Four Across & Grace Kelly Quartet

We kick off the 14th Annual Summer Thursday Jazz Nights with a great double bill. NYC-based Four Across features trumpet player Josh Deutsch, pianist Carmen Staaf, bassist Matt Aronoff, and former Santa Fean, drummer Brian Adler. This group of long-time friends “draws inspiration from middle eastern tea, dogs, bicycle percussion, tannins of broccoli and Danish cinema while maintaining strong musical connections to artists ranging from Danilo Perez and Thelonious Monk to Hanne Hukkelberg and Egberto Gismonti.” They released their first CD, Four Across, in 2008 and kicked off a nationwide tour with an appearance at the renowned Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle where Bud Young, KBCS disc jockey called them, “The best new jazz quartet I’ve heard in recent years.”

Sixteen-year-old phenom, Grace Kelly is a saxophonist, singer- songwriter, composer and arranger from Brookline, MA. who is rapidly rising in the jazz world. She has already recorded and/or performed with Lee Konitz, Dave Brubeck, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr, Dianne Reeves, and Phil Woods and has performed around the world as well as made numerous radio appearances. Kelly appeared as a special guest artist with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops 2007 Jazz Series where she performed her award-winning composition “Every Road I Walked,” which she arranged for the entire Pops Orchestra. Kelly is visiting New Mexico for a special concert in memory of the late saxophonist Frank Morgan, who played with her extensively in 2007, the last year of his life. They endearingly referred to each other as ‘grandpa’ and ‘granddaughter’ and Morgan was very taken by Kelly as an alto player, jazz musician, and person. Joining her for tonight’s concert are Brian Bennett, piano; Michael Olivola, bass; and John Trentacosta, drums.

$15/$10 Members & Students.
Available in advance, by phone or in person, at the Outpost Performance Space (268-0044