The Mike Ning Group: Letter from Evans featuring Bobby Shew

Summer Thursday Jazz Nights are dedicated to highlighting New Mexico’s fine jazz talent. Mike Ning lives in Kansas City but he is no stranger to Albuquerque, having grown up here in the 1950’s. Returning to the Duke City last summer for a 50th reunion at the Menaul School, Ning approached us about doing a special concert in tribute to one of his main influences, the great Bill Evans. Years ago, Ning performed at the old Outpost Performance Space. Born in Shanghai in 1940, Ning left China with his family just before the Communist takeover in 1948. They lived in Bangkok for several years, moving to Albuquerque in 1956 where Ning attended the Menaul School, subsequently pursuing a visual arts degree at UNM. Moving to Kansas City in 1964 to work for Hallmark Cards, Ning played music at night, performing with his own popular trio and accompanying such touring greats as Arnie Lawrence and Bill Watrous. In 1999 he retired from Hallmark to pursue music full-time, often playing with his wife, vocalist Sherry Jones. Drummer Victor Perelmuter was born in 1941 on the Russian-Polish border. He performed for several years, with renowned Polish jazz musicians Tomasz Stanko, Adam Makowicz, and Jacek Ostaszewski in the Jazz Daring Quartet, considered to be the first  jazz group in Poland. In 1968, just before the invasion of Czechoslovakia, Perelmuter moved to the US, settling in Cleveland to pursue a dual career in engineering and music until moving to Kansas City in the 90s where he met Mike Ning— clearly a kindred spirit. Joining Ning and Perelmuter will be Albuquerque’s great, Grammy-award winning trumpeter, Bobby Shew; plus Patty Stephens, vocals; John Truitt, woodwinds; and Michael Olivola, bass.

15/$10 Members & Students.

Available in advance, by phone or in person, at the Outpost Performance Space 505-268-0044