Sat

7/31/2010

8:00pm

Jazz

Ben Jansson Quartet

• $30 Assigned Rows 1-2
• $20 Assigned Rows 3-5
• $15 General Admission
• $5 Student

• Ben Jansson, saxophone
• Steve Richko, piano
• Miles Brown, bass
• George Davidson, drums

Event Details

This all-star quartet showcases several new compositions by Ann Arbor saxophonist Jansson, who combines modern harmonic and rhythmic ideas within a traditional jazz quartet setting. The group’s sound is inspired by the early Stan Getz Quartet, as well as the quartets of Joe Henderson and John Coltrane.

The ensemble is comprised of tenor saxophonist and leader Jansson, along with virtuoso pianist Steve Richko and veteran jazz drummer George Davidson, both from Detroit. The three have played numerous concerts together throughout the Michigan area, including Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and Cliff Bells in Detroit. Rounding out the rhythm section is bassist Miles Brown, who is a newcomer to the Michigan jazz scene, originally from New York. The addition of Brown adds another dimension and musical experience to the group.
 

Ben Jansson

Michigan-based saxophonist Ben Jansson plays straight-ahead jazz, with a mix of fiery bebop and hard-driving swing. He leads his own quartet regularly at clubs in Detroit and throughout the Midwest and Canada. He gigs regularly at Detroit establishments Bakers Keyboard Lounge and Cliff Bells, as well as Murphy’s Place Jazz Club in Toledo. Jansson studied with Detroit’s legendary saxophonist George Benson (a contemporary of Tommy Flanagan and Kenny Burrell) in Detroit and with saxophonist Pat Labarbera in Toronto. He completed his Masters in Music at Michigan State University, where he studied and performed with Rodney Whitaker, Wess Anderson, Diego Rivera, Rick Roe and Randy Gillespie.

Besides traveling with his own quartet, Jansson plays often in bands led by Detroit area musicians: bassist Paul Keller, drummers Sean Dobbins and Pete Siers, trombonist Vincent Chandler, saxophonist Wess Anderson, and trumpeter Dwight Adams. Recent gigs include playing with Freddy Cole at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, backing up the legendary singer and pianist. Other singers Jansson has accompanied include Aretha Franklin and Diane Schuur. As a leader, the Ben Jansson Quintet has a strong debut recording on PKO records, which was recorded live at the Firefly Club in Ann Arbor in 2006. Titled “Sweetie Pie,” the album has several original compositions by Jansson and features a lineup of top-notch Michigan musicians including Randy Napoleon on guitar, Rick Roe on piano, Paul Keller on bass and Pete Siers on drums. Other recordings include, “Organic Roots” with the Pete Siers Quartet 2009 (Features trumpeter Marcus Belgrave), “Swinging The Praise” with the Paul Keller Quartet (2008) and a nationally broadcast PBS DVD: Motor City Blues and Boogie-Woogie Festival (2006) with the Paul Keller Orchestra and featuring Red Holloway.

Steve Richko

Steve Richko is regarded as one the finest pianists on the Detroit jazz scene today. His virtuosic piano technique is astounding, as well as his understanding of ensemble playing and trio arranging. Richko has released several recordings with bassist Paul Keller, including “To Oscar, With Love: A Tribute To Oscar Peterson” and “The Michigan Jazz Suite.” His latest project, A Toast To The Nat “King” Cole Trio, prominently spotlights Richko in the role of pianist Nat “King” Cole along with bassist Keller and guitarist Ralph Tope. In April 2010, he traveled abroad for the very first time as he, Keller and drummer Pete Siers performed with vocalist Annie Sellick, performing a tribute to Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald at the National Israeli Opera House in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Miles Brown

Bassist, composer, performer, and teacher Miles Brown is a versatile musician who is currently serving as the Jazz Program Coordinator at Oakland University. As a jazz performer, Brown has led groups featured at the Syracuse Jazz Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the JVC Jazz Festival, and the Blue Note. He has played with jazz masters such as Sam Rivers, Joe Magnarelli, Ralph Alessi, Walt Weiskopf, Harold Danko, Bill Dobbins, Adam Niewood, Joe Lovano, Ben Monder and Kenny Werner. Brown has a passion for new music and is the bassist in the contemporary music ensemble Alarm Will Sound. His own compositions have been performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Brown’s most recent CD “Share My Life” is a collaboration with his father Steve Brown and drummer Rich Thompson, and contains many of his newest compositions.

George Davidson

George Davidson grew up in Detroit and started his musical career tap dancing at the tender age of eight. In high school, he was fortunate enough to continue his studies with the great Rex T. Hall and, briefly, with James Thurston at Wayne State University. Davidson’s career afforded him the opportunity of traveling throughout the world. He has worked and performed with the giants of Motown such as The Four Tops, The Supremes and many others. He went on to work with numerous jazz, pop and blues artists: Aretha Franklin, Paul Butterfield, Spanky Wilson, Leon Thomas, Eddie Russ, Eddie Harris, Dorothy Donagan, Tribe, Kirk Lightsey, Rodney Whitaker, Geri Allen, Rufus Harly, Teddy Edwards, Dr. Donald Byrd, The Michigan Jazz Masters and others.