This month, SFJAZZ continues its highly successful Fridays at Five online performances – weekly pre-recorded concerts to connect jazz audiences to the music and musicians they love, and to help support the JAZZ Center and the artists who perform there, through these challenging times.
November 6th – José James Celebrates Bill Withers
In the first Fridays at Five session of November, SFJAZZ presents a concert recorded at the JAZZ Centre on June 15th, 2019, in which singer and songwriter José James paid tribute the American R&B singer-songwriter and musician, the great Bill Withers who passed away earlier this year. Performing some of Withers’ best loved songs which James featured on his Blue Note tribute release Lean On Me – numbers such as Ain’t No Sunshine, Grandma’s Hands, Use Me, Lovely Day, Just the Two of Us, and Who is He – James is backed by guitarist Marcus Machado, keyboardist Takeshi Ohbayashi, bassist Aneesa Strings, and drummer Aaron Steele.
November 13th – Sons of Kemet
Saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings is a key figure on the the London jazz scene, and he and his band, Sons of Kemet, are the stars of the November 13th Fridays at Five session. In a performance recorded during the SFJAZZ Summer Sessions on August 17th, 2019, the ensemble – featuring Hutchings, tuba player Theon Cross, and drummers Tom Skinner and Eddie Hick – give it all they’ve got in a presentation of their own style of music, blending the rhythms of Caribbean calypso and the soca sound of Trinidad and Tobago, with the New Orleans brass band tradition. Enjoy the infectious energy created between musicians and the audience on the dance floor!
November 20th – The Anat Cohen Tentet
Israeli musician Anat Cohen is regarded as the most acclaimed clarinetist of her generation, and she’s also an impressive tenor saxophonist. On December 3rd, 2017, she and her Tentet appeared at SFJAZZ to celebrate the West Coast debut of their latest project. This group, comprising some of the most exciting young players in New York, includes Maria Schneider Orchestra trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis, Brazilian pianist and accordionist Vitor Gonçalves, vibraphonist James Shipp, and guitarist Sheryl Bailey. The ensemble’s music director and arranger is Oded Lev-Ari, a protégé of the legendary trombonist and arranger Bob Brookmeyer. Featuring strongly in the Tentet’s songbook is Anat Cohen’s love of colourful and rhythmic Brazilian music.
November 27th – Gregory Porter
A frequent and long-standing guest of SFJAZZ, Gregory Porter is the star of the November 27th Fridays at Five session. In a performance recorded at the SFJAZZ Center on August 4th, 2019, this two-time GRAMMY winner and six-time nominee – who’s regarded as one of the most successful modern male jazz vocalists – presented a selection of songs from his repertoire, and from his latest Blue Note album, All Rise. In April this year, he released a single entitled Thank You, and performed at the live launch of NASA’s historic Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Mission on July 30th.
SFJAZZ Digital
SFJAZZ has just announced the launch of SFJAZZ Digital – which means that for just $5 per month, or $60 annually, in addition to the Fridays at Five sessions, you can access On-Demand Concerts, Live Streaming Concerts and Special Event Broadcasts. As a special offer, you’ll be given two months of free access if you join as a $60 Annual Digital Member. Visit the SFJAZZ website for more details.