Award-winning jazz recording artist Greg Abate returns to Nevada County for a concert at the newly refurbished Nevada Theatre. Abate's most recent release ‘Magic Dance: The Music of Kenny Barron', was number 1 on the Jazz Charts for 8 weeks, and in the Top 40 for one year. 2021 also saw Downbeat magazine's reader's poll listed Abate #2 for alto saxophone. The concert is co-presented by Paul Emery Presents and the Sierra Jazz Society.

Joining Abate will be Joe Gilman on piano, Ben Kopf on bass, Matt Langley on saxophone and David Clouse on drums.
 
Greg Abate was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, and grew up in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, where he first started playing clarinet in the fifth grade. After high school, he was accepted in to Boston's Berklee College of Music, and after graduating in 1972 spent two years touring with Ray Charles' band before turning to jazz in the New England area. During this period, he played with many of the top jazz players on the East Coast, including the Artie Shaw Orchestra under the leadership of Dick Johnson.

Saxophonist Greg Abate is known for his dynamic, hard bop-influenced style. After playing lead sax with Ray Charles, Greg established himself nationally releasing highly regarded albums in the '90s. Abate debuted with ‘Bop City: Live at Birdland' in 1991 with an ensemble that included some of the top jazz musicians in America, followed by multiple recordings with many of the top names in jazz, including horn players Richie Cole and Claudio Roditi, pianists Hilton Ruiz and Tim Ray, bassists Rufus Reid and Marshall Wood, and legendary drummers Kenny Washington and Billy Hart, among others.

Greg as recorded over 17 albums as a band leader, including multiple collaborations with icons and longtime associates Phil Woods and Kenny Barron. In 2016 he returned to the studio with Phil Woods for the highly acclaimed ‘Kindred Spirits' album, followed by his most recent recording ‘Magic Dance: The music of Kenny Barron'. This latest critically acclaimed recording work was on the Billboard jazz charts top 40 for an entire year.

Abate is a well-known presence in his native Rhode Island, where he was inducted into the state's Hall of Fame in 2016 and works as an adjunct professor of jazz studies at Rhode Island College.

Abate says, "Jazz is infinite in approach to what you play and how you play it. It's not just play anything and make it up. So; you hear people develop their solos and it's a real story. It's not just a barrage of notes. You have to play the right notes in the harmonic framework of a song which has infinite possibilities".

The Sierra Jazz Society is membership organization dedicated to jazz education, presentation and promotion in Nevada County, presenting the annual Sierra Jazz Camp and Jazz Picnic along with workshops, jam sessions and concerts. Learn more at www.sierrajazzsociety.com.

Date and Time: Friday, October 14, 8:00pm.

Venue:
Nevada Theatre
401 Broad Street
Nevada City, CA

Tickets: $30 premium reserved seating, $20 general admission. Tickets online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35912/production/1137587

Webpage:
http://paulemerymusic.com/
https://paulemerymusic.com/greg-abate-jazz-friends-quintet/
https://www.gregabate.com/
 https://sierrajazzsociety.com/

"Greg Abate is considered by jazz writers and aficionados to be one of the most exciting players out there today" – Washington Post

For more info (530) 205-0972 or visit https://nevadatheatre.com/events/paul-emery-and-the-sierra-jazz-society-present-greg-abate-jazz-friends-quintet/.