"Bobby is one of the best musicians in the world." - McCoy Tyner

Bobby Hutcherson

“…with a straight-ahead group, everyone has to contribute, (both) opening things up compositionally (and) keeping the program well-rounded.” -Roy Hargrove

Roy Hargrove © Andrea Canter

One of the finest trumpeters in the world, Multiple Grammy-Award winning jazz trumpeter/composer Roy Hargrove has always explored diverse music, from Afro-Cuban to funk, even venturing into pop mainstream. A major force on the jazz scene since his teens, Hargrove continues to stretch his musical boundaries. A collaborator in recent years with Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, and McCoy Tyner, Hargrove plays hard-swinging trumpet and lush flugelhorn. He leads his straight-ahead quintet in further explorations of post-bop modern jazz.  Hargrove will perform with his quintet at Yoshi's in San Francisco on Thursday, January 12th through Saturday, Janurary 15th and then move on to the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz on Monday, January 16th.

Kim Nalley and Houston Person

The Grammy-nominated vocalist Kim Nalley possesses a range that spans nearly four octaves, one of many reasons for the critical acclaim that she has garnered throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Kim Nalley can go from operatic to gritty blues on a dime, projection that can whisper a ballad yet is capable of filling a room with no microphone, and has the ability to scat blistering solos without ever losing the crowd's interest or the intense swing. Dubbed “the natural heir to the Boss Tenor crown worn so long and so well by Gene Ammons”, global performer Houston Person knows the music business inside out, from booking his own tours to producing his own albums. As eclectic as he is talented, Person has recorded everything from disco and gospel to pop and r&b, in addition to his trademark, souful hard bop.  Person is known as a master of popular songs played in a relaxed, highly accessible style. These two wonderful performers will play soulful jazz the Rrazz Room at the Nikko Hotel in San Francisco on Tuesday, December 27th trhough Saturday, December 31st. .

“For me, jazz does not necessarily mean that it’s better because it’s more complicated. I listen more from the heart for whatever gets me; sometimes it can be the simplest diatonic, one-chord thing with a simple melody that just grabs me.” –Mike Stern

Mike Stern © Andrea Canter