Noel Jewkes Septet

 



Saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, multi-instrumentalist Noel Jewkes is one of the godfathers of Bay Area jazz, universally respected for his musicality, integrity and versatility. Noel began playing professionally at age 12 with his family's swing band in his home state of Utah, and has been active in the Bay Area for more than 35 years.

He has recorded with Jon Hendricks, Wesla Whitfield, Mary Stallings, Paula West, Mike Greensill, Lavay Smith, Bill Bell, Mimi Fox, Graham Bruce, Bobbe Norris, Larry Dunlap, Larry Vuckovich, Pat Yankee, and Jerry Hahn, as well as his own ensembles.

"I don't know of a better contemporary modern saxman anywhere." --Phil Elwood

He appeared previously at Chez Hanny with his own quartets, Noel Jewkes/Steve Heckman, and Larry Vuckovich.

https://www.noeljewkesmusic.com/



Trumpeter Dave Bendigkeit has worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, George Shearing, Jack Jones, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne, Richie Cole, Grady Tate, Smith Dobson, James Brown, B.B. King, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Bernadette Peters, Rosemary Clooney, Shirley MacLaine, Joel Grey, Anthony Newley, Lou Rawls, The Mills Brother, Johnny Mathis, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, San Jose Symphony, Englebert Humperdink, The OJays, The Platters, The Lettermen, and The Four Freshmen, among many others.

He has also released four albums as a leader.

He appeared previously at Chez Hanny with Ratzo Harris.

http://www.davebendigkeit.com/



Charlie McCarthy is a saxophonist who has played and recorded with many of the greats in Jazz including Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Henderson, Sarah Vaughan, Bobbie Hutcherson, George Shearing, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Lena Horne, Stan Getz, Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, Louie Bellson, Joe Lovano, James Moody, and Maria Schneider.

Charlie graduated from San Francisco State College where he was a member of the quintet which was named the best in the Intercollegiate Music Festival.
While serving in the Air Force Band in Germany he won a scholarship to Berklee school of music in Boston, where he studied composition and saxophone with Andy McGhee and Joe Viola.

Charlie did stints on the road with "Grease", The Beach Boys, and Van Morrison before landing a gig with Lena Horne. "Working in a jazz quintet behind Lena was one of my best experiences," says Charlie.

He then settled in San Francisco, working Broadway Shows and all manner of jazz gigs: trios, quartets, quintets, big bands, guitar/flute duos, salsa bands, Al Molina's Latin-Bebop Band, "The Bandidos", Latin Jazz Fusion with "Canoneo", and Mark Levine's Nonet with Woody Shaw.

He appeared previously at Chez Hanny with his own quartet.



Trombonist Rob Ewing trained at Berklee College of Music and Naropa University.

Leader of Disappear Incompletely — The Radiohead Project. Performances with STS9, Marcus Shelby Orchestra, Vinny Golia, Latin Giants of Jazz, Ray Vega, Wayne Wallace, Graham Connah, Joe Bagale, The Barr Brothers, Les Gwan Jupons, John Schott’s Typical Orchestra, Jazz Mafia Symphony, Oakland Active Orchestra, Half of Half, Leslie Helpert, Rebecca Griffin, Naytronix, Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, and Brass Magic.

He is Director of the Jazzschool Community Music School.



Pianist Keith Saunders spent his formative years in Los Angeles where he studied with Charlie Shoemake and Horace Silver. Keith worked extensively in L.A. with such well known artists as Eddie Harris, Roy McCurdy, Bill Holman, and Bill Watrous, as well as recording with Dick Berk's Jazz Adoption Agency.

After moving to New York City in 1984, Keith worked and/or recorded with Richie Cole, Richie Vitale, Hank Crawford, Mickey Roker, Ralph LaLama, Frank Wess, and Valery Ponamarev. In 1991, Keith became the leader of The NY HardBop Quintet, a cooperative unit featuring Joe Magnarelli and Jerry Weldon, which released four recordings for the TCB Montreux Jazz label.

Relocated to the Bay Area, Keith appears with Calvin Keys, Noel Jewkes, Jim Grantham, Chris Amberger, Patrick Wolff, Erik Jekabson, Smith Dobson, Peppe Merolla, and Dave Rocha.

Keith appeared previously at Chez Hanny with the Robb Fisher-Keith Saunders Trio, Frank Tusa, Peck Allmond, Michael Zilber, Dave Rocha, Erik Jekabson, George Cotsirilos, and the Keith Saunders Trio.



Bassist Chris Amberger is a Berklee School of Music graduate.

He has toured and recorded with many of the greats in jazz including Tommy Dorsey, George Shearing, Rosemary Clooney, Red Garland, and Art Blakey.

He has backed top vocalists such as Ernestine Anderson, Lorez Alexandria, Ernie Andrews, Sammy Davis Jr, Bobby McFerrin, Mark Murphy, Anita O'Day, Marlena Shaw, Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, Eddie Jefferson, Jimmy Witherspoon, and T.Bone Walker.

His instrumental cohorts have included Stan Kenton, Jaki Byard, George Cables, Dorothy Donnegan, Philly Joe Jones, Frank Butler, Charlie Persip, Donald Bailey, Akira Tana, Herb Ellis, Gabor Szabo, Barney Kessel, John Scofield, Art Pepper, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, Dexter Gordon, Charles Lloyd, Sonny Stitt, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Dorham, Doc Cheatham, Woody Shaw, and Bobby Hutcherson.

He appeared previously at Chez Hanny with Charlie McCarthy, Dave Rocha, Grant Levin, and Chris Amberger & His Hot Dogs.



Drummer Mark Lee has a wealth of experience performing on the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. He has backed vocalists Ernestine Anderson, Freda Payne, Charles Brown, Mary Lou Henner, Stephanie Powers, The Pointer Sisters, and many more. He is also very active on the instrumental music and musical theater scenes.



Special guest vocalist Kay Kostopoulos is a professional actress, singer, dancer and director, who has performed in plays and musicals in many regional and Bay Area theaters, including the Magic Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, San Francisco and California Shakespeare Festivals, Stanford Summer Theater, and American Conservatory Theatre.

Kay is the featured vocalist with Black Olive Jazz, and has performed with Cyrus Chestnut, Stanley Jordan, Jules Broussard, and David Hardiman's Tuesday Night Big Band, through CCSF's guest artist program, and with the Sierra Jazz Society featuring Bill Douglass, Ian Dogole, and Jimmy Robinson.



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