"To me living and music are all the same thing. And I keep finding out more about music as I learn more about myself, my environment, about all kinds of different things in life. I play what I live... I can't predict the directions in which my music will go. I just want to write and play my instrument as I feel." --McCoy Tyner

Pianist McCoy Tyner is one of the working legends of his generation, an artist whose long and diverse career spans the heyday of bop, the emergence of Coltrane, and the evolution of the complex structures that are hallmarks of modern jazz. His percussive attack, orchestral voicings, and modal harmonics have influenced several generations of musicians, and his ongoing work exemplifies the life of a creative artist constantly seeking to grow and respond. In the context of this never-ending exploration, Tyner began an annual series of residencies at the famed Oakland club, Yoshi's, back in 1995. Tyner celebrates ten years of a gig that combines workshop and showcase with his usual two-week format: Week One (January 25-30) features the pianist in a trio with past collaborators, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Billy Cobham. Week Two (February 1-6) will feature an all-star quintet of a younger generation, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, bassist Charnett Moffett, and drummer Eric Harland.

Notes Yoshi's Artistic Director Peter Williams, "It's the most creative thing I get to do, pair people with McCoy...As long as he wants to keep doing it, there's no end to the people who would love to play with him and who could make something magical happen musically."

510 Embarcadero West Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 238-9200

www.yoshis.com

The flagship venue for national acts in the Bay Area is also one of the best jazz clubs in the nation. Great sightlines and excellent sound highlight the 330-seat room, as does a constant stream of headliners like McCoy Tyner, Dave Douglas, Mose Allison and Regina Carter. Local players make the schedule, too. The stage is elevated and the seating tiered, so there is not a bad seat in the house.

They have a nice sushi restaurant too. The restaurant is seperated from the performance space, but you can get a limited menu in the club. Arive early to stake out your table, then you can wander back to the bar for a drink.

On Thursday, January 13, 2005, smooth toned San Francisco star-on-the-rise Susan Getz will be celebrating the recent release of her sparkling CD, Jazz Boxx, with a party and performance at Bruno's, one the city's leading venues for cutting edge jazz. Getz will be accompanied by some of the Bay Area's brightest young jazz stars, including pianist Leonard Thompson, bassist David Ewell and drummer Jemal Ramirez, the same tight ensemble that backs her on Jazz Boxx.

Getz is no stranger to Bay Area audiences. She's performed at popular locales including the Plush Room, Biscuits and Blues, Café du Nord, Zebulon¹s Lounge and Shanghai 1930. Yet her Bruno's debut is bound to be a very special evening, for the intimacy of Bruno's cozy Cork Room promises to provide the perfect venue for the understated grace of Getz's vocal stylings.

Gentle-toned and supple, Getz sings with economy and a ready warmth, underscored by an ever-present, yet controlled emotion. She stays close to the melody, generally doing without flourishes and other vocal adornments, in a manner that most often elicits comparisons to Astrud Gilberto and Peggy Lee.

Asked to describe her own style, Getz says, "I try to sing like Ernest Hemingway writes. He doesn't put in a lot of extra words, but he's very descriptive. I think it was Miles Davis who said, 'Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one.' That's what I shoot for in my music."

No less an expert than famed producer Teo Macero said, upon listening to Jazz Boxx, "It's nice to hear a new voice. Susan Getz is on the right path, with a charming sound and a different style. The concept, to be sure, is hers alone."

The Proof is on Record

Getz approaches each number with a devotee's respect for the melody and lyric, but that doesn't mean she's afraid to take chances. She often approaches songs from unique directions, bringing fresh perspectives to timing and harmony that allow her to illuminate surprising corners of long familiar favorites.

The evidence is to be heard on Jazz Boxx, a refreshingly satisfying collection of Susan Getz originals and provocatively reworked old favorites. The CD is an ensemble work in the truest sense, with heart-felt contributions—including arrangements and performances—from all concerned.

Listen in particular to Thompson's haunting solo on Robert Palmer's "Honeymoon," Ramirez' yearning brush work opening the classic "That's All," and Ewell's beautiful bass solo, framed by an evocative bass-piano dialogue in that same number. And listen also to way Susan finds the heart of Lennon and McCartney's "The Long and Winding Road," stripping down the pathos of the original to reveal a vulnerable moving plea for lost love.

The online reaction to Jazz Boxx has been immediate and glowing. National Public Radio director Robin Hilton selected Jazz Boxx for NPR's online "Open Mic" feature, and George W. Carroll, writing for jazzreview.com, said, "Susan Getz comes at you right where it counts. . . . with taste, charm, enchantment, fascination and wit."

Don't miss the celebration of a wonderful emerging talent and a terrific, and already popular, CD, as Susan Getz opens the Jazz Boxx. Thursday, January 13, 2005, starting at 9:00 pm at Bruno's, 2389 Mission Street, San Francisco (415-648-7701).

For more information about Susan Getz and Jazz Boxx, please contact Brian or Susan at Litsis Records or visit http://www.susangetz.com