$15 youth, $25 Senior/Student, $30 general admission
Tickets available through Eventbrite.
All-star jazz quartet performs jazz treasures by female composers.
This all-star quartet of Bay Area jazz women originally came together to celebrate Marian McPartland's 100th birthday, and since then has appeared at Piedmont Piano, the California Jazz Conservatory, Livermore Jazz Society, and the Sacramento Jazz Coop. The group will perform a wide range of captivating music by of a host of brilliant composers, including Melba Liston, Emily Remler, Anat Cohen, Blossom Dearie, Renee Rosnes, Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro, and more. Not to be missed!
With Laura Klein, piano; Mary Fettig, sax/flute; Ruth Davies, bass and Kelly Fasman, drums
Artist Profiles
Laura Klein, pianist/bandleader: Laura, a pianist, composer, recording artist and bandleader, has previously performed at Calliope with FivePlay Jazz Quintet and TonaLaura Jazz Duo, and is delighted to be returning with this very special quartet. Every one of the composers showcased in this concert has been an influence on Laura, both as a player and a composer. Laura has performed and recorded her own compositions with FivePlay Jazz Quintet, Triceratops, and her own duos and trios. She had a show of her compositions broadcast on KCSM's "In the Moment", and has appeared with her trio at SF Jazz. Laura has a busy free-lance career performing with numerous Bay Area luminaries, from vocalists and horn players to big bands. She also has a teaching practice as a Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique. lauraklein.net
Mary Fettig, saxophone and flute: Mary, a Bay Area native, broke barriers at a young age when she was the first woman to join the Stan Kenton orchestra. Ever since, she has had a stellar career as a performer, teacher, and clinician. Within a year of their meeting in 1978, Marian McPartland invited Mary to perform at the world’s first Women’s Jazz Festival in Kansas City. After that, Marian and Mary did many concerts together, including festivals at Concord, Detroit, Chicago and Buffalo. They recorded on Marian’s At the Festival (with Jake Hanna and Brian Torff), and Mary’s In Good Company (with Peter Sprague, Ray Brown and Jeff Hamilton.) Mary has toured with Flora Purim and Airto, Tito Puente, Toninho Horta, and Joe Henderson, and has played with many jazz greats including Carla Bley, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, and others. She has appeared at numerous jazz festivals, including Concord, San Francisco, Monterey, Playboy, Hollywood Bowl, Mt. Hood, Chicago, Detroit, Mobile, Buffalo, Montreux, and North Sea. Mary has played on many movie soundtracks and in Broadway pit orchestras. She continues to perform and teach widely, and is on the faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. maryfettig.com
Ruth Davies, bass: Ruth, an outstanding bassist on the SF Bay Area scene, has performed and/or recorded with many jazz and blues greats including Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo', Clark Terry, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Jay McShann, Van Morrison, Ernie Watts, Maria Muldaur, Junior Mance, Barbara Morrison, Etta Jones, Terry Gibbs, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jackie Ryan, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Toots Thielemans, and Little Jimmy Scott. She toured the world for ten years with the late Charles Brown, and continues to spend considerable time abroad, touring with Denise Jannah, Dmitri Matheny, European pianist/composer Amina Figarova, and Elvin Bishop. Ruth is deeply involved in music education and has taught in public schools, at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and as part of San Francisco Symphony’s "Adventures in Music". In all, she's presented music programs to over one thousand school groups. ruthdavies.com
Kelly Fasman, drums: Kelly is dynamic drummer whose propulsive style adds excitement to any musical performance. She has performed with Kenny Loggins, The Moody Blues, Joan Baez, and Joan Rivers. She was the house drummer for The American Musical Theatre of San Jose, and worked with Teatro Zinzanni, Broadway By the Bay, and Theatreworks. Kelly is a highly in-demand drummer on the Bay Area scene, and a music educator.