The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival is returning to the Palladium next week. Five amazing shows on five consecutive nights starting Wednesday, Feb. 27. Four of the shows are in our intimate Side Door Cabaret. Saturday night’s show, featuring singer Alexis Cole and the 17-piece Helios Jazz Orchestra, is upstairs in Hough Hall.
The festival is produced and curated by David Manson and presented in partnership with the Palladium at SPC.
Tickets for all festival shows are available at www.mypalladium.org
Here’s some info on showtimes, dates and the performers:
Valerie Gillespie Ensemble
Wednesday, February 27
7:30 PM
“Brilliant jazz by a multi-talented Florida treasure” – David Manson, jazz festival director
Valerie Gillespie
Multi-instrumentalist and singer Valerie Gillespie has played with national icons including Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Rosemary Clooney, George Burns, Ben Vereen, Natalie Cole, Joan Rivers, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, John Faddis, Steve Allen, Anthony Newly, Dionne Warwick, Michael Feinstein, and many more. Valerie has traveled with the Xavier Cugat Orchestra throughout the United States and Japan, and performs regularly with Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge. Recently Valerie has had the distinct honor of being the cover story and feature article in Saxophone Today Magazine. Her most recent jazz CD is entitled “Lush Life” which includes music by Chick Corea and Billy Strayhorn. She opens the 2019 St. Petersburg Jazz Festival with her group with Jody Marsh (piano), Steve Boisen (bass) and Dave Rudolph (drums). For tickets online, see https://www.mypalladium.org/valerie-gillespie-ensemble/
Remembering Sam with Rivers Lost
Thursday, February 28
7:30 PM
“… an extraordinarily sophisticated and audacious musician” – Richard Brody, The New Yorker
Remembering Sam Rivers
Former bandmates of legendary jazz saxophonist Sam Rivers perform his favorite compositions and share stories about music making with Sam and his wife Beatrice. Sam was amazing jazz artist whose lengthy career included sessions and tours with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Dave Holland, Tony Williams, Andrew Hill and many others. He and his wife Bea started the jazz loft movement in NYC. When he “retired” to Orlando, he ignited an interest in free jazz in Florida and befriended many young jazz musicians as mentor. Led by bassist Doug Mathews, the group also includes Rex Wertz (saxophone/flute), David Pate (saxophone), Bobby Koelble (guitar) and Anthony Cole (drums). For tickets online, see: https://www.mypalladium.org/remembering-sam-with-rivers-lost/
Nestor Torres Quartet
Friday, March 1
7:30 PM
“Nestor is unlike any other flautist you know. His wide range of talents transcends his music” – Bernarda Reyes, Latin Recording Academy
Nestor Torres
Latin Grammy Award winning Nestor Torres’ rhythmic and mellifluous flute sound remains apart in a class all by itself. His 14 recordings as a soloist; 4 Latin Grammy nominations, one Grammy nomination and one Latin Grammy Award; collaborations with diverse artists such as Gloria Estefan, Kenny Loggins, Dave Mathews, Herbie Hancock, Tito Puente, Michael Camilo, Paquito D’ Rivera and Arturo Sandoval; as well as performances with the Cleveland, Singapore, and New World Symphony Orchestras among many others. He is joined in his first performance in St. Petersburg by pianist Jorge Sosa, bassist Mauricio Rodriguez and drummer Dimas Sanchez. For tickets online, see: https://www.mypalladium.org/nestor-torres-quartet/
Alexis Cole with the Helios Jazz Orchestra
Saturday, March 2
7:30 PM
“We’ve been waiting for the next great singer to come along, and finally…Alexis” – Swing Journal Japan
Alexis Cole
Called “one of the great voices of today,” Alexis Cole has been compared to classic jazz singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Anita O’Day. Her luxurious voice and innovative interpretations make her an instant favorite with audiences of all ages. Cole is the recipient of a Swing Journal Gold Disk award, and was a winner of the NY Jazzmobile and Montreux Jazz Festival vocal competitions, and a finalist of the Sarah Vaughan Competition. She records for Motéma Music, NY, Chesky Records, NY and Venus Records, Japan. Her nine recordings, which feature musical luminaries such as Fred Hersch, Eric Alexander, Matt Wilson, Harry Pickens, Don Braden and Pat LaBarbara, have received high praise in the jazz press and are spun on radio world-wide. In addition to her many performances at top jazz venues like Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, Blues Alley, and Billboard Live, she’s also performed at Avery Fisher Hall and the Kennedy Center and had been a featured soloist with the Boston Pops and NY Philharmonic.
The Helios Jazz Orchestra is a 17-piece jazz big band directed by David Manson. The group has been featured twice on the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, Ybor Jazz Fest and is ensemble-in-residence at St. Petersburg College. Presented by EMIT and the Palladium Theater. For tickets online, see: https://www.mypalladium.org/alexis-cole-with-the-helios-jazz-orchestra/
Martin Bejerano Trio
Sunday, March 3
7:30 PM
“Martin Bejerano, thankfully, reminds us once again that jazz and the piano trio format are alive and thriving with freshness and creative vitality.” – Don Williamson, Jazzreview
Martin Bejerano
After winning third place in the prestigious 1999 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Martin Bejerano moved to New York City and joined the quartet of legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes. In 2004, their recording Fountain of Youth was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Instrumental Jazz Album. In 2002, Martin Bejerano also joined guitarist Russell Malone’s quartet, and continues to tour and record with both groups. He has performed with such jazz luminaries as the Christian McBride Band, Kenny Garrett, Roy Hargrove, Adam Nussbaum, James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Lonnie Plaxico Group and Marcus Printup at major jazz festivals, clubs and venues around the world. He has presented numerous clinics and toured with “Jazz Reach,” a non-profit organization that presents multimedia concerts for school children. In 2007, his debut CD as a leader, Evolution/Revolution (Reservoir) rose to number nine on the Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart. He was recently awarded the New Jazz Works composer/ensemble grant from Chamber Music of America. Bejerano maintains a busy teaching studio at the Frost School in Miami and also performs, arranges, records and tours the U.S. and abroad. Martin is joined by bassist Edward Perez and drummer Ludwig Alfonso in this performance. For tickets online, see: https://www.mypalladium.org/martin-bejerano-trio-2/
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