$20 advanced, $25 day of show
General Admission (Seated) - Doors open at 7PM
Legendary Soul Jazz master Houston Person, together with the Matthew Parrish Trio and special guest vocalist Michelle Lordi, delves deep into the essence of each song. As Ron Carter aptly puts it, "A good bassist determines the direction of any band," and Matthew Parrish embodies this notion perfectly. With three decades of experience as a sought-after sideman for esteemed jazz figures like Al Grey, Clark Terry, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Etta Jones, Regina Carter, Stefon Harris, Orrin Evans, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Wynton Marsalis, Paquito D’Rivera, Houston Person, and Freddy Cole, Matthew has assimilated the wealth of his global travels into his latest venture. This new project showcases a trio format, where he collaborates with his longstanding friend and mentor, the legendary saxophonist Houston Person, alongside the accomplished vocalist and composer Michelle Lordi.
Michelle Lordi's musical creations and compositions have earned her high praise, described as "flawless" by Downbeat Magazine and "mesmerizing" by JazzTimes. As a cohesive unit, this ensemble masterfully captures the emotive swing of their music, radiating boundless energy while embracing the subtle elegance inherent in Lordi and Parrish's ethereal compositions.
Houston Person
With his robust sound and swinging style, tenor saxophonist Houston Person has kept the hard bop and organ-soaked soul-jazz traditions alive. Emerging from organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, Person established his reputation as one of the Big Boss tenors in the Gene Ammons style with albums like 1968's Blue Odyssey, 1969's Goodness!, and 1970's Person to Person! He further embraced a funky, soulful vibe in the '70s with albums like 1972's Broken Windows, Empty Hallways and 1976's Stolen Sweets. From the '80s onward, he balanced his love of groove-based R&B with more hard-swinging acoustic sessions, joining contemporaries like Ron Carter and Teddy Edwards, as well as younger players like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. He recorded extensively with singer Etta Jones and has remained a torchbearer for the big tenor sound, releasing warmly attenuated standards and soul-jazz dates like 2015's Something Personal and 2021's Live in Paris.
Matthew Parrish
Born in central California to hard-working, music-loving parents of four children, Matthew Parrish epitomizes the heart of jazz bass performance and livelihood. Matthew has performed and recorded with many of the top names in jazz. Regina Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Paquito D'Rivera, Houston Person, Clark Terry, Etta Jones, Miri Ben-Ari, James Williams, Harry Sweets Edison, James Newton, Gary Thomas, Greg Osby, Stefon Harris, Orrin Evans just to name a few.
His beautiful, warm and complex sound has earned him an impressive reputation in the music community, as a performer and composer/arranger/producer. While on tour with Al Grey, Matt performed with Clark Terry, Marion McPartland, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lou Donaldson, Joe Cohn, Savion Glover, Bill Charlap and many others. You can find Matthew at venues all over the world, from New York City to Sao Paulo. Matt is currently touring with Freddy Cole, Houston Person, the legendary saxophonist, as well as the Vana Gierig Trio with Paquito D'Rivera
Michelle Lordi
https://www.michellelordi.com/
Vocalist, songwriter and bandleader Michelle Lordi has received international accolades and heavy rotation on jazz radio for her deeply personal interpretations of jazz standards and eclectic repertoire. On her latest album, //BREAK UP WITH THE SOUND//, she explores bold new territory, delving into influences from rock, Americana, and beyond. Whether she’s performing with bebop jazz legends, exploring experimental soundscapes and genre-defying originals, or delivering taut, mesmerizing jazz interpretations of pop ballads, Lordi’s profound love of the music she chooses to sing and the musicians she creates with is evident in every note of her vividly expressive and elegantly communicative voice.