Sunset Jazz at Newport 11 AMAZING WEDNESDAY SUMMER NIGHTS! Wednesday, July 11 | Grand Opening Night THE JAZZ CRUISE ALL-STARS with SHELLY BERG, KEN PEPLOWSKI, JEFF HAMILTON, CHRISTOPH LUTY, RICKEY WOODARD and CHUCK REDD This series Grand Opening night has been specially designed to give jazz lovers a sampling of The Jazz Cruise, the world’s only full ship charter cruise dedicated to “straight-ahead” jazz. We are delighted to have pianist Shelly Berg, Musical Director of The Jazz Cruise, join us this year, along with Jazz Cruise veterans Ken Peplowski, Jeff Hamilton, Christoph Luty, and Rickey Woodard. Just as last year, rounding out this truly all- star group will be our special guest – Vibist Chuck Redd! Although our entire 11 week series features many jazz stars who perform on the cruise, if there is even the slightest consideration for sailing on a jazz cruise and you can only attend one Wednesday night – our Grand Opening Night is the one not to miss! Wednesday, July 18 AKIKO-HAMILTON-DECHTER Organ Trio with AKIKO TSURUGA, JEFF HAMILTON and GRAHAM DECHTER The second Wednesday night of the series is sure to be a “fasten your seatbelt” night by one of the most exciting organ trios in jazz today. Akiko began playing the organ at the age of three and launched her career in jazz immediately after graduating from the Osaka College of Music. In addition to being a crowd favorite at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, Akiko tours Japan and Europe regularly and has released five albums in Japan and five in the U.S., with her newest – So Cute, So Bad featuring this great trio. Downbeat Magazine writer Jeffrey Lien, states, “In the world of jazz drumming, very few can match the virtuosic qualities of Jeff Hamilton.” Watching other drummers study Jeff’s technique and talents is a case of admiration and acclaim intersecting envy. Graham Dechter is one of the most promising young jazz guitarists on the scene today, having been mentored by Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton. In addition to joining the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra in 2005 at age 19, he has toured internationally with Eliane Elias and has performed and recorded with Benny Golson, Kurt Elling, and Wynton Marsalis, among others. Wednesday, July 25 BRIA SKONBERG QUINTET Recognized by Downbeat Magazine as one of 25 For The Future, New York based Canadian singer, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg will bring her touring quintet to our stage, having created a sensation at this year’s Newport Beach Jazz Party as well as the 2017 The Jazz Cruise. Noted as a millennial “shaking up the jazz world,” (Vanity Fair) Bria has played festivals the world over, including the Newport Jazz Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival, where she will appear again this September. Nate Chinen, NY Times, writes: “Ms. Skonberg has become the shining hope of hot jazz, on the strength of a clarion trumpet style indebted to Louis Armstrong, a smooth purr of a singing voice inspired by Anita O’Day and the wholesome glow of youth.” Bria is an avid educator and supporter of school opportunities, giving numerous workshops and concerts for students of all ages. She is also co-founder of the New York Hot Jazz Festival. Touring in Bria’s band, from New York, will be Patrick Bartley (reeds), Mathis Picard (piano), Devin Starks (bass) and Darrian Douglas (drums). Wednesday, August 1 KEN PEPLOWSKI and THE KATIE THIROUX TRIO This swingin’ evening brings together acclaimed saxophonist/clarinetist Ken Peplowski with triple-threat bassist, singer and composer- Kathie Thiroux and her trio. The late Mel Torme said, “Since the advent of Benny Goodman, there have been too few clarinetists to fill the void that Goodman left” and Russell Davies, BBC2 writes; “Ken Peplowski is arguably the greatest living jazz clarinetist.” Katie Thiroux continues to gain national prominence with her newest Capri Records CD, Off Beat, included in Downbeat Magazine’s Best Albums of 2017 category. Her trio will feature pianist Justin Kauflin, from the award winning documentary Keep On Keepin’ On and drummer Matt Witek, who studied with Jeff Hamilton and has toured with the John Pizzarelli Quartet and the Woody Herman Orchestra led by Frank Tiberi, among others. During the evening Ken will no doubt pay his respects to Benny Goodman and Katie’s trio will share her inspiration for the styles of Ray Brown, Anita O’Day and Oscar Peterson. Wednesday, August 8 THE FOUR FRESHMEN – In Concert Since their inception in 1948, The Four Freshmen have continued to tour worldwide. The group was heavily influenced by Stan Kenton and his orchestra as well as the sounds of Mel Torme’s Mel Tones. They scored their first hit in 1952 with “It’s a Blue World,” followed by “Moody Indigo,” “Day by Day” and “How Can I Tell Her.” The Four Freshmen became influencers in their own right with their four-part harmonies guiding the musical stylings of The Letterman, The Manhattan Transfer and The Beach Boys. Bob Ferreira is currently the longest member of the Freshmen, having joined the group in 1992 and sings the bass vocal part and plays drums. Jonathan Gaines is the most recent member joining the Freshmen in 2017 and sings the 3rd part and plays trumpet. Singing the 2nd part and playing guitar, Stein Malvey joined the group in 2013 and Tommy Boynton joined the group in 2015, singing lead vocal and playing bass. This Freshmen appearance will be their only show in Orange County this summer and they always sell-out so be sure to reserve your seats early. Wednesday, August 15 EMMET COHEN TRIO with special guest TONY GUERRERO Having made an impressive Newport Beach Jazz Party showing and selling the 2nd greatest number of CDs with his trio, it was an easy decision to invite Emmet’s trio to Sunset Jazz. Emmet holds a Masters Degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelors Degree from the University of Miani’s Frost School of Music, where he studied with esteemed pianist and educator shelly Berg. In addition to leading his own trio, Cohen is a member of Christian McBride’s trio, “Tip City,” the Herlin Riley Quartet and the Ali Jackson Trio. He appears regularly with Kurt Elling, Billy Hart, Jimmy Heath and Brian Lynch among other luminaries. With Emmet being on a West Coast tour with just his trio, Joe and John decided to add a special guest for the evening with West Coast based Tony Guerrero. His work as a contemporary jazz flugelhornist, trumpeter, composer and producer has garnered him both critical success and a worldwide audience. To date, Tony has released twelve solo CDs, some having chartered on the Billboard Top 20 and his work as a musician and composer can be heard in movies and television. Since 2015, Tony has served as music director for actress/singer Jane Lynch (“Glee”) for her traveling cabaret show, “See Jane Sing”. This week will bring together a special musical pairing (“East meets West”) with the Emmet Cohen Trio and Tony Guerrero…for the first time! Wednesday, Aug. 22 (In the Seaview Terrace) JOHN PIZZARELLI TRIO Making his sixth return to Sunset Jazz at Newport, John has enjoyed an over 30-year career as a jazz guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. He was hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” The Toronto Star pegged him as “the genial genius of the guitar.” And the Seattle Times saluted him as “a rare entertainer of the old school.” John’s syndicated radio show program, “Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli,” cohosted with his wife, Broadway star Jessica Molaskey, airs in more than one hundred markets and can be heard locally on KKJZ (88.1 FM) on Sunday mornings. His performance highlights include headlining concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl and New Year’s Eve at the Kennedy Center, opening for Frank Sinatra’s World Tour in 1993, accompanying Paul McCartney as part of an itunes live streaming concert in February 2012, and an annual month-long engagement with Jessica, at New York’s Café Carlyle. It is always an honor to welcome back to our series, long-time friend and world class entertainer – John Pizzarelli. Wednesday, August 29 BYRON STRIPLING / BOBBY FLOYD QUARTET – Have Trumpet, Will Swing A spectacular trumpeter with a very wide range, a beautiful tone, and the ability to blend together many influences into his own style, Byron Stripling is the Artistic Director of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, leader of his own quartet, and constantly in demand to play with pops orchestras around the world. The happiness that exudes through his trumpet and his vocals is reminiscent of Louis Armstrong yet very much his own. It is not surprising that Byron was selected to play the lead in the touring musical “Satchmo: America’s Musical Legend.“ This year’s show is sure to include a number of tunes from Byron’s CD, Have Trumpet, Will Swing, which has been receiving air play on KKJZ, including “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To”, “Danny Boy” and “Love For Sale.” Joining Byron in their eighth SJN appearance will be jazz organist Bobby Floyd, who happens to be a featured player on Byron’s latest CD and also with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, having shared the stage with Dionne Warwick, Doc Severinson, and many others. In Byron’s CD liner notes, he writes; “Bobby Floyd offers a prodigious technique, peppered with modern flourishes but always grounded in the blues. Whatever the song, Bobby brings it back home, reminding us not to stray too far from the gospel truth.” Wednesday, September 5 BILLY MITCHELL & CIRCLE OF FRIENDS featuring BILI REDD An evening with Billy Mitchell and his 8 piece band, with guest vocalist Bili Redd, promises to be a tour de force thru many musical genres, but all united by the Great American Songbook! Billy appeared in Clint Eastwood’s film, Bird, and also in Jazz, an award-winning docudrama.