04/17 - Saturday :: Marcus Strickland Trio

Web Site: MySpace

Marcus Strickland , who was named 'Rising Star, Soprano Saxophone' in Downbeat Magazine's Critic's Poll '08 and 'Best New Artist' in JazzTimes Magazine's Reader's Poll '06; has two releases on Fresh Sound New Talent Records as a leader ("At Last" and "Brotherhood"); and currently plays with Dave Douglas, Jeff 'Tain' Watts, and Will Calhoun. Strickland also recently ended a five-year stint with legendary drummer Roy Haynes.

The aspiring saxophonist has been on two Grammy-nominated recordings ("Fountain of Youth" - Roy Haynes & "Keystone" - Dave Douglas). His own record label, Strick Muzik, was launched in 2006 with an adventurous double CD project featuring two bands of his, and appropriately titled with a play on words "Twi-Life".

Strickland has gained professional & artistic integrity through experiences with Roy Haynes, Mos Def, Dave Douglas, Nicholas Payton, Jeff 'Tain' Watts, Christian McBride, Charles Tolliver Big Band, Tom Harrell, Will Calhoun, Lonnie Plaxico, The Carnegie Hall Big Band, The Mingus Band, the Village Vanguard Band, Milt Jackson Big Band, and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, just to name a few.

Website: Concepts Project

"Concepts" is an intimate exploration of the bass/guitar duo. It's very well played and a joy to listen to" Billy Drummond

The concepts project has its core in Matteo Liberatore and Jerry DeVore. Matteo's original compositions are little portraits, not just "head, solos, head." They always improvise together, you can't really tell who's accompanying. They switch roles and change points of view, stretching the concept of improvisation and form, and playing "standards" as if they were playing their own tunes. They have their own sound, original and refined. Each performance finds new motifs, creating something that is original and only theirs.