Zaccai Curtis returns to @exuberance to commence our fourth season of piano jazz salons.
He’s played separate salons here with Darryl Yokley, Ralph Peterson and with brother Luques Curtis. This time Zaccai leads his own ensemble with a concept he calls “Projection”— mixing R&B and jazz with elements of AfroCuban music. Zaccai takes inspiration for this concept from Idris Muhammad, Willie Bobo, Lonnie Liston Smith and Donald Harrison. Rest assured we’ll be hearing Zaccai’s sonic imprint.
An inventive and percussive pianist, Zaccai is a brilliant composer and arranger, as evidenced by the spectacular Completion of Proof. He is cofounder of the Truth Revolution recording collective and recipient of a 2017 New Jazz Works grant from Chamber Music America. He performs regularly with Donald Harrison, Cindy Blackman Santana, Eddie Palmieri, Christian Scott, Ralph Peterson, T.K. Blue, Brian Lynch, Ray Vega and Eric Person among others....
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Zaccai Curtis returns to @exuberance to commence our fourth season of piano jazz salons.
He’s played separate salons here with Darryl Yokley, Ralph Peterson and with brother Luques Curtis. This time Zaccai leads his own ensemble with a concept he calls “Projection”— mixing R&B and jazz with elements of AfroCuban music. Zaccai takes inspiration for this concept from Idris Muhammad, Willie Bobo, Lonnie Liston Smith and Donald Harrison. Rest assured we’ll be hearing Zaccai’s sonic imprint.
An inventive and percussive pianist, Zaccai is a brilliant composer and arranger, as evidenced by the spectacular Completion of Proof. He is cofounder of the Truth Revolution recording collective and recipient of a 2017 New Jazz Works grant from Chamber Music America. He performs regularly with Donald Harrison, Cindy Blackman Santana, Eddie Palmieri, Christian Scott, Ralph Peterson, T.K. Blue, Brian Lynch, Ray Vega and Eric Person among others.
Mr. Curtis brings with him not just a propelling concept, but some very talented friends:
Born in Oakland, CA, Craig Handy has led a distinguished career playing tenor saxophone with Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Abdullah Ibrahim, Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, George Adams, Ray Drummond, Conrad Herwig and Dee Dee Bridgewater among others. He is a member of the Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty, and Mingus Orchestra.
Joe Dyson, a native of New Orleans, began drumming at age 2. He has performed with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ellis Marsalis, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Jon Batiste, Leo Nocentelli, Sullivan Fortner, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Paquito D’Rivera, Nicholas Payton and Esperanza Spalding among others. He’s an adjunct professor of jazz drumming at Tulane University.
Mike Boone needs no introduction to this audience. He is a mainstay of jazz in Philadelphia, his bass the stalwart foundation for innumerable ensembles, including his own. Stands with his quartet including drummer son Mekhi at Smalls in New York are legendary. He has appeared @exuberance salons with Sumi Tonooka, Uri Caine, Darryl Yokley and John Colianni. Besides his peripatetic performance schedule, he teaches at Temple’s Boyer College of Music.
Percussionist Brevan Hampden has performed with the likes of Arturo Sandoval, Luis Enrique, Nestor Torres, Michael Rodriguez, Ingrid Jensen, Wycliffe Gordon, Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Fred Wesley, Joe Chambers, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, The Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Big Band, Terell Stafford, Jimmy Heath and Bilal. He hails from Durham, NC.
July sizzles naturally in Philly. Due to the increased sizzle of this ensemble, we’ll be sure our air conditioning is working well. Join us.
Zaccai Curtis Quintet
8-11 pm Saturday, July 12
1220 N. Mascher St. (steps away from the Girard Ave. El stop)
We contemplate a $30 donation to support the musicians and provide appropriate refreshments.
Click RSVP to this invitation to get on the guest list. Invitation expires when we reach 85 attendees. Looking forward to seeing you.
Matt Yaple
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@exuberance parties at Matt’s are by invitation only to provide a dignified, comfortable and acoustically ideal setting for worthwhile art and ideas. Cellphones and other devices are to be holstered during the performances. Between sets, conviviality rules.
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