Exodus to Jazz opens 6th season on September 24th with saxophonist Kenny Garrett and his Quartet

Exodus To Jazz is kicking off its sixth season on September 24th by bringing the great post-bop alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett to Rochester. Garrett will be leading a stellar quartet, including pianist Benito Gonzalez, bassist Charnett Moffett, and drummer Marcus Baylor. This is a great chance to catch a top-flight artist in a beautiful space that will allow Garrett's to stretch out (as music does in the venue that Exodus to Jazz will continue to be found during the season—the Lutheran Church of the Reformation).

Garrett started out his career in 1978 as a member the Duke Ellington Orchestra, led by Mercer Ellington, played with the Mel Lewis Orchestra and the Dannie Richmond Quartet, and was a member of other legendary bands included the Jazz Messengers and the Woody Shaw Quintet. He spent almost five years as a sideman with Miles Davis in the 1980s. He has recorded fourteen albums as a leader since his first in 1984 and each shows a different facet as he explores his instrument and artistry. Garrett draws in his writing and playing from a diverse set of influences, coming from hard and post bop perspective, but mixing in funk, Latin jazz and Asian sounds. 

Warming up the crowd at the Hochstein concert all will be a Garrett's good friend and fellow Detroiter Johnny O’Neal, an excellent jazz pianist who is well known to Exodus to Jazz audiences. O'Neal will perform a solo piano tribute to Hank Jones.

For this concert, Exodus to Jazz is moving to the historic Concert Hall at Hochstein School of Music. The show will commence at 8:00 pm (there will be two one-hour sets, with doors opening at 7:00 pm. Ticket: Patron, $40 (Patron tickets includes a “Meet & Greet” reception with Kenny Garrett and Johnny O’Neal in the Hochstein School of Music “Chapel Room” beginning at 7:00 PM; Premium, $30; General Admission, $25. Tickets can be purchased through BrownPaperTickets.com and at all Wegmans stores. Check out the five-concert “ETJ Pass,” available online at Brown Paper Tickets.

Brought to you by Exodus to Jazz and the new Rochester Contemporary School of Music, Kenny Garrett will be holding a Master Class on Friday, September 23rd from 4:30pm to 6:00pm (doors open at 4:00pm) at Fairport High School. The class is a fundraiser for the Museum of Kids Arts (MoKA), a non-profit organization that provides graphic arts instruction to middle school age youth within Rochester’s urban community. Open to the general public, the class will be an opportunity for music students, professional musicians and the general public to gain insights into musicianship from a major jazz artist. Fairport H. S. is located 1358 Ayrault Rd., Fairport, NY 14450.  Ticket Prices: Students (with a valid ID), $10; General Public, $15 and will be available at Brown Paper Tickets and at the door at 4:00pm.

Jazz@Rochester is a sponsor of Exodus to Jazz. My friend José DaCosta has brought some incredible jazz talent to Rochester, providing us an opportunity to see some great artists here, often in an intimate setting (and without traveling to NYC, to boot). Looking forward to hearing Garrett, O'Neal and the other artists ETJ is bringing in 2011-2012.