jazz/avant-garde
7:30-10
suggested donation $8
Celebrating the release of his ambitious recording project, saxophonist and composer Dan Blake brings his “Party Suite” to the Zeitgeist Gallery for the first time. Blake’s debut CD as a leader will be available at the concert, and features Boston musicians Alec Spiegelman, Jorge Roeder, Jorge Perez, Richie Barshay, and Alexei Tsiganov.
The Dan Blake Party is an adventurously swinging quartet that takes a firm root in the jazz tradition (Sidney Bechet, Thelonius Monk, Herbie Nichols to name a few), going all the way back to the grooves of old while staying true to the uniquely catchy melodies and honest improvisations Dan Blake has become known for. The songs capture a quality in jazz music that is both catchy and accessible, but also is uncompromisingly original in musical approach.
The Dan Blake Party will be joined by saxophonist Kelly Roberge’s “The Quartet of Happiness,” a group that blends adventurous compositions with a theatrical twist that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
The Quartet of Happiness was formed in the spring of 2003 by saxophonists Rick Stone and Kelly Roberge. Along with Stone and Roberge the group includes bassist Kendall Eddy, and Austin Mcmahon on drums. The main focus of this ensemble is to perform original compositions written in a performance art/theatrical style. The members of the quartet draw from a wide range of musical backgrounds and styles, including jazz, rhythm and blues, rock, folk, and classical music. Another objective of the group is to set up a series of concerts/clinics at public schools and small colleges to teach role playing, movement, and improvisation through music.
The Quartet of Happiness has performed at various locations in Boston and New York, and plans are currently underway to set up tours in other areas. Also, a DVD of the Quartet is being finished and will be available soon. Through creative compositions, high performance energy, a little bit of “craziness”, and musical talent, the Quartet of Happiness performs a show that is both visually entertaining and musically enjoyable to its’ audiences!