —The Times (London)

“An irresistible expression of creative musical passion.” —Los Angeles Times on Shujaat Khan

» September 30: Queen of Bollywood

Asha Bhosle with Shujaat Khan Singer Asha Bhosle, the legendary “Queen of Bollywood,” and North Indian sitar star Shujaat Khan recently teamed up on the ravishing album Naina Lagai Ke, for a summit of world music superstars. Since making her soundtrack debut in 1948, Bhosle’s stunning voice has been heard on more than 13,000 songs and featured in over 1,000 films — in at least 15 different languages — a mind-boggling feat that makes her the most widely recorded vocalist in history. While never appearing on screen, she became a bigger star than most of the actresses lip-syncing to her voice, particularly as Bhosle collaborated with her late husband, celebrated composer R.D. Burman. Now 78, she sounds like a woman half her age. She’s still interested in exploring new musical settings and throws herself headlong into the classical collaboration with Khan as case in point. Son of legendary sitarist Ustad Vilayat Khan, Shujaat is the scion of a musical dynasty dating back seven generations. More than just an instrumental master, he is also a noted vocalist with more than 60 albums to his credit. His unique sitar style, known as the gayaki ang, imitates the subtleties of the human voice. Together, Bhosle and Khan create music that’s as sophisticated and entrancing as any in the world. Friday, September 30, 8PM paramount theatre, oakland • 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 premium jazz & beyond

world voices

“Daniela Mercury works hard to make her shows full of dance and flash and energy, but also full of Afro-Brazilian culture.” —The New York Times

» October 14: Samba Superstar

Daniela Mercury “Her voice radiates the warmth of a thousand suns… you’d have to go back to the days of Carmen Miranda to appreciate the impact of Daniela Mercury.” —Chicago Sun-Times

With more #1 hits than any other woman in Brazilian history, Daniela Mercury embodies the celebratory music of Salvador de Bahia, the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture. After years of training as a dancer, she first gained attention in her late teens as a pioneering female vocalist with trios elétricos, the bands that travel by flatbed truck to provide music for Salvador’s Carnaval. Her marathon six-hour performances helped Mercury hone the remarkable energy that makes her concerts exhilarating kaleidoscopes of color, light, dance and joyous sensuality. Mercury’s 1991 debut featured collaboration with the powerhouse percussion ensemble Olodum and introduced her turbocharged Axé (ah-shay) sound — a rhythm-heavy hybrid of samba, reggae, rock and Caribbean influences. With the release of her second album, 1993’s massive hit O Canto Da Cidade, Mercury became a certified pop icon. More recently her smash 2006 release, Balé Mulato: Ao Vivo, won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Brazilian Roots Album. Mercury has spent much of the past decade working with an international cast of DJs, developing new electronica-laced grooves, as evidenced by her latest project, Canibália. But regardless of the technological trappings, Daniela Mercury remains strongly grounded in the organic, propulsive percussion of Carnaval. Friday, October 14, 8PM Paramount Theatre, Oakland 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“Utter musical involvement and constant willingness, even insistence, on creative chance-taking… a must-see and must-hear —Los Angeles Times musical destination.”

» October 15: Bossa Nouveau

Luciana Souza

“Souza sings with the crystalline purity of a cool mountain stream.” —JazzTimes

Saturday, October 15, 8PM San Francisco Conservatory of Music • 25 / 40 premium

» October 16: Sounds of Siberia

Huun Huur Tu

“The Tuvans will ride into your brain and leave hoof prints up and down your spine.” —San Francisco Bay Guardian

“It is unfamiliar yet very accessible, an other-worldly but deeply spiritual music that is rooted in the sound —Chicago Tribune of nature.”

Characterized by buzzing harmonics, the music of Tuvan throat singing quartet Huun Huur Tu is otherworldly — yet strangely beautiful. Featuring preeminent musicians from the Central Asian autonomous Russian republic of Tuva, Huun Huur Tu has been a leading force in popularizing throat singing over the past three decades. It’s a practice that involves generating multiple notes simultaneously to create harmonic overtones. Steeped in Tuvan folklore, the ensemble wears traditional garb and accompanies themselves on string and percussion instruments, playing galloping rhythms that evoke the vast south Siberian steppe. Their tightly structured pieces often imitate natural sounds, so that a song can be a literal representation of a Tuvan landscape. The group has collaborated with a gamut of musical luminaries, including The Kronos Quartet, Ry Cooder, Frank Zappa and The Chieftains. Huun Huur Tu’s acclaimed 2009 release, Eternal, features ambient electronic artist Carmen Rizzo, bringing an ancient musical tradition into modern times. Accompany us on a true armchair adventure! Sunday, October 16, 7PM San Francisco Conservatory of Music • 25 / 40 premium jazz & beyond

world voices

São Paulo-raised vocalist Luciana Souza is so deeply versed in jazz improvisation and Brazilian idioms that it’s impossible to untangle them in her music. Whether transforming gems by Leonard Cohen, Sting and Joni Mitchell or interpreting Brazilian standards by Dorival Caymmi, Caetano Veloso and Milton Nascimento, she’s a breathtaking singer who possesses a luminous, smoky tone. Souza came up surrounded by some of Brazil’s finest musicians, including her mother, esteemed singersongwriter Tereza Souza, and her father, producer and guitarist Walter Santos. Her career quickly took off as she began collaborating with jazz masters like Danilo Perez, Fred Hersch and John Patitucci. Today Souza easily ranks as one of Brazil’s greatest singers and she won a Grammy for her contribution to Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters. Her recent Verve release is Tide, an album of contemporary pop tunes reimagined as bossa novas, produced by her husband and multiple Grammy-winner, Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Madeleine Peyroux). Joining Souza for this date are LA-based guitarist Larry Koonse and bassist David Piltch.

“Pat Metheny is one of those rare artists whose virtuosity is so fluid that it is no longer a necessary lens through which to view his music.”

guitarism

—All About Jazz

“Pat Metheny has cultivated an extraordinarily broad musical terrain over the last 30 years, exerting substantial influence in the process: as a guitarist, as a composer and conceptualist.”

» September 24: An Intimate Evening

Pat Metheny

with Larry Grenadier

—The New York Times

Since emerging as a teenage prodigy with Gary Burton in the early 1970s, Pat Metheny has become the most ubiquitous guitarist in jazz, a musician who constantly seeks and finds new creative realms. Whether playing acoustic or highly processed, effects-laden electric guitar, his sound is instantly identifiable and unapologetically gorgeous. While cultivating a huge worldwide fan base, he’s tackled every imaginable setting from angular harmonics with Ornette Coleman to pastoral landscapes with Charlie Haden and Jim Hall. Last year’s project was Orchestrion, a mind-boggling mechanical orchestra that Metheny controlled through various software triggers. Shedding his mechanical friends for an accompanist with an unerringly swinging pulse, Metheny performs with Larry Grenadier, a Bay Area native who’s one of the jazz world’s most sought-after bassists. His credits include long associations with Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd and Brad Mehldau, and he anchors the cooperative trio Fly with drummer Jeff Ballard and SFJAZZ Collective tenor saxophonist Mark Turner. Metheny and Grenadier have forged deep ties over the years, including a nimble group with ace drummer Bill Stewart (Trio 99>00). Expect the duo to perform some tunes from What’s It All About, Pat’s new solo album. Don’t miss this rare and intimate opportunity to experience a true mastermind of contemporary jazz. Saturday, September 24, 7 & 9PM Marines Memorial Theatre • 45 / 65 / 85 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

guitarism Extraordinary shows that celebrate three of the most revered and influential guitarists in jazz history.

“...how sheer the artistry with which he illuminates the sparest of lines.” —DownBeat

» October 23: 80 Years Young

Jim Hall Quartet

“Jim Hall is the reigning master of the jazz guitar. This poetic player says more with fewer notes than any living improviser.” —The New Yorker

Off stage, Jim Hall is an unassuming guy with the mild-mannered look of a retired accountant or dentist. But on the bandstand, he’s a fearless guitarist who revels in quietly probing conversations. Still wickedly incisive, he first gained widespread notice in drummer Chico Hamilton’s popular mid-1950s quintet. With his advanced harmonic conception and gift for counterpoint, Hall attained legendary status on two classic 1962 sessions. He became an integral member of a new Sonny Rollins band with The Bridge, while Undercurrent captures Hall’s first ravishing duo encounter with pianist Bill Evans. Hall has collaborated with many other jazz icons, including Ella Fitzgerald, Ben Webster, Art Farmer, Paul Desmond, Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny to name just a handful. A profound influence on generations of musicians, he remains an ageless master of understatement, making every passionate note speak volumes. Hall is joined at this 80th birthday celebration by a group of modern heavyweights including saxophonist Greg Osby, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Joey Baron, who is also featured in duet with Hall on his latest release, Conversations. Sunday, October 23, 7PM • herbst theatre non-members: 20 / 40 / 60 premium members: 15 / 30 / 45 premium

jazz & beyond

“Mr. Schmitt has the springy phrasing and effusive flow of a Djangoloist; he’s clearly born to the style. “

guitarism

—The New York Times

» November 13: Gypsy Genius

Dorado Schmitt

& the Django All-Stars

“… lightning-fast finger work, powerful strumming, wild sweeps across the fingerboard and astonishingly fast tempos.” —Los Angeles Times

In the months leading up to his death in 1953, pioneering Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt lamented that he might be overlooked by history. But today the ebulliently swinging “jazz manouche” sound he created with French violinist Stéphane Grappelli is more pervasive than ever. And no one has done more to ignite interest in the idiom than dazzling French guitarist and violinist Dorado Schmitt. For over ten years he’s been the star attraction of Birdland’s annual Djangofest event, accompanied by his son, the formidable rhythm guitarist Samson Schmitt, veteran jazz bassist Brian Torff (who performed widely with Grappelli before his death in 1997) and a revolving cast of fiercely swinging compatriots. Born to Gypsy parents near the German border in Lorraine, Schmitt was weaned on traditional Roma music and Gypsy jazz, but rebelled as a teenager by taking up electric guitar and emulating Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana. After a decade of leading his own trio, he was nearly killed in a car crash, and spent years in physical therapy to regain his unrivaled guitar prowess. By the mid-90s he was a leading figure on the international Gypsy jazz scene, where he continues to represent the art form at its highest level. Sunday, November 13, 7PM herbst theatre 20 / 35 / 50 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

new & now Six diverse snapshots of what’s happening in the jazz world... and far, far beyond.

“Esperanza Spalding has quickly demonstrated that she’s an artist of great beauty, grace, and daring… one of the most exciting on the music scene.” —DownBeat

» October 1: Talk of the Town

Esperanza Spalding Chamber Music Society

“There are many gifted singers in jazz today, and no shortage of accomplished acoustic bass players. But few jazz artists can be both.” —NPR

Bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding is the most alluring ambassador in jazz, a spellbinding talent who has brought her sleek and soulful sound to a vast international audience. Through network television appearances and command performances at the White House, she’s captured a new generation’s imagination while maintaining the highest standards as an improviser. Spalding’s singular status became clearly evident this year, with her stunning breakthrough as the first jazz musician ever to win the coveted Grammy Award as Best New Artist. Avidly sought after as an accompanist, she’s worked with jazz giants including Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and Joe Lovano. But it’s as a bandleader that she’s truly made her mark, laying down fierce bass lines while delivering luminous vocals in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Her ambitious 2010 album Chamber Music Society, which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart and appeared on innumerable best-of-year lists, combines a string trio with a jazz rhythm section and features a glittering roster of guests, including the great Milton Nascimento. With this Paramount appearance, Esperanza makes a triumphant return to SFJAZZ as one of the most talked-about artists in the world. One listen and you’ll know why. Saturday, October 1, 8PM Paramount Theatre, Oakland • 20 / 30 /45 / 65 premium jazz & beyond

“Glasper’s trio deserves comparison with the best… Jason Moran, Bill Charlap and —The New York Times Brad Mehldau.”

» September 29: In the Zone

new & now

Robert Glasper Trio Gracefully navigating the zone where jazz and hip hop converge, pianist Robert Glasper is a savvy improviser well-versed in, but not constrained by jazz tradition. His assertive keyboard work has attracted some of the era’s definitive R&B and hip hop artists, including Mos Def, Kanye West, Erykah Badu and many others. He’s been equally productive in the jazz context, accompanying modern masters such as Roy Hargrove, Kenny Garrett and Terence Blanchard. Glasper’s first two Blue Note releases, 2005’s Canvas and 2006’s In My Element, featured his omnivorous trio and distinctive original compositions. But on 2009’s ambitious Double Booked, Glasper employed his acoustic trio for the first half of the tracks, while switching to a slinky electric format (dubbed The Robert Glasper Experiment) on the CD’s second half. The record ended up on the Top 10 list of many jazz critics, further cementing Glasper’s reputation that year. For his return to SFJAZZ, the iconoclastic pianist brings a fresh version of his lauded trio, including monster bassist Derrick Hodge and the phenomenal drummer Mark Colenburg.

“Among the most exciting young musicians around…” —The Boston Globe

Thursday, September 29, 7:30PM • YBCA Forum 20 general admission / 35 premium GA

» October 5: Seismic Waves

David Binney Quartet

“The sense of determination is almost frightening…what a strange crew, what strong ideas, what an act of compositional will.” —The New York Times “Dave has long been one of my favorite musicians… exceptional writing and —Pat Metheny playing all around.”

New York City’s rough-and-tumble jazz scene can feel like a Darwinian struggle, where only the fittest players survive. Alto saxophonist David Binney is a multi-faceted musician who has thrived in Gotham’s competitive jungle, releasing a string of sessions with high-velocity improvisations, wide-ranging concepts and inventive compositions. A player whose music draws on both straight-ahead and avant-garde forms and techniques, Binney has collaborated with a cross section of New York’s contemporary jazz elite, including Chris Potter, Donny McCaslin, Mark Turner, Bill Frisell, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade and many others. His latest album, Graylen Epicenter, is a tour de force exploring episodic compositions that just bristle with ideas and contrasting sections. The band he brings to San Francisco is typically virtuosic, featuring the rising Cuban piano star David Virelles, internationalminded trap drummer Dan Weiss (Rudresh Mahanthappa, Ravi Coltrane), and bassist Eivind Opsvik (Paul Motian, Ben Monder). This is modern jazz at its most kinetic and captivating. Wednesday, October 5, 7:30PM Swedish American Hall • 25 General admission

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“A gentle genius lives in the mind, voice and hands of this woman.” —Stevie Wonder on India.Arie

» October 15: Open Door

India.Arie with Idan Raichel

Saturday, October 15, 8PM Paramount Theatre, Oakland • 25 / 40 / 55 / 75 premium

“Ethnic elements are cleverly rewired with modern grooves to create an ambient journey that thrillingly bridges the traditional and the modern.” —The London Times on Idan Raichel

jazz & beyond

new & now

A double dose of soul brings together Israel’s biggest international star and the R&B goddess India.Arie. With 18 Grammy nominations and four Grammy Awards to her credit, Arie is a multifaceted creative force, a singer, composer, producer, guitarist and flautist who broke through with 2001’s monster hit Acoustic Soul. Subsequent hit records won her the coveted Best R&B Album Grammy in 2003 and landed Arie on top of the Billboard pop chart in 2006. On 2009’s Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics, Arie sought out an eclectic list of collaborators like blues great Keb’ Mo’ and jazz diva Rachelle Ferrell. Her new album, Open Door, is an expansive musical dialogue with keyboardist Idan Raichel, who set Arie’s probing lyrics to a multi-cultural array of Hebrew melodies. He’s won an international following by incorporating Israel’s daunting diversity in his music, with particular emphasis on influences from Ethiopia and Yemen. In an interview after earning another Grammy for her contribution to Herbie Hancock’s version of “Imagine,” Arie told Examiner.com about how she met Raichel while vacationing in Israel. “I was asking people, ‘Who’s the most important, young, political, revolutionary singer-songwriter?’” Arie recalls. “And everybody said, ‘Idan Raichel.’” The rest is history.

“Redman has consistently explored stratospheric altitudes of ensemble interplay and improvisation.” —Billboard

Joshua Redman

new & now

» October 22: Art of the Duo

Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau No jazz setting requires more concentration and sensitivity than the duo, a format that strips away everything extraneous, leaving the musicians in exposed, impromptu dialog. Saxophonist Joshua Redman and pianist Brad Mehldau, two of the most influential, visible and acclaimed improvisers in today’s jazz world, share a vast range of concepts, notions and feelings ripe for exploration. Linked since Redman hired Mehldau for his wonderfully inventive mid-90s quartet, they have played an essential role defining progressive mainstream jazz ever since. It’s a stylistically encompassing ethos that can be seen in their recent song-oriented projects, like Redman’s cooperative, rock-influenced band James Farm and Mehldau’s orchestral double album Highway Rider, a collaboration with producer Jon Brion featuring Redman. Even when Redman lived in New York, he maintained a high Bay Area profile, partly through his work as artistic director of the SFJAZZ Spring Season and as a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective. But Mehldau has been a relatively scarce presence here in recent years. After honing their high-wire act in Europe, Redman and Mehldau make their eagerly anticipated West Coast duo debut. Definitely, a modern jazz happening, and one not to miss. Saturday, October 22, 7PM & 9PM Herbst Theatre 30 / 50 / 75 premium

Brad Mehldau

“Perhaps the most influential jazz artist of his generation.” —DownBeat on Brad Mehldau

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“The songs drift among musical styles, threading a deep appreciation for vintage pop and jazz through organ-driven rock, funky R&B and delicate folk.” —SF Weekly

new & now

» October 29: Fresh Produce

Pomplamoose

“A fresh and inspiring musical collaboration.” —Mix Magazine The Sonoma-based duo Pomplamoose crafts playful confections with homemade care, writing irresistible originals and re-imagining beloved pop tunes. Featuring multi-instrumentalists Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn, Pomplamoose has become an online sensation by attracting millions of viewers to bare-bones videos that capture the actual process of their music making, without lip-synced vocals or acted-out instrumentals. The duo reveals every sonic element in these videos, so that no sound’s origin goes hidden. On the heels of their debut album, VideoSongs, a stunning collection of original compositions, they released Tribute to Famous People, a covers project that included a monstrously popular version of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).” Besides YouTube fame, many have discovered Pomplamoose through the use of their music in car commercials, such as a beguiling version of “Mr. Sandman” for Toyota and a series of clever Christmas carols in Hyundai spots. Joined by several like-minded pop confederates, Pomplamoose takes a break from the studio for this rare SFJAZZ appearance, delivering songs that will bewitch and delight. Saturday, October 29, 9PM YBCA Forum • 20 General admission

jazz & beyond

“The explosive debut album from Staff Benda Bilili is perhaps an example of African street music —The BBC at its finest.”

» September 16: Looking Beyond

global village

Staff Benda Bilili The war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo is home to Staff Benda Bilili, one of the world’s most compelling ensembles. Founded by paraplegic street musicians, the band has overcome staggering obstacles. The four guitarists deliver a unique mélange of Congolese rumba combined with Cuban son, lilting reggae and low-down American funk, all while singing mostly in French and perched atop custom-built tricycles. They’re backed by a percussion section made up of street kids, plus the guitar-like solos of Roger Landu —who plays a one-string electric lute that he built out of a tin can. Benda Bilili literally means “look beyond appearances” and the group strongly advocates for humane treatment of the handicapped. Popularity has skyrocketed with their debut album, Très Très Fort, sold-out shows across Europe, a WOMEX (World Music Expo) Artist Award and via YouTube videos. National Geographic will soon release a documentary about the group, which premiered recently at Cannes. The SFJAZZ date marks their U.S. debut, so be among the first on this continent to hear them!

“Pitched somewhere between reggae, old-fashioned R&B and the African variant of rumba called soukous, their music is explosively funky and vibrant.”

friday, september 16, 8pm • herbst theatre • 20 / 30 / 40 premium

» September 22: Polish Soul

Tomasz Stanko

“The tone of Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko catapults you into —The New York Times reflection.”

—The Guardian (UK)

“One of the world’s most original and inventive jazz trumpeters.” —The New Yorker

Wherever Tomasz Stanko goes, the Polish trumpet legend always keeps company with the most formidable young players on the scene. Dividing his time between Warsaw and New York City, he’s recorded a series of taut, lyrically expansive sessions for ECM, alternating between emerging European stars and heavyweight Gotham improvisers. The quartet he brings to SFJAZZ features pianist Craig Taborn, known for his volcanic work with Chris Potter and Dave Douglas, as well as New York bassist Thomas Morgan and the electrifying drummer Jim Black. A standout talent since the early 1960s, Stanko eagerly absorbed concepts introduced by Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor and George Russell. He credits pianist Krzysztof Komeda, who composed memorable scores for Roman Polanski’s films Knife In the Water, Cul-de-sac and Rosemary’s Baby, with honing his harmonic sensibility. No matter what the project, Stanko creates a sense of depth and spaciousness that’s long been associated with the ECM record label. Even at his most abstract he infuses each note with tenderness and sorrow, a master storyteller who never gets lost in his tale. Thursday, September 22, 7:30PM jewish community center of san francisco • 25 / 40 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

global village feel the heartbeat of diverse cultures, ancient to modern, through the shared language of music.

“These musicians are firming up a distinctive voice of the Cuban diaspora, and it’s inevitably exuberant, surging with determination, the sound a fast-rising tide of adamant pride.” —CNN

» October 9: Timba Titans

Tiempo Libre

If Hollywood ever comes calling to make a movie about the blazing Cuban timba band Tiempo Libre, the film will have to open with a scene of six young kids avidly practicing their instruments in a rundown Havana elementary school. Classically trained, Russian-style, at Havana’s vaunted National School of the Arts, they also absorbed the forbidden sounds of jazz and R&B via illicit cassette tapes and Miami radio broadcasts, which they received illegally with antennas made from scraps of aluminum foil. Flash forward some 25 years, as ecstatic audiences across Asia, Europe and North America cheer the same group of guys who took circuitous routes to reunite in Miami as adults. Steeped in Cuba’s hard-hitting timba dance style, Tiempo Libre made a powerful impression with its self-produced 2004 debut album Timbiando, but it was the band’s wild live performances that made it a sensation. They have played at the Hollywood Bowl, Jazz at Lincoln Center, on The Tonight Show and on numerous Telemundo and Univision TV programs. Tiempo Libre has been nominated for several Grammy Awards, and the group’s brand new Sony album, My Secret Radio, celebrates the profound influence that American music has had on their lives. Sunday, October 9, 7PM ybca Novellus Theater 25 / 45 / 65 premium

“A dance music of sophistication and abandon.” —The New York Times

jazz & beyond

global village

“Serbian Gypsy brass bands are party generators, and Mr. Bregovic’s compositions let them do their job.”

» October 28: Slavic Spectacle

Goran Bregovic

& his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra

“Bregovic is both the catalyst and ringmaster for a musical spectacle unlike anything else on North American stages.” —San Francisco Chronicle

—The New York Times

The sublime madness of Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra is back for a dizzying, ecstatic reprise! This trans-Balkan musical feast features Gypsy brass players, Bulgarian vocalists and conservatory-trained string players from Belgrade in a kaleidoscope of action, color and intoxicating beats. When civil war started tearing Yugoslavia apart in 1990, Goran Bregovic found himself out of the rock star business. As the founder of Bijelo Dugme (White Button), the guitarist brought a bracing jolt of rock & roll to the Balkans in the mid-70s, selling millions of albums across the region while giving voice to a generation stifled by communist conformity. A multi-ethnic child of Sarajevo, born to a Serbian mother and a Croatian father, Bregovic fled to Paris, where he quickly gained attention for his vivid soundtrack work. Many Americans first experienced Bregovic’s wild mélange of klezmer rock in Sacha Baron Cohen’s irreverant Borat. His rollicking, madcap extravaganza is guaranteed to leave you breathless, with a song in your heart. Bregovic’s SFJAZZ debut in 2009 nearly sold out the Masonic and we recommend getting tickets early for the Paramount’s best seats. Friday, October 28, 8PM • paramount theatre, oakland 25 / 40 / 55 / 75 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“This is Kouyate’s personal vision of his own rich, multicultural nation, and it feels as fresh and imaginative as it does authentic. He just explodes with ideas and energy.” —NPR

global village

» October 30: Modernist from Mali

Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba

“A genius, and living proof that the blues comes from the region of Segu.” —Taj Mahal

As a griot, Mali’s Bassekou Kouyate traces his musical lineage back to the wealthy West African empire founded by Sundiata Keita in the 13th century, when his ancestors entertained the royal court. Every note that he plays on the ngoni, a small four-string lute, embodies a tradition handed down for dozens of generations. But that’s not to say Kouyate is shackled to the past. Determined to enhance the music’s visibility, he assembled Ngoni Ba, an eight-piece group combining the energy of a rock band with the emphatic call-and-response choruses of a gospel ensemble. Looking to expand the ngoni’s harmonic range, he added additional strings and introduced a powerful new sound on 2007’s Segu Blue, which won a coveted BBC Radio 3 World Music Award. Last year he refined Ngoni Ba’s concept with the acclaimed I Speak Fula, an album showcasing ingenious orchestrations and the incantatory vocals of Amy Sacko, his wife and creative partner. Beyond Ngoni Ba, Kouyate has collaborated with pop luminaries U2 and Carlos Santana and played an essential role on recordings by African legends including Toumani Diabaté, Ali Farka Touré, Vieux Farka Touré and Youssou N’Dour. sunday, October 30, 7PM • YBCA Forum non-members: 20 general admission / 35 premium GA members: 15 general admission / 26 premium GA jazz & beyond

keynotes from acoustic piano to the rugged hammond b-3, keyboard wizardry in every shape and form.

“Booker T. is a more vital component of your next barbeque than the meat, the booze, and the other people.” —Village Voice

» September 17: The Road from Memphis

Booker T.

A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and three-time Grammy Award winner, Hammond B-3 organist Booker T. Jones is a musician whose tunes and grooves are woven inextricably into the fabric of the American experience. Following 2009’s Potato Hole, which won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album, he recently released The Road from Memphis, an autobiographical work that sketches soul music’s family tree from Memphis roots to branches in Philly, Motown, New York City, LA and beyond. Featuring celebrated hip hop combo The Roots, the album showcases a divergent cast of guest vocalists from Sharon Jones of the Dap-Kings and My Morning Jacket’s Yim Yames, to rock legend Lou Reed. Jones soon celebrates the 50th anniversary of “Green Onions,” the monster R&B hit he recorded as a Memphis teenager with his group the M.G.’s. As part of the Stax/Volt house band, the multi-instrumentalist recorded with many of the era’s definitive artists including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett and Bill Withers. Over the years he’s collaborated with many, but no matter the style, everything Jones plays is steeped in simmering soul. saturday, september 17, 8PM herbst theatre • 25 / 45 / 65 premium

“Booker T. Jones is one of the legends of soul music.” —THE New Yorker

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“One of my favorite composers.” —Paquito D’Rivera

» October 1: The New Tango

Fernando Otero

“The expressive drama of tango generally animates his compositions, which also involve aspects of classical chamber music and jazz improvisation.” —The New York Times

Saturday, October 1, 2PM Gould Theatre, Legion of Honor • 20 / 35 premium Note: Ticket includes entry to the museum galleries.

» October 2: Three Stories

Eldar Djangirov

“Eldar combines Art Tatum’s superhuman velocity with echoes of Oscar Peterson’s grandeur.” —The New York Times

“He’s a genius beyond most young —Dave Brubeck people I’ve heard.”

24-year old pianist Eldar Djangirov is a case of a prodigy living up to his boundless promise. Since his Sony debut in 2004, Djangirov has been traveling at hyperspeed, carried along by a combination of awe-inspiring technique and stunning musicality. Born in Kyrgyzstan, Djangirov began studying piano at three with his mother, who was a professor of music history. After the Soviet Union’s dissolution, his family settled in the U.S. and Djangirov was only in his mid-teens when jazz elite like Billy Taylor, Marian McPartland and Benny Carter started to hail him as a great young player. Over his meteoric career, he’s been nominated for a Grammy, performed at the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall, and appeared on high profile TV shows hosted by Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel. Djangirov has released a string of acclaimed CDs, but his latest album, Three Stories, encompasses his love of both jazz and classical music with ingenious interpretations of Bach, Scriabin, Gershwin, Monk and Vernon Duke. Prepare for an intimate afternoon of solo piano with one of today’s huge talents. Sunday, October 2, 2PM Gould Theatre, Legion of Honor • 30 / 50 premium Note: Ticket includes entry to the museum galleries.

jazz & beyond

keynotes

While the erotic pulse of tango courses through Fernando Otero’s fingers, the Argentine pianist has created his own scintillating musical world through connections with artists from various realms. Embraced by the New York jazz scene, the Buenos Aires-raised, Brooklyn-based musician has performed with legendary bassist Eddie Gomez, flautist Dave Valentin, and the Chico O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. More recently, Kronos Quartet premiered one of his pieces at Carnegie Hall and reed maestro Paquito D’Rivera featured Otero on his 2008 Grammy Award-winning album Funk Tango. He’s done well in LA too, working with Academy Award-winning pianist Dave Grusin while earning an open invitation to collaborate with music icon Quincy Jones. Steeped in European classical music as a child (his mother was a noted opera singer), Otero first made his mark playing bandoneon in X Tango. He left a more powerful impression with the 2007 album Pagina de Buenos Aires (Nonesuch), a session featuring his concise, often antic compositions. But he revealed his full measure on Vital (World Village), a tour de force that earned last year’s Best Classical Album Latin Grammy Award.

soulful singers sPeLLbiNdiNG sTOryTeLLers iNTerPreT THe LeGAcy OF sONG WiTH PAssiON, GrAce ANd Fire.

“Few medieval music specialists on the planet are as celebrated as Anonymous 4, and there are few better ways to soothe your spirit…” — SF Classical Voice

» November 18: Sacred Space

Anonymous 4

“Four voices blending perfectly in vowel color, tone... faultless intonation and translucent vocal color.” —The Washington Post

Anonymous 4, the astonishing female a cappella quartet that specializes in pre-1600 “early” music, announced a decade ago that it would cease to be a full-time ensemble. But despite dialing down their touring and recording schedule, the group has been remarkably productive since. They’ve released a series of revelatory albums, including the early American folk hymns, gospel and camp revival songs on 2004’s American Angels and 2006’s Gloryland. Last year Anonymous 4 returned to a favored destination, the 13th century, with Secret Voices: Music from The Las Huelgas Codex. Collected for a convent of noble and aristocratic women who were ostensibly forbidden from practicing polyphonic singing, Las Huelgas includes elegant French love motets, lively Latin conductus, soul-stirring laments and virtuoso polyphony for the daily Mass. For SFJAZZ, Anonymous 4 presents Sisters in Spirit, a special program encompassing both the medieval material from Las Huelgas and the early American music of Gloryland. The heralded quartet’s 25th anniversary comes next year, and there is no better place to kick off this celebration than the glorious environs of Grace Cathedral. Friday, November 18, 8PM • Grace Cathedral non-members: 30 General admission / 40 premium ga members: 22 General admission / 30 premium ga Note: Grace Cathedral’s soaring vault produces a natural, seven-second reverberation. This effect, different from typical concert hall acoustics, will be an integral component of this performance.

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“Aaron Neville still possesses the voice of an angelic child whose purity of faith transcends the world’s darker realities.” —The New York Times

» December 18: Soulful Christmas

Many a performer feels the holiday spirit, but few can impart it with the soul-shivering impact of Aaron Neville. Having one of the most evocative and recognizable voices in American music, he’s an international ambassador of New Orleans R&B, though his soaring falsetto sounds at home in many styles. Coming of age on the incredibly creative 1950s Crescent City R&B scene, Neville gained national attention with the Wild Tchoupitoulas, a touring Mardi Gras celebration that led to the creation of the Neville Brothers band — an institution that would confirm Neville’s iconic status. Over his Grammy-winning solo career, Neville has scored a string of hits including 1967’s “Tell It Like It Is,” memorable duets with Linda Ronstadt and a hugely popular cover of Main Ingredient’s “Everybody Plays the Fool.” A deeply spiritual man, his mesmerizing renditions of classics like “Silent Night” and “The Christmas Song” turned his 1993 album Soulful Christmas into a million-seller, and he delved deeper into the seasonal canon with 2005’s Christmas Prayer. Neville has most recently tackled gospel with I Know I’ve Been Changed, celebrating his 50th year in recorded music. Join us for an unforgettable evening of holiday classics with a true American original. Sunday, December 18, 7PM Palace of Fine Arts Theatre • 25 / 45 / 65 premium

“Indisputably one of the most spectacular American voices of the past half-century.” —JazzTimes

jazz & beyond

soulful singers

Aaron Neville

dedications Heartfelt tributes to the giants of jazz — Coltrane, Monk, Montgomery and more.

“Benny Green is a consummate jazz pianist. He’s mastered all the past styles from Kansas City stride to Bill Evans to bebop and beyond...” —All About Jazz

» October 10: Monk’s Birthday Bash

Benny Green

Monk’s Dream: 50 Years Fresh “Green is a young classicist…he plays funky and hard, and breathes not only bebop but Oscar Peterson’s virtuosic effusions as well.” —The New York Times

With his prodigious technique, quicksilver left hand, and unstoppable sense of swing, Berkeley-raised Benny Green is often associated with the late piano titan Oscar Peterson, who anointed him as a worthy successor. But Green cites Thelonious Monk as his first piano passion, and he’s assembled a superlative band for “Monk’s Dream,” a project that revisits the material from Monk’s classic 1962 Columbia album and celebrates the jazz legend’s 94th birthday on 10/10. Built upon his wondrously sympathetic trio with two of New York’s most sought after accompanists, SF-raised bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington (no relation), Monk’s Dream features the torrid saxophone of New Orleans altoist Donald Harrison, a singularly funk-steeped player who first made a major impact with Art Blakey in the early 1980s. It was around the same time that Green gained national exposure during a formative four-year run with vocalist extraordinaire and ace talent scout Betty Carter. At a time when jazz overflowed with players deep into Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner, Green emerged as a particularly fluent advocate of the blues and gospel-drenched hard bop sound pioneered by Horace Silver and Bobby Timmons. He is uniquely qualified to carry on Thelonious Monk’s huge legacy. Monday, October 10, 7:30PM Herbst Theatre • 20 / 30 / 40 premium

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

“One of the fresh, creative voices on the scene today.” —Ramsey Lewis on Javon Jackson

“No pianist brings such a wide stylistic palette to the table.” —DownBeat on Mulgrew Miller

“Jimmy Cobb has proven to be a master of every musical situation.” —Los Angeles Times

“One of jazz’s best young bassists.” —The New York Times on Peter Washington

» October 28: Celebrating John Coltrane

Javon Jackson

with Mulgrew Miller, Jimmy Cobb & Peter Washington Jimmy Cobb

Peter Washington

Since John Coltrane’s death in 1967 at the age of 40 there has been no shortage of tributes to the saxophone titan. But tenor mastermind Javon Jackson’s project focusing on Coltrane-associated compositions stands above and far beyond the ordinary, featuring a four veteran masters with close professional and spiritual ties to Trane. Jackson first gained attention with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the early ‘80s and had memorable stints with molten drummer Elvin Jones, a member of Coltrane’s “classic” quartet. Since emerging from these apprenticeships, Jackson has transcended his “young lion” status to become a noted composer and bandleader, heading up a dozen acclaimed sessions for Blue Note, Criss Cross and Palmetto. Drummer Jimmy Cobb collaborated extensively with Coltrane during their years as Miles Davis sidemen, appearing together on the epochal album Kind of Blue. Still going strong at 82, Cobb continues to lead his own hard-charging bands. After the prodigious pianist Mulgrew Miller spent six years in the ferocious mid-80s quintet led by drummer Tony Williams, he became a potent leader himself, with nearly two dozen albums to his credit since. And Peter Washington, another former Jazz Messenger, is a brilliant scholar and bassist whose vast discography includes hundreds of sessions. With this all-star assemblage of bona fide jazz firepower, Coltrane’s legacy is in good hands. A treat for our Members! Friday, October 28, 8PM • YBCA Forum 20 general admission / 35 premium GA sfjazz members only (see page 6)

jazz & beyond

dedications

Mulgrew Miller

» September 23: Tribute to Jimmy & Wes

Mimi Fox Trio While Mimi Fox has been a Bay Area resident for decades, hometown opportunities to catch this globetrotting guitar star are few and far between. A blazing straight-ahead fret master who combines bebopinfused technique with an abundance of soul, Fox spins solos that unfurl with surprise twists like expertly tailored short stories. She has performed and recorded with some of the most commanding players in jazz, including saxophonists Branford Marsalis and David Sánchez, vocalists Abbey Lincoln, Diana Krall and Janis Siegel and Hammond B-3 organ masters Barbara Dennerlein and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Among fellow guitarists, Fox has collaborated with a multi-generational who’s-who, including Kenny Burrell, Charlie Byrd and Charlie Hunter. And after a string of critically praised albums, she’s recently released a captivating DVD, Mimi Fox: Live at the Palladium — a consistently exhilarating trio session. For her SFJAZZ date, Fox pays tribute to transcendent six-string slinger Wes Montgomery, with another organ trio that features Matt Clark, one of the Bay Area’s hottest keyboard players.

dedications

“Mimi was quite a revelation, I was just knocked out. It’s not just that her technique is amazing, it’s that she sounded very original to me.”

Friday, September 23, 8PM Swedish American Hall 20 General admission

“While Fox makes her first impression with her technical skills, it’s her emotional depth as a player that leaves an enduring mark.” —DownBeat

—Jim Hall

» November 12: Wild Women of Song

Pamela Rose

“Rose infuses her live and recorded performances with non-stop energy and… heartfelt, female-centric jazz anthropology.”

with special guest Denise Perrier

—JazzTimes

With this delightful multi-media performance celebrating the history of female songwriters from the Tin Pan Alley era, Wild Women of Song, veteran San Francisco jazz and blues vocalist Pamela Rose makes a compelling case for the enduring contributions of women to America’s treasure trove of popular music. Boasting a big, bold voice and bluesinfused sensibility, Rose brings a vast array of musical experience to songs by more than a dozen gifted but lesser known tunesmiths. “Dorothy Fields should be as familiar as Ira Gershwin or Johnny Mercer,” says Rose, a Los Angeles native who first gained notice on the Bay Area scene in the late 1970s through her work with organist Merl Saunders and later with the Motown revue ZaSu Pitts Memorial Orchestra. Immersing herself in jazz over the past two decades, she’s the rare singer who can belt sassy golden age blues by Alberta Hunter and Ida Cox as easily as crooning a torchy Peggy Lee lament. Completing the package, Rose also possesses enviable songwriting skills, and she throws her own well-crafted originals into the mix. Saturday, November 12, 8PM Herbst Theatre 20 / 30 / 40 premium

“It’s more than a jazz concert. It’s a swinging honors course in Womankind!” —San Francisco Magazine

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

tickets & More

Ticket Info

everyTHiNG yOU Need TO KNOW FOr A sUccessFUL san francisco jazz festival.

[Members: Please log in on home page to receive Member ticket benefits.]

On-sale Dates Members: Sunday, June 26, 10AM General Public: Sunday, July 17, 10AM

Web: sfjazz.org

Phone [Members: please use the Member hotline!]

Member Hotline:

415-788-7353

General Public:

866-920-5299

Box Office

3 Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level, San Francisco, CA 94111

Venue Locations

General hours:

Monday–Friday, 11AM–5:30PM

Member on-sale:

FLORENCE GOULD THEATer, LEGION OF HONOR 100 Legion of Honor Drive, San Francisco 94121 GRACE CATHEDRAL 1100 California Street, San Francisco 94108 HERBST THEATRE 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco 94102 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO 3200 California Street, San Francisco 94118 LOUISE M. DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL 201 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco 94102 Marines’ Memorial Theatre 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco 94102 PALACE OF FINE ARTS THEATRE 3301 Lyon Street, San Francisco 94123 PARAMOUNT THEATRE 2025 Broadway, Oakland 94612 SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC 50 Oak Street, San Francisco 94102 SWEDISH AMERICAN HALL 2174 Market Street, San Francisco 94114 YBCA FORUM 701 Mission Street, San Francisco 94103 YBCA NOVELLUS THEATER 700 Howard Street, San Francisco 94103

Sunday, June 26, 10AM–6PM

Public on-sale:

Sunday, July 17, 10AM–6PM

Service fees:

All purchases at our Box Office are exempt from ticket service fees.

Catalog Notes All programs and artist lineups are subject to change. General Admission: open seating. Premium GA: open seating within a reserved section.

Pre-Concert Talks

30-minute talks take place on stage one hour before show time. Free to ticketholders for the event to follow.

Family Matinees

Each one-hour matinee features live performance, audience participation, Q&A and amazing music. Although designed for elementary school students, our Family Matinees are open to music fans of all ages.

For more venue information please visit sfjazz.org. jazz & beyond

SFJAZZ Merchandise Apparel Classic threads from SFJAZZ look great and fit right. And commemorative Festival t-shirts make a great collectible!

SFJAZZ Collective 3-CD Set: Live 2010 Exclusively available through SFJAZZ, the definitive record of the SFJAZZ Collective’s 2010 international tour features the music of Horace Silver plus the band’s original compositions. This limited edition, handnumbered 3-CD set is sold only at sfjazz.org, festival venues and our store. Downloads are also available at iTunes and Amazon.

SFJAZZ zip-hoodies

Available in: orange on olive, red on charcoal and blue on brown. • $40

SFJAZZ premium zip-hoodie White on black. • $50

Featuring Yellow or blue lettering on black cap. Black logo on tan cap. Black logo on black beenie. One-size-fits-all. • $20

Gift Cards Redeemable for concert tickets, merchandise or membership, an SFJAZZ Gift Card is a fast and flexible way to share the world of jazz with those you love. Ideal for your last-minute gift list!

SFJAZZ t-shirt

Mens: M, L, XL, XXL Womens: S, M, L • $20

GIFT CARD

SFJAZZ logo hats

To:

If you are calling the SFJAZZ Box Office for tickets, please inform us at the start of the call that you are using a gift card for your purchase.

From:

Box Office: 415-788-7353 boxoffice@sfjazz.org M–F 11AM–5:30PM

Valid for SFJAZZ tickets & merchandise.

Discount applies at sfjazz.org or at our Embarcadero Center store.

sfjazz.org • Public 866-920-5299 • Members 415-788-7353

Get all seven of the SFJAZZ Collective CD sets from 2004-2010 at sfjazz.org — and watch for a new CD set with the music of Stevie Wonder in September!

Valid for tickets to San Francisco Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ Spring Season and SFJAZZ merchandise. Gift card can be redeemed online or in person. Not redeemable for cash. Redemption value not to exceed amount on front of card.

Code:

SFJAZZ Members: Take 10% off 44

Miguel Zenón alto saxophone Mark Turner tenor saxophone Avishai Cohen trumpet Robin Eubanks trombone Stefon Harris vibraphone Edward Simon piano Matt Penman bass Eric Harland drums

San Francisco Jazz Organization Three Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level San Francisco, CA 94111

Sponsors & Underwriters Brought to you by

Major sponsors

official sponsors

foundations, corporations & government agencies

in-kind donors

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners Capital Public Radio, KXJZ The Fairmont San Francisco Foxxdance Productions Greystone Hotels Hilton SF Union Square Hotel Adagio Hotel Carlton Hotel Kabuki Hotel Rex JazzTimes KBLX KPFA Le Meridien San Francisco North Coast Brewing Co. Personality Hotels Smartwater Stanford Shopping Center St. Regis San Francisco Yamaha Piano

Autodesk Confidence Foundation — Whittier Trust Co. The Aaron Copland Fund for Music Bill Graham Supporting Foundation Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Goldman Sachs Bill Graham Supporting Foundation Grants for the Arts — San Francisco Hotel Fund The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Koret Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Surdna Foundation The Wallace Foundation Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation U.S. Bank

Bruce De Benedictis Google, Inc. Jeremiah’s Pick Coffee La Boulange Bakery Roederer Estate Seyfarth Shaw Viansa Winery & Marketplace Vintage Berkeley

sfjazz is generously supported by

corporate & institutional support

volunteer at sfjazz

You can support either SFJAZZ’s annual operations or target any of our diverse musical programs, which include the acclaimed San Francisco Jazz Festival and the SFJAZZ Spring Season, as well as innovative community and education initiatives. For more information on supporting jazz, please contact:

SFJAZZ volunteers are a big-hearted group of people who are central to our efforts to bring world-class jazz to the San Francisco Bay Area. Over 400 volunteers annually share their time and expertise with us in a variety of capacities during the San Francisco Jazz Festival and SFJAZZ Spring Season

Laura Hamilton Institutional Giving Director 415-283-0303 lhamilton@sfjazz.org

To learn more, call the SFJAZZ Volunteer Hotline at 415-283-0314 or email rwarren@sfjazz.org.

And a very special thanks to SFJAZZ Members and volunteers! jazz & beyond

nonPROFIT org. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

San Francisco Jazz Organization Three Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level San Francisco, CA 94111

SAN FRANCISCO, CA PERMIT #1782

bitious m a t s o ly the m rganization b a u g r A “ enting o s e r p z z ja untry.” o c e h t y news in mercur ose —san j

tickets on sale SFJAZZ Members: June 26 General Public: July 17 Web: sfjazz.org Members: 415-788-7353 Public: 866-920-5299

GUITARISM Pat Metheny Jim Hall Dorado Schmitt & the Django All-Stars

KEYNOTES Booker T. Fernando Otero Eldar Djangirov

JAZZ GIANTS Wayne Shorter Savion Glover McCoy Tyner Mose Allison Ahmad Jamal

NEW & NOW Esperanza Spalding Robert Glasper David Binney India.Arie & Idan Raichel Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau Pomplamoose

SOULFUL SINGERS Anonymous 4 Aaron Neville

WORLD VOICES Carmen Souza Vinicius Cantuaria Asha Bhosle & Shujaat Khan Daniela Mercury Luciana Souza Huun Huur Tu

GLOBAL VILLAGE Staff Benda Bilili Tomasz Stanko Tiempo Libre Goran Bregovic Bassekou Kouyate

DEDICATIONS Benny Green Javon Jackson Mimi Fox Pamela Rose