JazzReach Presents
Sittin' In and Groovin' Out
Featuring Metta Quintet Plus Special Guests
Friday, January 28, 2022 at 7:30pm
presented by Irvine Barclay Theatre
Metta Quintet
Ben Flocks: Tenor Saxophone
Christopher McBride: Alto Saxophone
Robert Rodriguez Rospide: Piano
Liany Mateo: Bass
Hans Schuman: Drums
This performance is presented without an intermission.
These activities are supported, in part, with funds provided by the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), the California Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Media Sponsor
Established in 1994, JazzReach is a nationally recognized New York City-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, performance, creation and teaching of jazz music.
Through the presentation of engaging live multi-media educational productions for young audiences (grades K-12), informative clinics and master-classes for student musicians, in-depth multi-day residencies and captivating main-stage concerts for general audiences, JazzReach is fiercely dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of our great American jazz tradition.
JazzReach has been long recognized as the nation’s leading provider of high quality educational programming on the subject. Since inception, the organization has successfully impacted and enriched over 750,000 people (of all ages) nationwide in partnership with many of America's most distinguished performing arts presenters and received unanimous praise from arts professionals, students, teachers, parents, and the media alike. Learn more: www.jazzreach.org
All of JazzReach’s artistic programming is carried out exclusively by the organization’s official resident ensemble, Metta Quintet.
METTA QUINTET is a highly creative unit featuring some of the most dynamic, sought after artists on the jazz scene today. They are as collectively dedicated to blazing new artistic territory as they are to cultivating new generations of jazz listeners and performers.
In addition to numerous critically acclaimed recordings that include, Going to Meet The Man (Koch Jazz)), Subway Songs (Sunnyside Records), Big Drum, Small World (The Orchard), each member of the ensemble are widely celebrated composers, band leaders and recording artists in their own right.
In the role of JazzReach’s “resident ensemble,” the quintet is charged with carrying out the organization’s mission (to foster a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of jazz music). Through the presentation of engaging, all-original live educational productions for young audiences, informative clinics and masterclasses for student musicians, intensive multi-day residencies and captivating mainstage concerts for general audiences, Metta Quintet tours the U.S. tirelessly and in partnership with some of our nation’s most distinguished performing arts presenters, has successfully served over 750K people in more than 100 communities in 44 states.
Ben Flocks, Tenor Saxophone
Saxophonist and educator Ben Flocks captivates audiences around the world with his soulful sound. Born in Santa Cruz, California and residing in Brooklyn, Ben leads his own group and plays as a sideman in a variety of musical settings.
Currently a member of the smash-hit ensemble Sammy Miller and the Congregation, Ben and the band have received acclaim for their joyous, entertaining blend of music and theater. Ben has led his band at the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and has had the honor to perform with Joshua Redman’s Trio, with Dave Brubeck as a Brubeck Institute Fellow and with Antonio Sanchez and Migration.
Ben holds a bachelors degree from the New School in New York and serves on faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and at the Calhoun School. He leads workshops in schools around the country through Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Louis Armstrong House Museum’s educational programs, teaching all ages through interactive concerts tracing the history of jazz.
Christopher McBride, Alto Saxophone
Christopher McBride has performed internationally with many notable artists of all genres including Winard Harper, Roy Hargrove, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, Solange, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Marshall, Bobby Broom, Alice Smith, Brandon Flowers, Ne-Yo, Marquis Hill, Milton Suggs, and others.
His group Christopher McBride & The Whole Proof has played some great Jazz venues around the Midwest such as Andy's Jazz Club & The Green Mill in Chicago and Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis. Since moving to New York in 2013 The Whole Proof has performed in venues around New York including Smalls Jazz Club, SMOKE Jazz Club, Fat Cat, Ginny's Supper Club & Minton's Playhouse in Harlem. Christopher continually writes new music for the band and is releasing his second project in 2020. Currently, Christopher is touring with JazzReach and also teaches with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Louis Armstrong House.
Robert Rodriguez Rospide, Piano
Robert Rodriguez A.K.A Robert Rodriguez Rospide is an American Composer, Musician and Actor. The son of Cuban-Jazz drummer Roberto Rodriguez, Robert was born January 11, 1978 in New York City and grew up in the Magic city of Miami. He began studying music at an early age and by age 12 he was performing classical recitals on piano. By the time he was in highschool he was working and recording professionally in the Miami area and at seventeen he was awarded the honor of being selected to The National Grammy High school band. He then continued his studies of piano, percussion at the New World School of the Arts and later studied music and acting at University of Miami.
Robert began to tour the world at the age of 22 as an instrumentalist with virtuoso trumpeter Arturo Sandoval which culminated in many recordings including the score to HBO’s “For Love or Country” starring Andy Garcia and an album produced by Quincy Jones, Emilio Estefan “Trumpet Evolution”. He then continued to NYC to perform, record compose and or perform for many legends including percussionist Ray Barretto and drummer Roy Haynes, Saxophonist David Sanchez, Joe Locke, Paquito D’Rivera, Christian Mcbride, Richard Bona, Caribbean Jazz Project and many others.
Robert has received commissions and awards from ASCAP, Chamber Music of America and New York Foundation for the Arts and in 2015 He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album alongside his brother Mike Rodriguez for their album Impromptu, The Rodriguez Brothers. In 2017 he served on the Faculty at Berklee school of Music and worked in directing ensembles and composition classes alongside Terence Blanchard and his program.
Robert’s continued passion for music and acting can be seen in the recent Feature Film “Imprisoned” for which he acted in and also composed, conducted and performed the score. The Film directed and written by Paul Kampf stars Laurence Fishburne, Edward James Almos, Esai Morales, Jon Heard, Juan Pablo Raba, and Juana Acosta. Filmed in Puerto Rico and centering on the themes of love, redemption, revenge and forgiveness, the film gave Rospide a wide range to score and create.
Liany Mateo, Bass
With appearances that include the legendary Smalls Jazz Club and a feature of her band in Downbeat Magazine, bassist Liany Mateo has traveled across the United States, Japan, Africa, and Bahrain performing, touring, and teaching music. Influenced by a mix of hard-hitting straight-ahead swing, Free Avante Garde, and music with deep pocket groove, Mateo deems herself a chameleon, fitting into many different types of musical situations.
Growing up in one of America’s most diverse cities (Jersey City, NJ) and having two Caribbean parents, she was inspired from a young age by all the different music around her. At the age of 14, she was loaned an upright bass from her high school and pursued music diligently.
In the Fall of 2019, she was selected out of a pool of musicians throughout the mid-west to become a Geri Allen Fellow for the “The Gathering” Jazz Orchestra. Liany had the privilege of working with Ms. Allen in high school and holds a great amount of love and respect for her and her music. Additionally, she is featured on an upcoming album by saxophonist Joseph Herbst entitled “This Is Our Environment” and “The Bounce'' a Chamber Music America-funded project. In January 2020 she was awarded the Jack Rudin “Outstanding Bass Solo'' award at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s first collegiate jazz competition adjudicated by Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, and Tanya Darby.
She has performed with musicians such as Carl Allen, Randy Napoleon, and Brandee Younger. She holds a Jazz degree from the esteemed Michigan State University (2020) and a Master’s degree from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute(2021). Through these institutions, she has been mentored by Jazz giants Rodney Whitaker, Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, John Patitucci, and Linda Oh. Additionally, Liany has been mentored by Regina Carter, Steve Wilson, Eric Reed, Ben Wolfe, and Stefon Harris who have contributed to her continuing growth as a musician.
Hans Schuman, Drums & Founder / Executive-Artistic Director, JazzReach
Born in Lansing Michigan, Hans Schuman began playing the drums in middle school while growing up in Tucson, AZ. His maternal grandparents, both prominent figures on the 20th Century American classical music scene, were both nurturing and supportive of his budding interest in music and encouraged him to explore a broad range of musical styles and genres.
A graduate of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Hans has played and/or performed with a who’s who of jazz contemporaries including Geoff Keezer, Mark Turner, Seamus Blake, Kenny Rampton, Mark Gross, Dwayne Burno, Donny McCaslin, Richie Goods, Roy Hargrove, Chris Cheek, Jeff Parker, Antonio Hart, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Delfayo Marsalis, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Eric Reed, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Larry Goldings, Christian McBride, Don Braden, Stefon Harris, Helen Sung, Marcus Strickland, Jaleel Shaw, Keyon Harold, Joshua Redman and Glenn Zaleski among many others.
In 1994, Schuman, with proceeds from the reluctant sale of an inherited Steinway Grand Piano, established JAZZREACH PERFORMING ARTS & EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, Inc., a 501c3, not-for-profit dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of jazz music.
In the 25 years since JazzReach’s inception, Schuman, in his capacities as Executive-Artistic Director, has successfully positioned the organization as the nation’s leading provider of live educational programming on the subject.
As the founding member of JazzReach’s Metta Quintet, he’s conceived and appeared on all of the ensemble’s critically acclaimed recordings, Going To Meet The Man, Subway Songs and Big Drum, Small World.
Schuman is the Creator, Executive Producer and Host of the video podcast, Jazz Club on the global high-fidelity music streaming platform, TIDAL and is currently producing a 12-episode educational streaming docuseries on jazz called “Get Hip! Everything You Never Knew You Wanted to Know About Jazz Music”.
He is an official Gretsch Drum, Zildjian Cymbal, Vic Firth Stick and Evans Drumheads artist.
JazzReach
www.jazzreach.org
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