Join us for the Tucson Jazz Festival 2025!!
Schedule of Events:
11:00 Am - 1:30 Pm: Tjf Sunday Brunch W/Matthew Whitaker
About The Brunch
Bringing A Touch Of The French Quarter To Tucson, Mixed With A Little Bit Of Gospel-Inspired Jazz Music, Join Us For Our Inaugural Tjf Jazz Brunch.
Our Chef Has Crafted A Southern-Inspired Soulful Meal That Will Make You Grin Joyfully, Especially When Accompanied By A Performance From The Uber-Talented, Matthew Whitaker And His Band Mates. Put Quite Simply, Matthew Is Music.
Tjf Executive Director, Khris Dodge Says, "My Jaw Has Never Dropped Further Or Has My Smile Been Broader Than After Hearing Matthew Whitaker Perform. His Joy And Passion Are Contagious."
With Exquisite Food, Drink Specials, And Sublime Music, You Will Be Transported To Another Realm. And By All Means, If So Moved, Come Dressed To Wear Your Sunday Best.
About The Artist
Matthew's Musical Journey Began At Age 3 With A Keyboard Gift From His Grandfather. He's Now An Artist, Captivating Audiences Globally And Appearing On Notable T.V. Shows Like Showtime At The Apollo, The Today Show, Ellen, And A Feature On 60 Minutes.
Matthew Is A Versatile Artist, Starring, Producing, And Scoring The All-Arts Emmy-Nominated Documentary "About Tomorrow" And Scoring The Film "Starkeisha," Which Is Currently Streaming On Hulu. He Also Appeared In And Contributed Music To The Emmy-Winning Apple T.V. Commercial "The Greatest." Matthew Made His Musical Director Debut For The Award Winning "Billy Strayhorn: Something To Live For." A Musical On The Life Of Pianist And Composer Billy Strayhorn, Which Premiered In Pittsburgh, Pa, In The Fall Of 2023. He's Had Guest Soloist Appearances With Orchestras And Symphonies Including Aspen Chamber Symphony, Under The Baton Of Guest Conductor, Marin Alsop, And The National Arts Centre Orchestra In Ottawa, Cn, Alexander Shelley, Conductor. He Also Composed A Song For The 82-Piece Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra, In Sofia, Bulgaria, Which Was Included In The Aforementioned All-Arts Documentary, "About Tomorrow."
Beyond Music, Matthew Advocates For Persons With Disabilities, Consulting With Companies To Improve Accessibility Features.
He Is A Three-Time Ascap Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award Winner, With Three Studio Albums As A Leader; "Outta The Box," "Now Hearthis," And "Connections." His Fourth Recording, "On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute," An Homage To Some Of Matthew's Heroes On The Instrument, Will Debut In Early Summer 2024. Matthew Has Collaborated With Industry Greats Like Bassist, Composer, And Producer Derrick Hodge; Pianist, Composer, And Musical Director Ray Chew; Pianist, Multiple Grammy-Award Winning Composer, Vocalist, And Band Leader Jon Batiste; Grammy-Award Winning Bassist Christian Mcbride; And Nea Jazz Master, Violinist Regina Carter.
Location: The Grand Tucson, 33 S 6th Ave, Tucson, Az 85701
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4:00 Pm: Helio Alves Samba Jazz Project
About The Artist
Helio Alves- Piano
A Native Of São Paulo, Brazil, Pianist Helio Alves Combines The Rhythmic Complexity Of Modern Brazilian Music With The Edgy Energy Of Contemporary Jazz. A Resident Of Nyc Since The '90s, Alves Has Received High Praise As An In-Demand Sideman With The Likes Of Joe Henderson, Yo-Yo Ma, Sadao Watanabe, Slide Hampton, Airto Moreira And Flora Purim, Paquito D'rivera, Joyce, And Rosa Passos To Name But A Few.
Helio Has Also Released Four Albums Under His Own Name: "Trios" (1998), "Portrait In Black And White" (2004), "It's Clear" (2009) And Most Recently,"Musica" Featuring Antonio Sanchez, Reuben Rogers, Claudio Roditi And Romero Lubambo. Check Out "Brazilian Jazz Piano", My Piano Course. And My New Album Out Now, "At Play", With The Fantastic Musicians Romero Lubambo, Reuben Rogers And Edu Ribeiro. Go To: Www.Openstudiojazz.Com Also Check Out"Águas Brasileiras", My New Album With The Brazilian Trio (With Nilson Matta And Duduka Da Fonseca), Out Now On Zoho Music. Go To: Www.Braziliantriomusic.Net
Location: Hotel Congress Plaza Stage, 311 East Congress Street Tucson, Az 85701
6:30 Pm: Miki Yamanaka Trio
Two Seatings For All Century Room Shows, 6:30pm And 8:30pm
About The Artist
Miki Yamanaka Trio Featuring Tyrone Allen On Bass And Jimmy Macbride On Drums Has Been Holding Residencies At New York City's Finest Venues Such As Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, Birdland Jazz Club, Etc Since 2020. Miki Released A Record With The Trio Plus A Special Guest, Mark Turner On Tenor Saxophone Called "Shades Of Rainbow" In 2023 From Cellar Live Records, Which Received High Reviews, And Lots Of Radio Playing In All Over The United States. The Trio Has Just Recorded A New Album Called "Chance" At The Legendary Studio, Van Gelder Studio In Nj. "Chance" Highlights Her Love Of Jazz Music, Songs From Fats Waller To Kenny Kirkland, George Cables Etc… This Show Will Be The Celebration Of The Release!
Miki Yamanaka - Piano
35-Year Old Japanese-Born Pianist Miki Yamanaka Has Called New York City Home Since 2012 And In The Past Decade Has Wasted No Time Establishing Herself As One Of The Leading Personalities Of Her Generation On The Piano And Beyond. Critics Laud Her "Light, Expressive Touch And Solidly Crafted, Mainstream Approach" - Mike Jurkovic (All About Jazz), While Audiences Delight In Not Only Her Playing, But Her Vibrant Personality As Well. Yamanaka Has Gained International Recognition From Her Albums As A Leader; Her Most Recent And Most Celebrated Release, "Shades Of Rainbow" (Cellar Music), Features Jazz Masters Mark Turner And Her Nyc Rhythm Section, Tyrone Allen And Jimmy Macbride. Additionally, Miki Has Emerged As A Leader Of The "New York Scene" Via Her Notable Residencies At Mainstay West Village Sister Clubs Smalls And Mezzrow. During The Pandemic, She Developed A Successful In-Home Live-Streaming Weekly Concert Series Cleverly Titled "Miki's Mood" Where She Features A Veritable Who's Who Of Nyc Talent (Including Her Husband And Frequent Collaborator - Drummer Jimmy Macbride). The Series Showcases Her Vast Knowledge Of Jazz Standards And Tunes, Often Featuring Themed Offerings Of Various Composers From Both The Great American Songbook As Well As Iconic Jazz Composers. As A Sideman, Yamanaka Has Worked With Jazz Luminaries Such As Alto Saxophonist Antonio Hart Who Posits "Miki Will Be Recognized As One Of The Most Exceptional Artists Of Her Generation, As She Is Already One Of The Most Talented And Dedicated Musicians From Japan." Other Notable Bands She Currently Works In Include The Harish Raghavan Quintet And The Mingus Bigband. One Of Her Most Respected Mentors On Piano And Organ (Yamanaka Also Performs On Organ Frequently), Larry Goldings, Once Mused, "If Only I Could Have Miki Yamanaka Comp Behind Me!" - A Compliment Of The Highest Order From One Master Pianist To Another. She Has A Myriad Of Glowing Reviews From Her Recorded Work And The Iconic Downbeat Jazz Magazine Has Repeatedly Awarded Her Albums High Marks.
Tyrone Allen - Bass
Born And Raised In Temple Hills, Md, Tyrone Allen Ii Is Recognized Internationally As An Exceptional Upright And Electric Bassist. Taking Instruction From His Father Who Taught In Dc Public Schools, Tyrone Developed An Ear For Music Very Early On. He Studied Jazz And Classical Music At Eastman School Of Music Under Jeff Campbell And James Vandemark Respectively, Then Went On To Attend The Berklee College Of Music. There He Received A Masters Of Music From The Berklee Global Jazz Institute. Tyrone Now Resides In Brooklyn, Ny And Is Making An Impact On The Nyc Music Scene Across Genres. Some Notables He's Played With Include The Late, Great Ralph Peterson, Terri- Lynne Carrington, Gerald Clayton, George Garzone, Jazzmeia Horn, And Jerry Bergonzi. Most Recently Tyrone Has Been Performing And Recording With Grammy Award Winner Sullivan Fortner, And Playing On The Tony Award Winning Broadway Show Moulin Rouge.
Jimmy Macbride - Drums
Since Moving To New York In 2009, Drummer Jimmy Macbride Has Established Himself As One Of The Most Exciting, Creative, And In-Demand Young Voices On His Instrument. In 2020, He Was Named As One Of "25 For The Future" By Downbeat Magazine. He Graduated From The Juilliard School In 2013 And Since Finishing His Studies, Macbride Has Worked Some Of The Most Important Voices In Jazz, Including Terence Blanchard, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jimmy Greene, Kevin Hays, And Steve Nelson. A Testament To His Artistic Range And Willingness To Be Part Of Any Musical Situation, Jimmy Can Be Seen Performing And Touring Regularly With A Wide Variety Of Artists And Groups, Encompassing A Vast Array Of Styles. Some Of These Include Manuel Valera, Samuel Torres, Troy Roberts, Michael Rodriguez, Marshall Gilkes, Mike Moreno, Dave Kikoski, Nir Felder, Yotam Silberstein, Eldar Djangirov, And His Wife And Frequent Collaborator Miki Yamanaka, Among Many Others. An Active Recording Artist, Macbride Has Appeared On Over 60 Albums As A Sideman To Date.
Location: The Century Room, 311 E Congress St, Tucson, Az
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7:00 Pm: Secret Jazz Series-Evolve
2nd Annual Performance Of The "New World Jazz Symphony" Saxophones, Keyboards, Drums And Bass Tba/Tba/Tba/Elizabeth Goodfellow/Thøger Lund
About The Artist
Beth Goodfellow Is A Los Angeles-Based Artist Specializing In Drums And Percussion.
Beth Is Known For Her Work With Iron And Wine, Contributing Drums And Percussion On Their Most Recent Album Light Verse (2024), As Well As Appearing In The 2023 Concert Film And Double Lp Who Can See Forever. She Has Toured With Iron And Wine Since 2017.
Other Notable Credits Include Experimental Pop Artist And Composer Julia Holter, With Whom Beth Recorded, Contributing Drums And Percussion To The Acclaimed Record Something In The Room She Moves (2024). She Also Tours With Julia Performing Drums, Percussion And Vocals.
In 2018 Beth Recorded Drums On The Debut Boygenius Ep With Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus And Julien Baker.
Other Selected Studio Recording Credits Include Per Gessle (Roxette), Zander Schloss (Circle Jerks), Pianist Matt Rollings, Desert Noir Band Calexico, Lisa Morales, And Gaby Moreno With Whom Beth Played And Engineered Marimba On The Grammy-Nominated Album (Alegoria, 2022). Beth Has Also Appeared In A Music Video Sharing Drumming Duties With Def Leppard Drummer Rick Allen For Rock Singer Lauren Monroe.
Beth's Experience In Folk And Americana Also Includes Touring With Grammy-Winning Artists Madison Cunningham (2019) And Allison Russell (2021-2022).
Beth's On-Screen Experience Is Extensive, As She Has Served As Drummer For Acts On Jimmy Kimmel Live, James Corden, Steven Colbert, And A Special Episode Of The Ellen Show Hosted By Brandi Carlile. She Has Also Appeared In The Films "Confess, Fletch", "80 For Brady" And Sara Bareillis' Tv Show "Little Voice".
A Jazz Drummer Since Age 11, Beth Plays As One Third Of The La-Based Jazz Trio The Guide And Is An Alumni Of Jen's Sisters In Jazz (2003). She Studied Classical Percussion Performance At San Jose State And Is Also A Veteran, Having Served In The California Air National Guard Band Of The West Coast From 2000-2008.
Beth's Current Focus As A Solo Artist Is Her Singer-Songwriter Approach To Writing For Marimba And Voice. By Building Loops Of Marimba Counterpoint She Creates A Uniquely Meditative Backdrop For Her Lyrics And Vocals. As A Solo Artist She Has Played Headlining Shows At Club Congress In Tucson, Az, Gold Diggers In Los Angeles, As Well As A Masterclass For The California Percussive Arts Society Day Of Percussion In 2023.
Additionally She Is The First Woman To Have Headlined The San Joaquin Valley Jazz Festival In 2024, Combining Her Marimba Loops And Vocals With The Guide Jazz Trio Resulting In A Fresh And Compelling Sound.
Beth Has Released A Full-Length Album (Silly Sun, 2018) As Well As Multiple Eps And Singles, The Most Recent Being Fire On The Ridge (2023). Beth Is Also A Member Of The Recording Academy, Class Of 2022.
Beth Plays Istanbul Agop Cymbals, Candc Drums, Innovative Percussion Sticks And Mallets, And Ludwig-Musser Marimbas.
Location: The Lounge At Atc, 330 S. Scott Ave. Tucson, Az 85701
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7:30 Pm: Delfeayo Marsalis And The Uptown Jazz Orchestra W/Opening Act-New Breed Brass Band
About The Artist
In 2007, Nea Jazz Master And Grammy Award Winning Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis Formed The Uptown Jazz Orchestra (Ujo) For The Purpose Of Keeping Important Jazz Music Traditions Alive; Such As Riff-Playing, Spontaneous Group Improvisations, And Collective New Orleans Instrumental Polyphony. At The Time, Marsalis Realized That The New Orleans Music Community Was Lacking The Infusion Of Young Homegrown Talent Outside Of The Great Brass Band Tradition, And Chose To Form An Orchestra That Could Present Traditional, Classic, And Modern Compositions. With Authenticity. Since That Time, Ujo Has Grown Into One Of The Premier Large Ensembles In The World, Releasing Three Cds To Critical Acclaim, And Touring Locally, Nationally, And Internationally.
In 2008, Marsalis Founded The Educational Program, "Swinging With The Cool School" (A Soft Introduction To Jazz For Hip Tots And Adults), Which Was Used As An Experimental Form Of Music Therapy At The New Orleans Children Hospital. The Cool School Has Since Expanded To Introduce Live Instrumental Jazz To Students Around The Country, With The Intent Of Helping Young People Develop A Relationship With Music That Has Gradually Disappeared From Mainstream Radio And Media At Large. Through These Performances, Ujo Is Able To Introduce Students (And Adults) To The Wide Emotional Range Of Instrumental Music.
Since 2021, Ujo Has Produced The Annual Jazz At Congo Square Festival (Jacs) To Celebrate New Orleans Culture By Presenting Live Performances Of Musicians, Poets, Dancers, And Black Masking Indians To Local And Visiting Audiences. Jacs Festival Also Features Local Food, Arts And Craft Vendors. Marsalis And The Uptown Jazz Orchestra Plan To Continue Using The Great Legacy Of American Music To Engage And Hopefully Inspire The Younger Generations For Many Years.
New Breed Brass Band
On Made In New Orleans, New Breed Brass Band Presents A Brand Of Second Line Music In Conversation With Everything From Caribbean Music To No Limit Records To Modern Randb In The Vein Of Bruno Mars And Anderson Paak's Silk Sonic. Guest Appearances - Including From Local Legends Kango Slim, Wild Wayne, And The Late Great 5th Ward Weebie, As Well As Dave Matthews Band Saxophonist Jeff Coffin - Deepen The Exuberant Chaos. It's Joyful And Vital And Distinctly Of The Moment - Music For And By New Orleans' Next Generation.
Though The Young Musicians Were Ensconced In Second Line Culture - Band Leader Jenard Andrews' Father Is The Great Trumpeter James Andrews, And His Uncle Is Trombone Shorty, The New Orleans Scene Lynchpin - It Took Something Of An Intervention To Help Them Find Their Own Sound.
Says Jenard: "In New Orleans, Everyone Starts Out As A Rebirth Cover Band Until You Find Your Thing. We Were Jamming Out On Some Rebirth Stuff At Trombone Shorty's Studio. Shorty Comes In And Gives It To Us Straight: "This Isn't Practicing, You're Just Jamming On Some Rebirth. You've Gotta Find Your Own Thing."
Trombone Shorty Began Coaching Them Up, And Their Sound Took Shape: The Rhythmic Versatility Of The Local Jazz And Funk Scenes - As Well New Orleans Hip-Hop From Cash Money To Bounce - Fused With Second Line Culture To Create Something Distinctly Theirs. As Jenard Puts It: "We Wanted To Get Real New Orleans Street On Them."
Audiences Took Notice. They Toured North America And Europe, And Opened For The Fray, Blackalicious, Dr. John, And Eventually Trombone Shorty And Orleans Avenue.
With Made In New Orleans, New Breed Brass Band Forge A New Path For 21st Century Second Lines - It's Just Up To Listeners To Follow Their Lead Down The Parade Route.
Location: Rialto Theatre, 318 E Congress St, Tucson, Az 85701
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10:00 Pm: Century Room Late-Night Jam W/Max Goldschmid Quartet
($5 -$10 - 10pm Show) Following The Tucson Jazz Festival's Programming, Keep The Night Going With The Max Goldschmid Quartet For The Tjf Late Night Jazz Jam! All Tjf Artists Are Invited To These Jam Sessions. You Never Know Who Will Show Up, But We Can Always Guarantee That You Should!
Location: The Century Room, 311 E Congress St, Tucson, Az 85701
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