FivePlay Jazz Quintet
FivePlay Jazz Quintet is a San Francisco Bay
Area jazz
quintet that plays original, ear-pleasing melodic jazz. The music is
fresh, rooted in the best jazz traditions while drawing on modern
harmonies, engaging rhythms, and a rich palette of tone colors.
Like its predecessor, the group "Triceratops", the repertoire is
created
by the composing team of Tony Corman, Laura Klein and
Dave Tidball, about which Jazz Times says "this
modern-sounding, West Coast crew…(write) better-than-Messenger-like
originals, providing captivating moments for listeners".
These musicians have played together for many years and, consequently,
there is a high level of musical intuition and interplay. FivePlay
delights and entrances the listener with unusual tunes and
lively, inspired improvisation.
http://www.fiveplayjazz.com/
Dave Tidball (tenor saxophone, composer) was born
and raised in
Wales and, as a teenager, began playing clarinet and saxophone in his
father’s dance band. Relocating to London after high school, he played
with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra before joining British jazz
fusion pioneers “Turning Point”.
In 1979, he came to the US and was active on the jazz scene in Boston
before heading west in 1985. In the early 90s he formed “Threedom” with
Bill Douglass and Robert Kaufman, and spent 5 years in Paula West’s
band. More recently, he can be heard with FivePlay Jazz Quintet, and
Ian Dogole’s projects, including a 2013 recording with Paul McCandless,
Frank Martin and Fred Randolph.
He can also be heard in the saxophone section of
Tony Corman’s new big band “Morchestra”. Lately, Dave has been
exploring free improvisation in “The Sound Effekt”, featuring guitarist
Mike Wynar and drummer Galen Grant.
He has performed at Chez Hanny with FivePlay, and the Albatross
Clarinet Quartet.
Laura Klein, piano, composer,
is from New York City.
She got a BA in music from SUNY Buffalo and attended the Berklee College of Music.
Besides playing with FivePlay, Laura keeps a busy performing schedule
with her own small group and the Morchestra,
and appears with many Bay Area musicians including Noel Jewkes, Bryan
Girard, Jenny Ferris, Kay Kostopolous, Frankye Kelly, and Ed Reed.
She co-led and recorded with Triceratops, and the Laura Klein-Ted Wolff duo.
Laura has performed for many years with her own trios including the great drummers Joe Hunt and Benny Barth.
She taught at UC Berkeley, and is currently Associate Professor of the Alexander Technique at the California Jazz Conservatory.
Laura has appeared previously at Chez Hanny with FivePlay, Jenny
Ferris,
and with her own trio.
Tony Corman, guitar, composer, hails from Boston,
where he graduated Berklee with a degree in saxophone performance. He
played sax and flute for many years, recording with the Full Faith and
Credit big band, Triceratops, and Three Tenors No Opera, but was
derailed in 2002 by a chops problem.
He switched to guitar, working his way back into the Bay Area scene
with FivePlay and his own jazz orchestra, the Morchestra.
Tony has appeared previously at Chez Hanny with FivePlay.
http://tonycorman.com/
Paul Smith, bass, has been playing professionally
since his teens. In 1970, he joined the acclaimed Moacir Santos group,
where he met his future wife, percussionist and vocalist Sheila Smith.
Paul and Sheila had a group for many years, and recorded four CD’s
together.
Paul has performed and recorded with Mark Levine, and Willie Bobo, and
toured nationally with Dan Hicks.
Paul has appeared previously at Chez Hanny with FivePlay.
Drummer Alan Hall has played and/or recorded with:
bassists Stuart Hamm, Brian Torff and Kai Eckhardt; guitarists Larry
Coryell, Mick Goodrick and Joyce Cooling; saxophonists Ernie Watts,
Paul McCandless, Bob Mintzer, John Handy, Jerry Bergonzi and Eddie
Harris; trumpeter Bobby Shew; pianists Art Lande, Billy Childs, Tom
Coster, Kit Walker and Smith Dobson; and vocalists Mark Murphy and
Rebecca Parris.
He is a faculty member of The Jazzschool in Berkeley, CA. and a
participating faculty member of The Brubeck Institute, University of
the Pacific, Stockton. CA. He was previously a member of the percussion
faculty at Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1986-1993, and the
University of California at Berkeley from 1998-2000.
Alan was heard previously at Chez Hanny with Michael O'Neill, Charlie
McCarthy, Fiveplay, Sheldon Brown, Dave Haskell, and Ratzo Harris.
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