Tag: jazz

Stephan Crump

The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, October 15, 2022
Doors at 7pm | Show at 7:30pm

Tickets: $20 advance | $25 day of the show ($10 student tickets available)
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

This solo performance, which explores Stephan Crump’s unique musical language through an expansive range of sonorities on the acoustic bass, is a culmination of decades of work as a bassist, composer, and improviser. Throughout the last year, he released monthly solo recordings in a fan-supported series via his Bandcamp page. The new album, Rocket Love, is curated from this body of work.

“I am tempted to call Rocket Love my favorite solo bass recording of all time. At a minimum, it is the most varied and fun.” Popmatters

“As a bassist and composer, Mr. Crump avoids obvious routes but manages never to lose his way” The New York Times

“strikingly fresh and unobvious compositions…an impressive and original voice” The Wire

“categories cease to matter” JazzTimes

“Crump’s music is original” Downbeat

Memphis-bred, Grammy-nominated, Echo Award-winning bassist/composer Stephan Crump is an active bandleader with twelve critically-acclaimed album releases in addition to numerous film scoring contributions. Stephan’s solo performance, which explores his unique musical language through an expansive range of sonorities on the acoustic bass, is a culmination of decades of work as a bassist, composer, and improviser. Throughout the last year, he released monthly solo recordings in a fan-supported series via his Bandcamp page. The new album, Rocket Love, is curated from this body of work. 

Known for transforming his instrument into a speaking entity of magnetic pull, his focus on creative instrumental music has led to collaborations with many of the leading lights of his generation, most notably Vijay Iyer, in whose trio and sextet Crump played a dynamic, founding role. He can also be heard as long-standing member of Jen Chapin Trio, Ches Smith Trio, Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quartet, Liberty Ellman Sextet, Secret Keeper (duo with Mary Halvorson), his own Rosetta Trio (with Jamie Fox, Liberty Ellman), his Rhombal quartet (with Ellery Eskelin, Adam O’Farrill, Tyshawn Sorey), as well as co-led ensembles with Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, Cory Smythe, Eric McPherson, Mat Maneri, and Okkyung Lee.

 

Shai Maestro Quartet + Strings

Crosstown Theater
Friday, September 30, 2022
Doors open at 7pm | Show begins at 8pm
Tickets: $30 in advance | $35 day of the show

Purchase tickets here

“Expressions of joy, introspective thoughts and heightened intensity all come to the fore” – Downbeat Magazine

“His piano style fits into a particular modern tradition, one that combines ultra-clean classical technique with a strong interest in repetitive, almost looping figures and romantic melodies” – Stereogum

Shai Maestro (1987) is one of the most promising and talented pianists of his generation. Since his debut with his own trio in 2011, Shai has shaped a strong and unique personal identity and has portrayed an incredible musical fluidity, making him and his band one of the most powerful and harmonious groups in jazz today.

2018 marked an important year for Shai, signing with major jazz label ECM and recording his first album The Dream Thief there, featuring his trio, but also him as a solo-pianist. Introspective, lyrical, virtuosic and differentiated. In its review of The Dream Thief, All About Jazz spoke of “a searching lyrical atmosphere, emotional eloquence and communal virtuosity that serves the music.” All of which also applies to Human, Shai’s latest release on ECM, where Maestro’s outgoing, highly-communicative band with fellow Israeli Ofri Nehemya on drums and Peruvian bassist Jorge Roeder becomes a quartet with the inspired addition of US trumpeter Philip Dizack. Shai’s expansive pianism is well-matched by Dizack’s alert, quick-thinking approach to improvising. And, as ever, Maestro is taking the music forward while also respecting its sense of tradition. Human was recorded at Studios la Buissonne in the South of France in February 2020, and produced by Manfred Eicher.

Shai Maestro began playing classical piano at age five and graduated with honors from the Thelma Yell in High School of Performing Arts in Givataim, Israel. After winning the National Jazz Ensembles Competition “Jazz Signs” in 2002 and 2003 and receiving excellency scholarships 2004-2010 from the America-Israel Cultural Fund for jazz piano, Maestro attended Berklee College of Music’s Five-Week Summer Performance Program in Boston, where he was awarded a full scholarship to attend Berklee full-time—an offer Maestro ultimately declined.

Maestro’s intuitions proved right: just a few weeks later, he received a phone call from bassist Avishai Cohen, known for his long-time collaboration with Chick Corea as well as for his successful band-leading career. The bassist called to invite Maestro to join the Avishai Cohen Trio with drummer Mark Guiliana. Maestro recorded four albums with the Avishai Cohen Trio, including two on Blue Note Records: Gently Disturbed (2008), Sensitive Hours (2008), Aurora (2009), and Seven Seas (2011). The trio toured the world and played at some of the world’s most renowned venues and festivals.

In July 2010, Maestro formed his own trio and just a few months later, recorded their well-received first album, Shai Maestro Trio, for the French label Laborie Jazz. The trio began an intense schedule of touring the world, playing up to 80 concerts a year and sharing stages with groups led by Chick Corea, Tigran Hamasyan, Esperanza Spalding, and Diana Krall. In 2012, the trio released their second album for Laborie Jazz, entitled The Road to Ithaca, making an even more personal and intimate statement, going back to the essence of their being: unedited and raw.

Following that line of thought, Shai released recent albums Untold Stories and The Stone Skippe‘ in October 2014 and November 2016. Listeners and the media outlets alike, including DownBeat Magazine, NPR, BBC, JazzFM, TSF, and WBGO’s The Checkout, received the albums with critical acclaim. With these albums, Maestro entered a new phase in his artistry: taking time, fearing less, daring more, and allowing the music to unfold organically, more than ever. Especially live, the natural developments made the trio one of the most powerful and harmonious groups in jazz. The past few years, the trio has performed at the most renown stages, venues and festivals worldwide.

Besides his trio, Maestro recorded on vocalist Theo Bleckmann’s album Elegy. Maestro has also received critical acclaim appearing on Mark Guiliana’s Jazz Quartet’s debut album Family First (2015). Most recently, Shai recorded on saxophonist Ben Wendel’s album High Heart (Edition Records, 2020).

Within the past couple of years, Shai reached two important career milestones: he signed with Sony / ATV Music Publishing and was invited to perform with Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Keitaro Harada, at Tokyo Metropolitan Theater. The program consisted of Miho Hazama’s first piano concerto as well as Shai’s original music.

Tim Fitzgerald

Doors open at 7pm | Show begins at 7:30pm
Tickets: $15 advance | $20 at the door

Purchase tickets here

Tim Fitzgerald is a Chicago based guitarist and bandleader. He is also author of the book 625 Alive: the Wes Montgomery BBC Concert Transcribed, which has been hailed as the “Ultimate Study of Wes Montgomery’s music” (Just Jazz Guitar Magazine) and “One of the 50 greatest guitar books of all time” (The 50 Greatest Guitar Books). He has written columns for Downbeat Magazine, Just Jazz Guitar Magazine and Chicago Jazz Magazine and performed clinics at the Frank Mantooth Jazz Festival.

Tim leads two bands in Chicago — Tim Fitzgerald’s Full House and the Tim Fitzgerald Quartet — and is a sideman in a multitude of other projects.

Tim’s larger group, Full House, is a seven piece, three horn ensemble inspired by the music of jazz great Wes Montgomery. The band features new original arrangements of Wes’ music — not just Wes Montgomery songs, but Wes’ famous chord solos and octaves solos as well.

His smaller group, The Tim Fitzgerald Quartet, features a mix of straight ahead jazz and soul music, including Tim’s original compositions, the music of Wes Montgomery, and the music of soul jazz greats such as Dr. Lonnie Smith.

POSTPONED Peter Bernstein with the Ted Ludwig Trio

Doors open at 7pm | Show begins at 7:30pm
$20 advance | $25 at the door ($10 student tickets at the door)

This show will be rescheduled. Ticket holders will be notified via email, and all previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new performance date. 

Guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in numerous recordings and performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has released nine albums and a DVD. As a sideman Peter has appeared in groups led by Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, George Coleman, Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Fathead Newman, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Diana Krall, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Cobb and many more. Current projects include his album, Monk, with Doug Weiss and Bill Stewart, a recently released solo record, Solo Guitar – Live at Smalls, and the highly acclaimed organ trio with organist Larry Goldings and drummer Bill Stewart.

Joel Frahm with the Ted Ludwig Trio

Doors at 7pm | Show at 7:30pm
Tickets: $15 advance | $20 day of show 
Purchase tickets here
Crosstown Arts presents jazz saxophonist Joel Frahm in the Green Room.
 
For more than 30 years, Joel Frahm lived in New York City working in jazz clubs, collaborating with other musicians, and honing his craft. He now lives in Nashville, where he continues to play the music he loves. His bold, inventive tenor sound has won fans in the U.S. and across the world. He has worked alongside Betty Carter, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, Dianne Schuur, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, Bill Charlap, Brad Mehldau, Matt Wilson, Cyrille Aimee, and many other top artists. He has played as a leader or sideman on more than 100 recordings and has appeared at jazz festivals in the United States, Europe, Israel, Canada and South America. 
 
In addition to his work as a performer, he has taught jazz classes in clinics at the University of North Carolina, the University of Connecticut, New York University, Wichita State University, the University of North Texas, Baylor University, Colorado State University, Furman University, the University of Toronto, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Manitoba and others. 
 
He also has worked at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation program; the Sant Andreu Youth Jazz Orchestra in Barcelona, Spain; the Dave Brubeck Institute in Stockton, California; the Center for Jazz Studies at the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv; the Czech Jazz Workshop in Prague; and the Siena Jazz Workshop in Italy. 
 
Joel grew up in Racine, Wisconsin and moved to West Hartford, Connecticut as a high school freshman, where he became part of the acclaimed Hall High School jazz band. It was there he developed a passion for jazz, exploring the music of jazz greats such as Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver and Wayne Shorter. In 1992, he received a bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

Pete Fucinaro Trio

Doors open at 7pm | Show begins at 7:30pm
Tickets: $15 advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Crosstown Arts presents the Pete Fucinaro trio, featuring saxophonist Pete Fucinaro, bassist Ben Tervort, and drummer Briant Steever.

Pete Fucinaro is a saxophonist, composer, and educator from Omaha, Nebraska. He is currently based in Kansas City. He attended the University of North Texas where he studied jazz performance. He played in the seven-time GRAMMY-nominated One O’clock Lab Band under the direction of Alan Baylock and was selected as a finalist for the North American Saxophone Alliance 2020 competition. Through school, he has had the opportunity to perform with renowned artists such as Melissa Aldana, Maria Schneider, and Gary Smulyan.

Ben Tervort is a young bass player from Kansas City whose career has already taken him around the country and globe. He can be seen all around the midwest, and has performed with artists such as Matt Otto, Adam Larson, Eddie Moore, Stephen Martin, Marcus Lewis, and Peter Schlamb. He has also attended and performed at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro North Carolina, as well as with the orchestra at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Music in Milan Italy. Ben’s passion for music is founded in a desire to share the joy and depth of connection that music affords with everyone he meets, and he plans to continue to share this passion for many years to come.

Brian Steever is a drummer on a mission to inject joy into every musical situation that he finds himself.  The drums have been his passion since he was born. He began his studies with Loyd Warden in Columbia Missouri and is an alumnus of UMKC where he was fortunate enough to study with Doug Auwarter, Brandon Draper, Curtis Lundy, Michael Carvin and Bobby Watson.  Brian enjoys many performance opportunities in the Kansas City area and beyond.  He can be seen around town with Mike Metheny, Matt Otto, Bob Bowman, Jeff Harshbarger, and Hermon Mehari.  Brian has also had opportunity to play with musicians from all over the world including Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, Javon Jackson, Deborah Brown, Bob Sheppard, Jerry Dodgion, Tony Tixier, Shunzo Ohno, Frank Basile, Roger Rosenberg, and Sam Newsome among others.