Join us for a special Double Bill featuring two sets of Tomas Fujiwara’s 7 Poets Trio followed by the Tomeka Reid Quartet.
Each band will perform a 30min set in each set!
Tomas Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio
Tomas Fujiwara -drums
Patricia Brennan -vibraphone
Tomeka Reid -cello
Tomeka Reid Quartet
Tomeka Reid -cello
Mary Halvorson -guitar
Jason Roebke -bass
Tomas Fujiwara -drums
Tomas Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio
Tomas Fujiwara assembled his 7 Poets Trio with Patricia Brennan and Tomeka Reid for the first time during his residency at The Stone in April 2018, after having previously played with Patricia in Michael Formanek's Ensemble Kolossus, and with Tomeka in her Quartet. As has been the case with his past ensembles (Tomas Fujiwara & The Hook Up, The Tomas Fujiwara Trio, Triple Double, and the Tomas Fujiwara Percussion Quartet), Fujiwara brought together two musicians who had never played together before, creating a brand new combination of musical personalities. The rapport was instantaneous and their debut was described by All About Jazz as "a meshing of chamber jazz, modern classical composition and improvisation, although most of Fujiwara's music sounded well organized in advance. All three players rose to an individual expression, working as a composite unit to deliver solo embellishments. Roles were malleable, as the listener decided whether everyone was soloing, or no-one. All three members were devoted to establishing a sensitive group consciousness, and they succeeded eminently." Their eponymous debut came out in 2019 on Rogue Art, with a follow up album, Pith, released in September 2023 on Out of Your Head Records.
Tomeka Reid Quartet
Tomeka Reid is one of the most original, versatile, and curious musicians to emerge from Chicago’s bustling jazz and improvised music community over the last decade. As a cellist, composer, and bandleader, Reid melds the Western classical tradition with modes rooted in the African diaspora and avant-garde to produce a rich and textured palette of sounds. She participates in several musical groups as a member or bandleader and composes and arranges works for small and large ensembles with varied instrument combinations. Reid released her debut recording as a bandleader, Tomeka Reid Quartet, in 2015 with the Tomeka Reid Quartet, featuring herself (cello), Jason Roebke (bass), Mary Halvorson (guitar), and Tomas Fujiwara (drums). The album provided a vibrant showcase for the cellist’s improvisational acumen, as well as for her dynamic arrangements and compositional ability. The quartet’s second album, Old New (2019) has been described as “fresh and transformative...striking out in bold, lyrical directions, with plenty of Reid’s singularly elegant yet energetic and sharp-edged bow work.” A new record is anticipated in spring 2024.
SPONSORSHIP
The Jazz Gallery is a not-for-profit arts organization presenting emerging artists who challenge convention, take creative risks, and lead their field as performers, composers and thinkers. We provide a platform for artists to discover their unique voice and a home for established musicians to continue to experiment and grow. At The Jazz Gallery, artists and audiences come together from around the world to explore new creative ideas, collaborate and celebrate jazz as a dynamic art form that reflects our ever-changing world.
We rely on the generosity of our members and community to keep the music playing, thank you for your continued and much appreciated support! If you would like to sponsor a Livestream Concert, please use the links above or be in touch with our Executive Director, Janet Luhrs, here.