Smoking Saxophones

Some of the hardest swinging LPs of the hard bop era featured two-tenor frontlines, and the Ziad Jazz Quartet — with guest tenor and Berklee College of Music grad Danny Walsh — will see what kind of massive grooves they can generate during this concert with their own version. Walsh is regarded as one of the most gifted and versatile recording artists in the jazz and R&B circuits, and has performed with everyone from Greg Allman and Aerosmith to Phil Woods and the Mingus Dynasty Big Band.

The plethora of tenor players in the relatively small confines of the 1950s and 1960s New York City jazz scene made many of these collaborations practically inevitable. Most of them were little more than improvised jams on familiar themes, similar to the after-hours “cutting sessions” that often took place once the venue’s doors shut. Take the 1960-61 recordings of the Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and Johnny Griffin Quintet, or the only recorded Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane meeting, the title track from Tenor Madness, or the excellent Blowin’ In From Chicago (1957) date featuring Clifford Jordan and John Gilmore, one of the rare times the latter was out of Sun Ra’s orbit.

The best thing about these tenor sessions is getting to hear the differences in approach in real time. Players will showcase their balladry on the slower numbers, and on the up-tempo swingers they’ll engage in some high-velocity “trading fours,” where each saxophonist takes four quick bars to make a solo statement that the other answers. On a track such as John Coltrane’s quick-footed Grand Central (featured during this concert), that can make for some of the best and most heated improvisations going.

Performance

Concerts are performed at 6 and 8:15 p.m. Each concert is performed without an intermission in the museum lobby. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. show and at 7:45 for the 8:15 show. Seating is first come, first served. Standing room only is available after all seats are claimed.

Bechtler Young Visionaries Jazz Lounge

Members of the Bechtler Young Visionaries are invited to mix and mingle in the exclusive BYV Jazz Lounge in the 2nd-floor gallery and sculpture terrace during the 8:15 performance. Not a BYV member? Learn more and join today!

Drink

A cash-only bar is offered before and during the concert.

Tickets

Tickets for each concert are sold separately. Tickets are $14 for the public and $8 for museum members. Buy tickets (Tickets may also be purchased by phone 704.353.9200 or at the admission desk.)

Parking

Concertgoers receive discounted parking in the Levine Center for the Arts garage. Bring ticket in for discount.

More Information

Visit the Jazz at the Bechtler webpage for the 2015-2016 season lineup.

Image: Danny Walsh. Photo courtesy of Danny Walsh