DAVID O’ROURKE

FRIDAY JANUARY 22

9.00 PM EUROPE / 8.00 PM UK / 3.00 PM NEW YORK / 12.00PM LA

TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00

David O’Rourke - guitars

In this performance David O’Rourke will bring his arranging skills to bear interpreting songs traditional folk melodies from Ireland and America. Todays concert takes a look at the music of Seán Ó’Riada

David has played with many jazz legends such as Tommy Flanagan’s Trio, Cedar Walton’s Trio, Jackie McLean, Billy Higgins, Curtis Fuller, James Spaulding, Vernal Fournier, and Brother Jack McDuff. He collaborated with drummer Lewis Nash on a project that brought Irish music and jazz together for a CD (“Aisling”) by a band they called “The Celtic Jazz Collective”. They played several runs at Jazz Standard as well as a performance in Harvard sponsored by the Cambridge Multicultural Center. David recorded a CD with Larry Willis (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Al Harewood (drums) and later on wrote an extended orchestral medley from Porgy And Bess for Larry Willis to perform with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra. His close friendship with George Benson and Hammond B3 player Seleno Clarke led to a 12 year stint with Seleno’s Quintet. From their Harlem base the quintet played festivals in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada and at various US festivals.

For over a decade, New York City based jazz guitarist, conductor, and arranger he has guided tomorrow’s jazz musicians as ‘house bandleader’ of the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra. And for his contributions to Jazz Standard Discovery (a music education program that he has led since 1998), David and co-founder James Polsky were named “New Yorkers Of The Week” by NY1 News. He has played with Les Paul and Bucky Pizzarelli and studied with legends such as Barry Galbraith and Pat Martino. He currently leads and writes for his own 20-piece band (The O’Rourkestra) at the Zinc Bar NYC.

O’Rourke is in demand as a jazz conductor and arranger and is currently creating arrangements for the debut tour (Japan) of drummer Lewis Nash’s Big Band. He conducted the RTE Concert Orchestra for two years in succession as music director/conductor of the tributes to arranger Nelson Riddle. He conducted for Steve Wilson’s “Bird With Strings” at SUNY New Paltz, conducted Steve’s 50th birthday run at Jazz Standard and wrote string arrangements for trumpeter Jeremy Pelt’s “Close To My Heart” recording followed by performances at Jazz Standard NY and Sirius Satellite Radio, and in 2014 a concert performance at the prestigious London venue; Kings Place.

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Booking will close 30 minutes before the concert to allow time to process payments and send passwords.

MATTHEW FRIES

SATURDAY JANUARY 23

9.00 PM PARIS / 8.00 PM LON / 3.00 PM NY / 12.00PM LA

TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00

Matthew Fries, piano   

Matthew Fries is highly regarded in the jazz world as both a soloist and accompanist. The winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, his debut album, Song for Today (TCB Music) was named a 2001 critics pick by Jazziz Magazine, and his continuing work with his collaborative trio, TRI-FI, “takes on the Jazz Trio challenge and delivers a ‘knock out’ punch” (Jazz Review). As a sideman his work has been described as “the best jazz accompaniment I’ve seen in a cabaret in years” (The New York Times), and “the crispest rhythm section imaginable” (The London Times).

Matthew lived in New York City for almost 25 years performing with many of the greatest jazz musicians. He maintains a busy teaching and touring schedule – touring frequently with his collaborative trio, TRI-FI, and with singer, Curtis Stigers, as a regular member of his band. He continues to perform with a diverse lineup of artists that has included Curtis Stigers, Stacey Kent, Ann Hampton Callaway, DeeDee Bridgewater, Vincent Herring, Steve Wilson, Joel Frahm, Steve LaSpina, Dave Samuels, Claudio Roditi, Terell Stafford, and many others.

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Booking will close 30 minutes before the concert to allow time to process payments and send passwords.

STELLAR JAZZ MESSENGER

BOBBY WATSON & ROGER WILDER

SUNDAY JANUARY 31

8.00 PM EUROPE / 7.00 PM UK / 3.00 PM NY / 12.00 PM LA

TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00 

Bobby Watson, saxophones Roger Wilder, piano

A saxophonist, composer, arranger and educator, Bobby Watson grew up in Kansas City, Kan. He trained formally at the University of Miami. After graduating, he proceeded to earn his “doctorate” – on the bandstand – as musical director of legendary drummer Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers – frequently referred to as the “University of Blakey” because it served as the ultimate “postgraduate school” for ambitious young players.

After completing a four-year-plus Jazz Messengers tenure (1977-1981) that incorporated more than a dozen recordings – the most of any of the great Jazz Messengers, the gifted Watson became a much-sought after musician, working along the way with a potpourri of notable artists including, but not limited to: drummers Max Roach and Louis Hayes, fellow saxophonists George Coleman and a younger Branford Marsalis, celebrated multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (who joined the Jazz Messengers at least in part at the suggestion of Watson). In addition to working with a variety of instrumentalists, Watson served in a supporting role for a number of distinguished and stylistically varied vocalists including: Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter and Carmen Lundy.

Later, in association with bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis, Watson launched the first edition of Horizon, an acoustic quintet modelled in many ways after the Jazz Messengers but one with its own distinct slightly more modern twist. Watson also led a nine-piece group known as the High court of Swing – a tribute to the music of Johnny Hodges – as well as the GRAMMY-nominated 16-piece, large ensemble Tailor Made Big Band. The lyrical stylist is also a founding member of the well-respected 29th Street Saxophone Quartet, an all-horn, four-piece ensemble.

For more than three decades now Watson has contributed consistently intelligent, sensitive and well-thought out music to the modern-day jazz lexicon. All told, Watson, the immensely talented and now-seasoned veteran, has issued some 30 recordings as a leader and appeared on 100-plus other recordings, performing as either co-leader or in support of other like-minded musicians. His classic 1986 release, Love Remains (Red) has long been recognized by the Penguin Guide to Jazz (Penguin). Having received the publication's highest rating it was then identified in the ready reference book's seventh edition as a part of its "core collection" [i.e. a "must-have"], joining other entries by a number of aforementioned jazz masters as a recording that any jazz aficionado should own. Not simply a performer, the saxophonist has recorded more than 100 original compositions including the music for the soundtrack of A Bronx Tale, which marked Robert DeNiro's 1993 directorial debut.

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Booking will close 30 minutes before the concert to allow time to process payments and send passwords.