Free Bridge Quintet
The McIntire Department of Music presents The Free Bridge Quintet on Saturday, April 5th at 8pm in Old Cabell Hall. The Free Bridge Quintet will be joined by jazz guitar master John Abercrombie to present a night full of innovative jazz music.
The Free Bridge Quintet is the official faculty jazz quintet of the University of Virginia McIntire Department of Music. Founded in 1997, it features Jeff Decker on saxophones, Robert Jospé on the drums, Peter Spaar on bass, John D’earth on trumpet and flugelhorn, and in 2013 welcomed Butch Taylor on piano. The quintet has been a staple of the greater Central Virginia jazz scene for more than 10 years.
Joining the Free Bridge Quintet will be John Abercrombie, one of the great innovators of jazz guitar. Over a career spanning more than forty years and nearly fifty albums, he has established himself as one of the truly unique voices in modern jazz, favoring unusual sounds and nontraditional ensembles. John Abercrombie made his ECM leader debut in 1974 with the aptly named "Timeless." He has been one of the label’s core artists ever since. He has played on more than fifty ECM sessions, both as a leader and as a highly creative contributor to recordings with Charles Lloyd, Kenny Wheeler, Jan Garbarek, Collin Walcott, Jack DeJohnette, Enrico Rava, Barre Phillips, Dave Liebman and more. Along the way his playing has evolved, becoming as he says, both more ‘free’ and more ‘traditional’. His 2011 recording "Without A Song," with Joe Lovano, Drew Gress and Joey Baron, reflected upon the music that first inspired him in the 1960s, taking stock of the freedoms implied in the music of Coltrane, Coleman and Rollins, and emphasizing his musical connections to Bill Evans and to guitarist Jim Hall.
Quotes about John Abercrombie:
"Perennial ECM guitar hero" - Peter Marsh BBC Review
"John Abercrombie is one of the giants of jazz guitar." - NPR Music
John Abercrombie will be holding a free jazz master class on Saturday April 4, at 1pm in room B18 Old Cabell Hall
Tickets for the concert are $15 for the general public, $8 for students and free for UVA Students who reserve in advance. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Arts Box Office at 434.924.3376 or by visiting the Arts Box Office
To find out more about Jazz events at UVA visit https://music.virginia.edu/jazz-events.
Old Cabell Hall is located on the south end of UVA's historic Lawn, directly opposite the Rotunda. Parking is available in at the Central Grounds Parking Garage, or in the lots off University Avenue at the University Corner. Handicapped parking is available in the C1 parking lot or in designated spaces on McCormick Avenue.
For more information please call the McIntire Department of Music at 434.924.3052.
YouTube of John Abercrombie playing his newest McCurdy guitar.
NYU Steinhardt Jazz Interview with John Abercrombie: John Abercrombie:Searching for a Sound