El Cerrito Jazz Festival Evening Concert: Chris Potter Circuits at El Cerrito High School Performing Arts Theater

On February 9, 2019, the El Cerrito High School Band Program will host the 5th annual El Cerrito Jazz Festival (ECJF) featuring high school jazz programs from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The festivals culminating event will be the evening concert starting at 7:00pm with Chris Potter Circuits featuring James Francies (piano), and Nate Smith (drums). A world-class soloist, accomplished composer and formidable bandleader, saxophonist Chris Potter has emerged as a leading light of his generation. DownBeat called him One of the most studied (and copied) saxophonists on the planet while Jazz Times identified him as a figure of international renown. Jazz sax elder statesman Dave Liebman called him simply, one of the best musicians around, a sentiment shared by the readers of DownBeat in voting him second only to tenor sax great Sonny Rollins in the magazines 2008 Readers Poll. ...

read more

On February 9, 2019, the El Cerrito High School Band Program will host the 5th annual El Cerrito Jazz Festival (ECJF) featuring high school jazz programs from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The festivals culminating event will be the evening concert starting at 7:00pm with Chris Potter Circuits featuring James Francies (piano), and Nate Smith (drums). A world-class soloist, accomplished composer and formidable bandleader, saxophonist Chris Potter has emerged as a leading light of his generation. DownBeat called him One of the most studied (and copied) saxophonists on the planet while Jazz Times identified him as a figure of international renown. Jazz sax elder statesman Dave Liebman called him simply, one of the best musicians around, a sentiment shared by the readers of DownBeat in voting him second only to tenor sax great Sonny Rollins in the magazines 2008 Readers Poll.

A potent improviser and the youngest musician ever to win Denmarks Jazzpar Prize, Potters impressive discography includes 15 albums as a leader and sideman appearances on over 100 albums. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his solo work on In Vogue, a track from Joanne Brackeens 1999 album Pink Elephant Magic, and was prominently featured on Steely Dans Grammy-winning album from 2000, Two Against Nature. He has performed or recorded with many of the leading names in jazz, such as Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, John Scofield, the Mingus Big Band, Jim Hall, Paul Motian, Dave Douglas, Ray Brown and many others.

All festival performances and concerts are open to the public. Tickets for daytime activities will be available at the ECHS Performing Arts Theater throughout the day for $15. Tickets for the Chris Potter concert at 7:00pm are available for $20 online at www.echsbands.com/festival.

A full schedule of events is posted online at www.echsbands.com/festival.

show less