($10-$15 Tickets | 7pm & 8:30pm sets) Join Naim Amor & the Cocktail Hours for a very special Tiki Thursday at the Century Room as they play a blend of jazz, tiki, lounge and exotica!

(TJF FREE FRIDAY! | 7pm & 9pm shows) Join Century Room in welcoming bassist Joe Fonda and his band to the stage! Having shared the stage with such luminaries as pioneering saxophonist Anthony Braxton, Joe Fonda has brought his masterful bass playing to many venues and recording sessions world-wide. This is the first FREE FRIDAY event, made possible by the Tucson Jazz Festival.

Kenny Wessel (guitar) Sam Barfield (violin) Joe Fonda (bass) Rob Garcia (drums)

**Joe Fonda**

**Joe Fonda, a multifaceted artist, excels as a composer, bassist, recording artist, interdisciplinary performer, producer, and educator. Internationally recognized in jazz, Fonda has graced stages across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, collaborating with luminaries like Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, and Dave Douglas. Notably, Fonda’s tenure with the Anthony Braxton ensemble, from 1984 to 1999, marked significant contributions as both bassist and board member, including his role as President of the Tri-Centric Foundation. His compositional prowess, acknowledged through grants and commissions, is evident in his twelve solo recordings, reflecting a diverse range of influences from tap dance to Peking opera.**

(No Cover | 10:30pm show) After Friday Night’s Show, join guitarist Matt Panayides and his band for Late Night!

($15-$30 tickets | 7pm & 9pm shows) Welcome New York based guitarist Matt Panayides and his band to the Century Room! Panayides and CR Artistic Director Arthur Vint were classmates together at William Paterson University from 2007-2009 and played countless hours together – this will be their first time performing together in 15 years! He will be joined by Brice Winston for this special show, focusing on the music of Wayne Shorter and more.

Brice Winston (sax) Matt Panayides (guitar) Chris Finet (bass) Arthur Vint (drums)

**Matt Panayides**

Matt Panayides is a highly acclaimed guitarist and composer based in New York City. Influenced by guitar legends such as Jim Hall, John Scofield, Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix, and Joni Mitchell, he has created a unique sound that has earned him worldwide recognition. Panayides is known for his distinctive playing style and improvisational skills, and he can often be found leading his own groups and collaborating with other musicians both in New York City and abroad.

Panayides is focused on applying concepts developed on his previous three albums to the solo and trio jazz guitar format. He is exploring the American songbook repertoire and compositions by great jazz composers, sculpting arrangements that showcase the natural acoustic sound of his hollow body guitar made by Victor Baker.

(No Cover | 10:30pm Show) After Friday Night’s Show, join drummer Rylande Dodge and his band for Late Night!

($5-$10 | Free Student Entry | 4pm Doors | 4:30pm Show) The Dauphinais Voice Studio presents American Artsons set to Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance in a concert co-produced by the University of Arizona School of Music and the UA Poetry Center.

The Program will feature readings of poetry by Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Arna Bontemps, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and James Weldon Johnson as well as songs set by Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, William Grant Still, Ricky Ian Gordon, Jean Berger and Lori Laitman.

(No Cover | 7pm-10pm) Come jam with Max Goldschmid and the Century Room House band!

($15-$25 tickets | 7pm & 8:30pm sets) Inspired by the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the 17-piece CRJO performs classic big band repertoire every Monday night at the Century Room starting at 7pm. Expect music from the Count Basie Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Thad Jones/Mel Louis Jazz Orchestra and much more! Drummers Arthur Vint, Pete Swan, Kenji Lancaster and Fred Hayes share the drum chair, alternating each week. Advanced tickets recommended!

Rotating (drums) Scott Black (bass) Angelo Versace (piano) Matt Mitchell (guitar) Joseph Rader (bari sax) Kevin Ravellette & Simeon Roth (tenor sax) Eric Nakanishi & Jonas Heidebrecht (alto sax) Jordan Robison, Joshua Schanie, Benjamin Constantinides, Aidan Schofield (trombone) Morani Sanders, Anthony Gibes, Tony Belletti, Jason Carder (trumpet)

($25-$35 tickets | 7pm Presentation | 8:30pm Performance) Grammy-Award Winning Jazz Historian & Educator **Ashley Kahn** returns to the Century Room for a very special presentation on the lives and legacies of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. This show will also feature a musical performance with incredible vocalist **Crystal Stark** along with an star-studded band!

***Billie & Ella: The Two Peaks of Jazz Expression and Protest***

**There is a spectrum in jazz performance, an X axis that has at one extreme musical technique, and at the other end, individual style. Most historians and critics consider these opposites, and that most musicians can be placed somewhere along this spectrum. Take for example, the two mountains of the jazz vocal tradition—Ella Fitzgerald, whose technique and time was impeccable, and Billie Holiday, whose voice was unique and created its own style. This discussion will look at these two singers in their own right—how they used their talents to establish their individual voice and rise above racist restrictions, and address the African American situation through lyrics and song.**

**With**

**Crystal Stark – Vocal**

**Brice Winston – Saxophone**

**Jonathan Eldridge II – Piano**

**Scott Black – Bass**

**Arthur Vint – Drums**