South Florida JAZZ welcomes We Four, a new band of New York’s best players, celebrating the legacy of saxophone colossus John Coltrane.
March 12, 8:00pm
Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center
Nova Southeastern University campus
3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr Blvd
Davie 33314
South Florida’s premier modern jazz organization is privileged to feature We Four: Celebrating John Coltrane. All of the players have a connection with the master and drummer Jimmy Cobb played with Coltrane in the Miles Davis bands of the 1950s and -60s. This concert takes place at the 500-seat Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center on the Nova Southeastern University campus, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr Blvd in Davie 33314. Tickets are $40 ($30 for South Florida JAZZ members and $15 for students under age 25 with I.D.) and may be purchased from the Broward Center Box Office by calling 954.462.0222 in Broward County; also toll-free at 877-311-SHOW, as well as online at: southfloridajazz.org, the presenting organization’s official Web site.
We Four is a new band of esteemed New York jazz players, all of whom feel a special connection to John Coltrane. The band is composed of tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Jimmy Cobb. In point of fact, only Jimmy has zero degrees of separation from Coltrane, as he famously played with him in the Miles Davis bands of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Jimmy’s inspirational work with Miles, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and company spanned 1958 until 1962, and included the masterpiece recording Kind of Blue, the most popular jazz recording in history. He also played on Sketches of Spain, Someday My Prince will Come, Live at Carnegie Hall, Live at the Blackhawk, Porgy and Bess, and many, many other watermark Miles Davis recordings, as well as other dates with leaders Coltrane, Adderley, and Kenny Burrell. Jimmy is still going strong at 82 with Miles and Coltrane tribute bands and his own group dates.
Javon Jackson rose to prominence as an Art Blakey Jazz Messenger and has played with others connected to Coltrane, including drummer Elvin Jones, and bassists Ron Carter and Richard Davis. Javon is a fluent improviser who carries the standard proudly. Mulgrew Miller, like John Coltrane, is a deeply spiritual man and a superb pianist who was mentored by a Jazz Messenger pianist, James Williams. He played in Tony Williams’ band for six years, so you know that he can bring it. Mulgrew has golden fingers and can swing you to death. Peter Washington, part of the Javon and Mulgrew generation, is a brilliant scholar and bassist. He also was a Jazz Messenger and has played with everyone. He has recorded copiously, rivaling Christian McBride for productivity.
The repertoire will be a jazz lovers delight from that hard-swinging era after bebop when so many standards and bluesy compositions were arranged and played so craftily and like no one ever thought possible. No band can do it better than this one.
Funding for this organization is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council.
