anthologysd.com

Rachelle Ferrell

Though she is largely obscure outside of jazz circles (particularly those connected to the festival circuit), Rachelle Ferrell is unquestionably one of the most dynamic talents in contemporary pop music. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell’s potent combination of range, phrasing, and musicianship (she is also and accomplished pianist). Such potency was made powerfully aware to Blue Note Record’s head Bruce Lundvall who first heard Ferrell on a demo tape (while driving to the supermarket) and signed her shortly thereafter in 1990 after seeing her perform in Germantown, Pennsylvania. So impressed was Lundvall with her talents, that he signed Ferrell to both the Blue Note Label and the Capitol Label allowing her to funnel her talents through the prism of traditional jazz and R&B. In short, Rachelle Ferrell’s talents transcend generic classification and Lundvall had the foresight to realize such a fact. Lundvall quickly set out to plan Ferrell’s coming out party via a showcase at the 1991 Montreux Jazz Festival. In the past, the showcase was used to introduced the talents of Dianne Reeves (also signed to both labels), Stanley Jordan, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Live at Montreux 91-97 captures Ferrell’s moving debut at Montreux in July of 1991 and subsequent performances at the venue throughout the decade of the 1990s. Ferrell first emerged in the states with her R&B debut Rachelle Ferrell (1992), a solid collection of self-penned originals that featured a striking duet with Will Downing (“Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This”). It was with the release of First Instrument in 1994 (recorded prior to Rachelle Ferrell) that audiences were really introduced to Ferrell’s jazz sensibilities.
Read more: http://www.myspace.com/rachelleferrell#ixzz0tnqraaaj

Reserve your seats @ Anthology San Diego

San Diego’s newest, premiere dining and live music establishment – Anthology, offers some of the most legendary acts on stage and in the kitchen. Located near the hip neighborhood of “Little Italy” on the southern end of India Street, Anthology marked its grand opening on June 6, 2007. Anthology comes to life in the spirit of the classic ’30s and ’40s supper clubs with a decidedly modern spin, to deliver a culturally harmonious gathering of food, music, wine and ambiance in an intimate 300 seat venue. Anthology has become one of San Diego’s premier upscale dining rooms. On stage, Anthology plays host to renowned local and international musicians in Jazz, Classic Rock, Blues, Latin and World music. From unplugged to plugged, solo to large bands, guests can be sure they will be impressed by the exciting array of local musicians and singers.

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Via resort2010.wordpress.com

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WHAT: Rachelle Ferrell
WHEN: Wednesday, July 28th, 2010, 7:30pm
TICKETS: $36 - $54 BUY TICKETS
MORE INFO: Artist Profile

Before hitting Anthology Friday, Grammy-nominated pianist Eldar talks respect, Radiohead and Virtue.

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Source: Local Kid Is All That Jazz | NBC San Diego

By T. Loper | Owl and Bear

Philadelphia-born saxophonist and composer Benny Golson will play Anthology tonight.

Golson, who was born in 1929, is known for writing in the bebop/hard bop styles, and he has a long history with jazz. For starters, he went to high school with John Coltrane and other Philly greats. In a 2009 interview with NPR, Golson said of Coltrane, “John and I were like blood brothers … we spent our time in my living room, listening to lots of 78 [rpm] records, trying to figure out what was going on. And we had a beat-up piano in the corner…. We really annoyed the neighbors.”

After college, Golson joined Bull Moose Jackson’s rhythm and blues band, an experience that would shape his writing for the rest of his life. He went on to work with legends like Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey. As a composer, Golson is probably best known for writing “I Remember Clifford,” a eulogy to his friend and former bandmate Clifford Brown, who died in a car crash in 1956. In the 1960s, Golson took a break from jazz and focused on composition, penning the scores for television shows like M*A*S*H and The Six Million Dollar Man.

Golson’s talents have not gone unrecognized: He has received the Jazz Masters Award of the National Endowment for the Arts, he’s been inducted into the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame, and he even appeared with Tom Hanks (as Hanks’ character’s musical hero) in the film The Terminal.

In 2009, the 80-year-old Golson also released a new album, called New Time, New ‘Tet. For the album, he recreated the setup of his legendary 1960s band — the Jazztet — with new members. The critically acclaimed album debuted at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums.

Check him out at Anthology on April 23 at 7:30. It should be worth your while. Get your tickets here.

T. Loper is a writer for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear.

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Via Sound Diego

By By Robert Bush | San Diego Reader

Golson is the composer of at least eight jazz classics that are played every night by jazz musicians all over the world. At age 81, he looks and plays like someone 20 years his junior. A solid crowd gathered to catch his performance.

As he reminded the audience several times, Mr. Golson enjoys talking. Indeed he spent almost as much time introducing the tunes as he did actually playing them. You pay attention because he’s earned the right to do as he pleases — but also because his stories are entertaining. This is a guy who could count the entire pantheon of jazz as true friends. Golson performed and provided the backstory on “Whisper Not,” “Along Came Betty,” and a poignant “I Remember Clifford.”

The man can also play the saxophone. He was sublimely aided in that pursuit by an all-star band. Local legends Mike Wofford on piano and Bob Magnusson on bass provided support and offered breathtaking solos. Ex-Cannonball Adderly drummer Roy McCurdy kept the time rock-steady and traded fours and eights with aplomb. The combo finished their 90-minute set with an up-tempo romp on Coltrane’s “Mr. P.C.”

• Concert: Benny Golson Quartet
• Date: April 23
• Venue: Anthology
• Seats: general admission

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Via San Diego Reader

By JIM TRAGESER - jtrageser@nctimes.com | North County Times

Anyone who ever saw the great Cannonball or Nat Adderley in concert, or who heard the late jazz icons’ live recordings with their between-song patter, would immediately recognize the voice of another Adderley —- in this case, that of Nat Adderley Jr.

More than the familiar voice, though (in this case, at the other end of a telephone interview) what should excite jazz fans is that Nat Jr. has returned to the jazz that his father and uncle made their careers and reputations with, and that he’s now performing the family classics with his own combo (including a show Wednesday at Anthology in San Diego).

Not that this is imitation: Nat Jr. plays piano. Dad Nat Sr. was a trumpeter, while Uncle Julian (better known to fans by the popular nickname “Cannonball”) was a saxophonist.

Despite the strong family presence on the international jazz scene, and having his uncle record one of his songs while he was still in junior high, Nat Jr. spent most of his adult life in the world of R&B as the arranger and musical leader for the late Luther Vandross, whom he met in college.

Now in his mid-50s, Nat Jr. said he always planned to come back to the jazz.

“I knew I had it in the back of my mind,” Adderley said during a recent phone interview from his home in New Jersey.

“A big part was I didn’t want to do the R&B anymore —- I did all those records with Luther. And not that there aren’t young artists I like, but I never wanted to be the old guy trying to stay young and current and have hits.”

It’s not as if he was ever that far from jazz. Adderley said that even during his years with Vandross, there were times he’d be gigging on piano.

“I always played, all through my life. As I was leaving college, I decied I most wanted to make hit records and be in the Top 10. But all the way through there were long periods when Luther wasn’t working or in the studio, and I would play the jazz clubs in Manhattan.

“I did want to get going at some point in my 30s. But every time I’d get going, I’d get the call to go in the studio or on the road —- so I’d just cut it short. That was the story of my career until Luther passed” in 2005.

“Then it became a ‘let’s hurry up and get started.’ I figure I gotta do it now!”

Adderley also said that a big part of the delay in returning to music he loves were his struggles with being the son of a famous musician.

“I went to college and told everyone my name was Eddie —- I took my middle name. My last name was Adderley, that was an uncommon name, and my name is Nat, and when I got introduced, everyone knew who I was, and I got sick of that.”

While he is friends with jazz and R&B drummer T.S. Monk, son of legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, Adderley said they’ve never really talked about the experience of growing up in the shadow of a famous parent.

“I needed to have some conversations with children of the famous; that might have helped me. I was a little strange with that; I didn’t know how to deal with it.”

Further, while in college Adderley said he drifted toward pop and R&B because of his own expectations of how a jazz pianist should sound.

“I was practicing jazz and decided I was never going to be good enough —- that was some pressure I put on myself. I should have continued, but I got myself into a mental block because I didn’t feel I was progressing fast enough.”

It was only in September that Adderley began leading his own band, under his own name. But he said the reception has been so positive that he’s already busily planning for a future full of possibility and promise.

“I’ve always preferred to be in the background in jazz —- I always wanted to be a sideman. That’s what I did all through high school and jazz. I did a lot of writing and all the arranging, but there was always somebody else as the leader.

“This is all brand-new to me —- I can’t believe it’s blossomed so quickly. People have been after me for years to do a record —- I’ve been hearing that for 30 years.

“I will get in the studio —- I have some ideas. I have some tunes for Luther that we didn’t take all the way, and they actually work better as instrumentals.”

Nat Adderley Jr.

When: 7:30 p.m. March 17

Where: Anthology, 1337 India St., San Diego

Tickets: $16

Info: 619-595-0300

anthologysd.com

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Via North County Times

By Jamie Freedman | SF Music Examiner

Saturday night I was down in San Diego for work and wanted to take my 16-year-old cousin out for a nice evening. Going to the movies didn’t seem special and she’s not the kind of kid I would take to an all-ages punk show. And lets face it, I didn’t want to go to a punk show either. I saw that Anthology is all-ages and that the Count Basie Orchestra was rocking the house for two nights. This legendary Kansas City big band is swinging towards San Francisco and will be performing on May 30th at Davies Hall with Kurt Elling as part of the SFJAZZ spring season.

Celebrating their 75th anniversary, the Basie Band has never sounded better. It’s obvious from the smiles, the goofiness, mutual encouragement and choreography (the trumpet section has it down) that these guys thoroughly enjoy themselves on stage. And with songs titles like “Fun Time,” “Way Out Basie,” Right On Right On” and “Cute” a good time is guaranteed.

Some members of the Basie Band are new, yet the majority of the sound still swings from musicians handpicked by Count Basie himself. I would guess that at least 75 percent of the band is over 50 years old. Bill Hughes is the current director and has been in the band since 1953. That’s pretty incredible if you ask me. Basie hired singer Carmen Bradford in 1982 by when she was 22.

“It was like traveling with your grandpa and great-grandpa,” she said from stage, “but they swing just as hard.”

Anthology is a “classy” (my 16-year-old cousin’s description) establishment unlike any other club I’ve ever been to. The way it’s designed with its stacked four level seating reminds me of theaters and opera houses of past centuries. Everyone in the club has a good seat. And if you’re not quite close enough to see details and the faces of performers, there is a gigantic screen above the stage.

On the tables was a flier (also on their website) congratulating a wide range of 2010 Grammy Nominated artists that have performed on Anthology’s stage including pop acts Death Cab for Cutie and Jason Mraz, jazz acts like Kurt Elling and Jake Shimabukuro and gospel/R&B singer Mavis Staples. With variety like that and the opportunity to come by on Tuesday nights for $5 and check out the Anthology House Band where everything on the menu is $20 or less, this is the perfect all-ages venue for an nice evening out.

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Via SF Music Examiner

Click here if you have trouble watching the video above.

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Squirrel Nut Zippers performs tonight as Anthology. Two shows: 7:30 & 9:30pm! $10 V-tix available for the 9:30pm show!

BUY TICKETS

By Erick Pettersen | allaboutjazz.com

On July 26, at 7PM, at Anthology–a jazz club in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood–an ensemble of seven jazz performers, including jazz guitarist Peter Sprague and vocalist
Kevyn Lettau, will perform a tribute concert to Sergio Mendes–a Brazilian musician who plays bossa nova, which he crosses with funk and jazz. Mendes influenced modern jazz, as well as the seven people who will perform that evening.

In 1995, many years after he met Mendes, jazz guitarist Peter Sprague’s musical aspirations almost wore away like the ledge of a flood worn sandstone cliff. After almost two decades of playing guitar on the road, Sprague found himself on the road away from his wife Stefani and daughter Kylie more than he wanted. Then, doctors diagnosed the new father with Psoriatic Arthritis¹, and the direction of his musical career changed.

After that diagnosis, he decided he could no longer play guitar full time, so he opened his recording studio Spragueland–the west coast solution to Jimi Hendrix’ Electric Lady Land Studio. Sprague recalls of the choice to open Spragueland, “For your family to thrive, that’s your key right there. It’s just to be in the family, and not the stranger that reports back once a month or something.”

More than a decade after the first days of Spragueland, Kylie plays the piano and sings. Every year, Sprague and Kylie, along with friends and family, perform at the amphitheatre outside Del Mar’s Inn l’Auberge. Sprague opens his guitar case and sets it down for people to throw their tips in. It’s a tradition he began in 1978.

When Sprague gets away from the music, he takes his family on camping trips, practices yoga, and enjoys his family the best he can. For the most part, he and Kylie enjoy different music; though, they found common interests in The Beatles and an Irish folk-rock band called Solaf.

Before they discovered those common interests, when Sprague first noticed signs of Psoriatic Arthritis, he took six months off. He hoped the pain would end; though, it spread throughout his body. He explored holistic medicine and yoga, but the pain overwhelmed his body. For years, while he struggled to continue his music career, he suffered in silence.

Though, Sprague found comfort in the understanding of long time friend and jazz vocalist Kevyn Lettau– the original voice Kylie came to replace on that Christmas Eve stage. Sprague met Lettau in 1978 when he formed the band, “The Dance of the Universe Orchestra.” They needed a vocalist, and Lettau needed a musical outlet. After Lettau left the band, she toured with Sergio Mendes for eight years, and then found success in the U.S. and Asia.

When she recorded The Color of Love, Lettau came to the edge of her own flood worn cliff. After one record company declined to work with Lettau, they said to her lawyer, “She obviously is a good singer, but her voice is too healthy.” Her pianist, Russell Ferrante, told her the same thing Bobby Vincer of the Yellowjackets told him: “You’ve got to strive for tone.” Lettau realized Ferrante meant she had to work on maintaining flexibility and freedom in her voice. Devastated because “[She] really loved having a healthy voice” she learned from that advice.

Six years after the release of The Color of Love, Lettau sometimes feels inadequate. Speaking of her song “What is Enough,” she admitted, “I’ve never felt like I’ve been enough, as a woman or as a singer or as a human being”; though, she realizes “I’m not alone in that. There’s a lot of people like that.” That realization led Lettau to acknowledge if she had to choose any other career, she would become a family therapist and work with incest victims–other’s who often suffer in silence.

On Sunday, July 26, after more than three decades of collaborating with names like Chuck Correa, Al Jarreau, and others, the sum of Sprague and Lettau’s silent sufferings, difficult choices, and unbreakable friendship will bring them to the Anthology stage. Sprague commented of the many tribute concerts he and his band performs, “We love the challenge of saying we’re going to do a whole night of this music… What can we do to bring something new to it.” He added that by focusing on a certain jazz musician and learning from their music it improves his music. Of the audience’s opportunity to hear the illustrious sounds of Sergio Mendes, Sprague said, “It’s kind of a way for them to live in the moment of Sergio Mendes for a night.”

Alongside Sprague and Lettau, jazz enthusiasts will hear Leonard Patton and Carol MacFarland-Thuet on vocals, Tripp Sprague on sax and flute, Gunnar Biggs on bass, and Duncan Moore on drums. After years of making difficult choices and pushing through the pain, Sprague and Lettau will pay tribute to Sergio Mendes –a man whose music helped bring them through all of those hard times.

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ANTHOLOGY
1337 India Street
San Diego, California 92101

BOX OFFICE
619-595-0300

World Class Sax

For over a half-century, his searing saxophone has placed Charles McPherson at the forefront of authentic jazz.

“I’m in love with what I do, so I think no matter what you are doing, if you have passion for it, you like doing it, that in itself is invigorating,” Charles said.

Charles was born in Joplin, Missouri.

“Then I moved to Detroit and started playing. When I was about 12, I got an instrument. Trumpet was first and then saxophone at age 13. Then I heard Charlie Parker, when I was about 14 and then that was it,” Charles said.

Charles McPherson gained a worldwide reputation for his work with Charlie Mingus. He is also recognized as one of the mainstays of the bebop movement. In 1978 Charles moved to San Diego and today his sound remains fresh, yet uncompromised.

“Art is its own reward. If you sign up for that kind of life and that kind of quest, then you have to be willing not to be having the world break down your door,” he said.

On Wednesday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Anthology, Charles McPherson will celebrate his 70th birthday by headlining an all-star band.

“I would do this in a room if there were not a soul in here, but if I can make other people feel good after they come out and hear me play, then I feel less selfish and I feel I’ve shared whatever it is I have to share,” Charles said.

Happy birthday Charles, and thanks for sharing.

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Via CBS 8 - San Diego

Weep for joy
Branford Marsalis’ march to immortality a mix of emotions
By George Varga
March 26, 2009

Since becoming an internationally acclaimed young lion of jazz in the 1980s, Branford Marsalis has worked tirelessly to master his instrument. Today, the multiple Grammy Award-winning saxophonist wants to master the music itself.

“One of the things I noticed as I hit my 30s is that, too often, we don’t differentiate between musicians and instrumentalists,” he said.

“And I’ve noticed that, too often, superior technique and virtuosity is misconstrued as musicianship, which it isn’t. It’s just superb technique. Because I spent so much time trying to achieve it, and failing, I’ve started to understand the power of sound and how you can use sound to create emotion. That’s the greatest challenge – and asset – an instrumental musician can have.”

Marsalis performs here with his quartet Tuesday and Wednesday at downtown’s all-ages Anthology, where he’ll be making his first San Diego appearance since 1999…..

Click here to read the rest of the article.

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When: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Where: Anthology, 1337 India St., downtown

Tickets: $29 and $35

Phone: (619) 595-0300

Online: anthologysd.com

WORLD RENOWNED BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET RELEASES METAMORPHOSEN ON MARSALIS MUSIC MARCH 17TH
** US TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED BELOW**

(New York, NY—January 22, 2009) After releasing the “dynamic” and “passionate” (Jazz Times) Braggtown in 2006, the multiple Grammy-nominated Branford Marsalis Quartet toured worldwide for two years before returning to the recording studio. The result, a nine track masterpiece, is one of the band’s strongest and most broadly appealing albums to date. Metamorphosen is scheduled to be released on the saxophonist’s Marsalis Music label March 17, 2009.

The album title, which is German for “metamorphoses,” was chosen to emphasize the growth and development of the quartet and each individual member. “We’ve all been practicing,” Marsalis comments, “and you can hear it in the development of the music and in our sound.” Metamorphosen shows the band’s collective bond of deep friendship, respect and musicianship. With more than ten years together under their belt, the saxophonist’s acclaimed ensemble (featuring pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts) pushes the envelope even farther with intense focus, subtlety and excitement.

Recorded and produced by Branford at the Hayti Center in his hometown Durham, NC, Metamorphosen features original compositions by each member of the quartet as well as its unique take on Thelonious Monk’s “Rhythm-a-ning”. Among the standout tracks are “Samo ©,” Watts’ dedication to the late visual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat; the unaccompanied bass feature “And Then, He Was Gone,” in which Revis contemplates his son growing up; and Calderazzo’s moving ballads “The Blossom of Parting” and “The Last Goodbye.” Marsalis’ contribution, “Jabberwocky,” is a challenging 19-bar form that features his first recording on alto saxophone in over two decades.

Metamorphosen is perhaps the Branford Marsalis Quartet’s most accessible album for music lovers of all genres. “We try to do everything,” Marsalis explains. “We run the gamut, and are prepared to play anything at any time. These are incredible musicians who are really good at playing in a variety of styles.” Fans will see the “metamorphoses” first hand as the Branford Marsalis Quartet performs in selected cities across the U.S. in support of the new album, beginning in March 19th at the Jazz Alley in Seattle.

TOUR DATES:
March 19-22 Seattle, WA Jazz Alley
March 24-28 Los Angeles, CA Catalina’s
March 29 San Francisco, CA Palace of Fine Arts
March 30 Santa Cruz, CA Kuumbwa
March 31 San Diego, CA Anthology
April 1 San Diego, CA Anthology
April 4 Miami, FL Gusman Center for the Arts
April 5 Philadelphia, PA Annenberg Cntr for Perf. Arts
April 16 Byron Center, MI Van Singel Fine Arts Center
April 17 Chicago, IL Orchestra Hall
April 18 Birmingham, MI First Methodist Church
May 3 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse
May 5-10 New York, NY Jazz Standard*

(* 2 shows each night, 3rd show Fri & Sat)

via allaboutjazz.com

This defining concert series launches Dec 5, featuring an intimate hour with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

LIVE AT ANTHOLOGY features upcoming and established musicians recorded performances from our internationally acclaimed music venue and fine dining restaurant. Each week we invite you to hear the best in jazz, latin and blues. Friday nights at 10pm.

Visit www.jazz88.org

LONGTIME JOHN COLTRANE COLLABORATOR/JAZZ PIANIST TO PERFORM WITH CHRISTIAN SCOTT

SAN DIEGO, CALIF., Nov. 13 – McCoy Tyner, longtime member of John Coltrane’s The Coltrane Quartet, will unleash his distinctive jazz piano stylings on audiences at Anthology on Nov. 25 and 26. Also playing with the jazz legend is an artist carrying on the torch for a younger generation, jazz trumpeter Christian Scott.

Philadelphia native Tyner picked up a love for jazz at an early age from influences including his neighbor and fellow jazz pianist Bud Powell (Powell is considered to be one of the architects of the bebop sound, along with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie).

Coltrane used one of Tyner’s compositions, “The Believer,” in 1958 before Tyner joined Coltrane’s quartet in 1960. The foursome toured nearly nonstop from 1961 to 1965 and recorded several classic albums. Tyner also released numerous influential solo albums, including 1962’s “Inception” that showcased his work as a composer, and played on many of the acclaimed Blue Note Records albums of the 1960s.

Carrying on the jazz tradition for a new generation is New Orleans-bred jazz trumpeter Christian Scott, who graduated from the Berklee School of Music in 2004. Currently leading a jazz ensemble in his name, Scott is known for his knack for creating “warm, fuzzy” sounds that seem unlikely to be issued from a trumpet. His second album, “Anthem,” released last year, was inspired by Hurricane Katrina’s effects on his hometown.

Show details:

McCoy Tyner and Christian Scott will perform on Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ($46) and on Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m. ($46) and 9:30 p.m. ($38). VIP and general admission tickets also available.

Tickets are available at the Anthology Box Office, by calling 619.595.0300 and at www.AnthologySD.com.

Anthology is located at 1337 India Street (between A and Ash Streets).

ABOUT ANTHOLOGY
Anthology is San Diego’s internationally acclaimed, award-winning music venue and fine dining restaurant. Anthology provides an intimate, up-close-and-personal live-music experience unlike any other venue in the world.

Located in the vibrant neighborhood of Little Italy in downtown San Diego, Anthology comes to life in the spirit of a 1940s supper club—with a decidedly swank and modern spin—to deliver a harmonious gathering of food, music and world-class ambience. On the stage, Anthology plays host to local, regional and international recording artists in jazz, rock, blues, Latin, singer-songwriter and world music in a performing space that boasts a state-of-the-art sound system and incomparable acoustics.

Anthology’s New American cuisine is crafted by Chef de Cuisine Kevin Ables and inspired by consulting chef and award-winning culinary superstar Bradley Ogden. In just over a year, Anthology has garnered such acclaim as “Best New Jazz Club” by CityBeat, “Best Restaurant Design” by Riviera Magazine and “Best Live Music Venue” by CitySearch.

For a complete listing of upcoming events, with more details about and tickets and artists, and to find more information about private party events, visit www.AnthologySD.com.