Michael Zilber Quartet


Saxophonist Michael Zilber, whom jazz legend Dave Liebman calls “one of the best composers and players around anywhere, period!”, has performed and/or recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Dave Liebman, Miroslav Vitous, Bob Berg, Eddie Henderson, Fareed Haque, Geoff Keezer, Donald Harrison, John Handy, Dave Douglas, Rachel Z, James Genus, Rodney Holmes, Clarence Penn, Narada Michael Walden and Barry Finnerty.

Zilber has recorded four critically acclaimed records as a leader, “The Heretic”, “Stranger in Brooklyn”, “Two Coasts,” and "Crossroads: Brooklyn to Berkeley", as well as “Reimagined: Jazz Standards, Vol. I”, co-led with Steve Smith, and “Live at The Jazzschool: David Liebman and Michael Zilber”.

Zilber-led groups have headlined at The Monterey, San Francisco, Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, Big Sur, Edmonton, Calgary and Fairfax Festivals, as well as at such leading venues as Yoshi’s, Kuumbwa, Bach Dancing and Dynamite, and Slim’s, and recently shared the stage with the Wayne Shorter Quartet in an SFJazz tribute to the great saxophonist and composer.

http://www.michaelzilber.com/


Pianist Peter Horvath has been perfecting his craft since the age of 6 when he began taking classical piano lessons. Born in Budapest, Hungary, he attended the Bela Bartok Conservatory of Music. At age 17, he won the National Jazz Combo Competition in Gyor, Hungary.

Two years later he moved to Austria to attend the Vienna Conservatory of Music. Establishing himself quickly in the Austrian jazz scene, he began playing and touring with jazz notables such as Leo Wright, Louie Austen, etc.

In 1983, Peter moved to the U.S., where he studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has since performed, toured, and recorded with a long line of world-class artists, including Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Richie Cole, Benny Maupin, Bob Sheppard, Tiger Okoshi, the Victor Bailey Group, Lalah Hathaway, Keith Washington, Rosie Gaines, Ray Obiedo, Kenneth Nash, J. Spencer, the Braxton Brothers, and the Oakland Symphony.

He appeared previously at Chez Hanny with Charles McNeal and Doug Webb.

www.peterhorvath.com


Bassist John Shifflett almost received an M.A. in music from the University of Iowa, where he also taught Jazz Studies and directed big bands. He is currently an instructor at San Jose State University, teaching bass and small ensembles. He has done countless studio sessions ranging from radio and TV jingles to jazz and country and pop recordings. His show business experience includes tours with Frankie Avalon and the Ringling-Barnum & Bailey circus, several seasons with the San Jose Civic Light Opera, and many engagements with stars such as Dinah Shore, Mel Torme, Jerry Lewis, Dionne Warwick, the Smothers Brothers, etc.

His primary focus, however, has always been jazz. He has performed with the likes of Dave Liebman, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Red Holloway, Ernie Watts, John Zorn, Kim Richmond, Madeleine Peyroux, Kurt Elling, Norma Winstone, Tom Harrell, Bobby Hutcherson, John Stowell, Harold Land, Kendra Shank, and others. In the Bay Area he can be heard with Boz Scaggs (and CD), Eric Crystal, the Mike Zilber/Steve Smith quartet (and CD), the Scott Amendola Band (and CD), the Taylor Eigsti Trio (and CD's), the Paul Nagel Trio (and CD), Ann Dyer & No Good Time Fairies (and CD's), the Will Bernard Quartet (and CD), Anton Schwartz (and CD's), Ray Brown's Great Big Band, Ben Goldberg, Tim Volpicella (and CD), and many others.

John was heard here previously with the Dave Mac Nab Trio, the Dave Scott Quartet, and the Harvey Wainapel / Phil Grenadier Group.


Jason Lewis, drums.

Jason graduated from the classical percussion program at San Jose State University, under the direction of Tony Cirone of the San Francisco Symphony, with a B.A. in music. Mr. Lewis has taught privately in the bay area, coached at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and has performed clinics at schools throughout the San Jose area.

He has played with a variety of talented musicians including; Joshua Breakstone, John Stowell, Gary Burton, James Moody, Mark Murphy, Norma Winstone, Larry Coryell, Darol Anger, Regina Carter, Johnny Frigo, Ann Dyer, James Carter, Taylor Eigsti, John Handy, Anton Schwartz, Mark Levine, Peter Apfelbaum, Cornelius Bumpus, and Kurt Elling. Mr. Lewis has also performed with the San Jose Symphony and the San Jose Civic Light Opera.

Besides performing throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with many groups, often with bassist John Shifflett and pianist Paul Nagel, Mr. Lewis has toured and recorded with Michael Brook, Djivan Gasparyan, Ann Dyer, and Ashwin Batish. For much of the past several years he has been touring with Boz Scaggs, and appears on the latter's recording of standards, "But Beautiful".

Jason was heard here previously with the Dave Mac Nab Trio, the Dave Scott Quintet and the Mike Greensill Trio.

www.jsklewis.com/


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