TOMORROW at 7 P.M.

Homage to the Jazz Messengers: Music Of Lee Morgan

Arcata Playhouse

Homage to the Message series, co-producers James Zeller and Ramsey Isaacs turn their attention to the compositions of Lee Morgan, trumpet prodigy who was a student of the great Clifford Brown and followed in his footsteps, moving from New York City from Philadelphia to join a later generation of Jazz Messengers. Morgan’s music is characterized by funky hardbop melodies, swinging as well as “straight 8ths” tunes that bridge the gap between jazz with all its hip harmonic changes and the funky, rock n’ roll influenced styles of the late 1950’s and early 60’s.

“Once again we’re doing a tribute to a trumpet player without a trumpet player in the band, it actually makes it interesting and unique. Some of the tunes we’ve moved to different keys that are better for the trombone/tenor saxophone front line. Lee’s records have been on steady rotation for me since high school. Once again, another messenger who had a deep impact on jazz players with his work with Art Blakey (actually in two stints, first from 1958-61, then again in 1964-65) and followed that up by putting over a dozen records as a solo artist,” says James Zeller. “It’s gonna be really fun.”

The band for this show will be James Zeller, trombone; Tree, tenor saxophone; Matthew Seno, Piano; Danny Gaon, bass; and Ramsey Isaacs on drums in the role of Art Blakey himself.

The “Homage to the Jazz Message” series honors Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, a collective group that began in the 1950s and continued for over 35 years ending with Art Blakey‘s passing in 1990. An incredible number of jazz luminaries were at one time “Jazz Messengers”,  including Horace Silver and Kenny Dorham (honored in the first two Homage concerts) Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton and Curtis Fuller just to name a few. 

The series takes place once a month on the Arcata Playhouse, moving chronologically through Jazz Messengers history. Each show will feature the music of a composer or multiple composers from a particular period. Stay tuned!

DATES/TIMES

• Tomorrow : 7-9 p.m.

WHERE

• Arcata Playhouse

PRICE

• $15
• $30 sliding scale