Here's something you might be interested in.
Piano virtuoso Joshua White is gearing up for a slew of gigs next week, starting with a free Father's Day concert tomorrow afternoon at the Scripps Ranch Library as a member of the Rob Thorsen Quartet. That group will also be performing at the San Diego Hall of Champions on June 21.
Especially noteworthy is the return of the Joshua White Quintet to 98 Bottles on Friday, June 22.
"This is going to be a really great experience," White said. "I love getting together with those guys. I mean there's a definite vibe happening with them. Everybody brings their own perspective."
The Joshua White Quintet is made up of some of the finest musicians on the Southern California jazz scene, including Irvine trombonist Michael Dessen who will be coming off a spate of recording and performing activity in NYC and Massachusetts--including an appearance at the world-famous Vision Festival.
"Dessen is such an amazing musician, and he's always got so many inventive ideas." says White. "He's just coming from that place of creativity and imagination."
Sharing the front-line in White's quintet is the young Los Angeles alto saxophone phenomenon, Gavin Templeton, who came out of the prestigious Cal Arts music program and has already performed and recorded with multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia, earning critical acclaim in the process.
Rounding out the group are LA heavyweights, Dan Schnelle on drums and Dave Robaire on bass.
"Dan, he provides such interesting textures to the music," White said. "It's not just about the drums. Dan's really open, and he listens and he and Dave have real communication. Playing with Dave is great because he not only listens--he can offer commentary on what's going on. It's always cool to have a drummer and bass player with that rapport that's built on trust and trying new things."
The last time these guys played 98 Bottles was filled with raucous, kinetic energy. They interpreted the music of Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman with such verve that the full house seemed on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
The group has since further honed its aesthetic with work in LA, at the Blue Whale, where they will be returning on June 28.
"I would say that with all of the members of my quintet--is that they're just down, you know, to do whatever," says White, adding, "They're not bound by any particular frame of thought--or those preconceived notions of what you think you're supposed to do."
Dessen, in his 40s, is the senior member of the group, and he likes what he hears from the leader. He commented via e-mail while in NYC.
"Joshua always finds openings in the music during the performance to encourage all of the players to move in unexpected directions. He already has a great sense of the art of bandleading in this kind of music. These guys all perform with an irresistible exuberance and sense of conversational flow--lots of people came up to me after the last gig to say--I've never been into jazz, but I loved that."
That's all part of the goal, according to White.
"Whether you've listened to jazz and improvised music your whole life, or if you're not familiar with it--we're still trying to make an impact--by telling a story--by presenting emotions and intelligence and thoughts to be able to take you, where we're going."
Friday, June 22, 98 Bottles. 8 p.m. Be there, you won't be sorry.
Photo by Richard White
Piano virtuoso Joshua White is gearing up for a slew of gigs next week, starting with a free Father's Day concert tomorrow afternoon at the Scripps Ranch Library as a member of the Rob Thorsen Quartet. That group will also be performing at the San Diego Hall of Champions on June 21.
Especially noteworthy is the return of the Joshua White Quintet to 98 Bottles on Friday, June 22.
"This is going to be a really great experience," White said. "I love getting together with those guys. I mean there's a definite vibe happening with them. Everybody brings their own perspective."
The Joshua White Quintet is made up of some of the finest musicians on the Southern California jazz scene, including Irvine trombonist Michael Dessen who will be coming off a spate of recording and performing activity in NYC and Massachusetts--including an appearance at the world-famous Vision Festival.
"Dessen is such an amazing musician, and he's always got so many inventive ideas." says White. "He's just coming from that place of creativity and imagination."
Sharing the front-line in White's quintet is the young Los Angeles alto saxophone phenomenon, Gavin Templeton, who came out of the prestigious Cal Arts music program and has already performed and recorded with multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia, earning critical acclaim in the process.
Rounding out the group are LA heavyweights, Dan Schnelle on drums and Dave Robaire on bass.
"Dan, he provides such interesting textures to the music," White said. "It's not just about the drums. Dan's really open, and he listens and he and Dave have real communication. Playing with Dave is great because he not only listens--he can offer commentary on what's going on. It's always cool to have a drummer and bass player with that rapport that's built on trust and trying new things."
The last time these guys played 98 Bottles was filled with raucous, kinetic energy. They interpreted the music of Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman with such verve that the full house seemed on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
The group has since further honed its aesthetic with work in LA, at the Blue Whale, where they will be returning on June 28.
"I would say that with all of the members of my quintet--is that they're just down, you know, to do whatever," says White, adding, "They're not bound by any particular frame of thought--or those preconceived notions of what you think you're supposed to do."
Dessen, in his 40s, is the senior member of the group, and he likes what he hears from the leader. He commented via e-mail while in NYC.
"Joshua always finds openings in the music during the performance to encourage all of the players to move in unexpected directions. He already has a great sense of the art of bandleading in this kind of music. These guys all perform with an irresistible exuberance and sense of conversational flow--lots of people came up to me after the last gig to say--I've never been into jazz, but I loved that."
That's all part of the goal, according to White.
"Whether you've listened to jazz and improvised music your whole life, or if you're not familiar with it--we're still trying to make an impact--by telling a story--by presenting emotions and intelligence and thoughts to be able to take you, where we're going."
Friday, June 22, 98 Bottles. 8 p.m. Be there, you won't be sorry.
Photo by Richard White