($25-$35 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Join us for a special night with bassist Ben Wolfe and his trio, featuring vibraphone phenomenon Joel Ross! Joel Ross last performed at the Century Room in September of 2022, so we are very excited to welcome him back!

Joel Ross (vibes) Ben Wolfe (bass) Aaron Kimmel (drums)

BEN WOLFE

New York bassist/composer and bandleader Ben Wolfe’s music has been described as “Mingus and Miles Davis meet Bartok and Bernard Herrmann” (Ben Ratliff – The New York Times). With acclaim by some of the jazz world’s most respected critics, Wolfe continues to produce works that draw top-flight reviews from fans and jazz journalists alike. There is no doubt that after decades as one of the most sought-after bassists in jazz, performing with top names such as Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall and many others, award-winning composer and bandleader Ben Wolfe is clear about his creative direction…

An award-winning composer, Ben is a two-time recipient of Chamber Music America’s New Works: Creation and Presentation Program Grant through the Doris Duke Foundation. First received in 2004, Ben was able to use this funding to compose his extended work “Contradiction: Music for Sextet.” He received the grant in 2020 and composed “Nonet”. Both of these extended works have been recorded for future release.

Wolfe has distinguished himself through a significant catalogue of original music, including over one hundred songs across eleven albums, several extended works, and the film score for Matthew Modine’s 2008 short I Think I Thought. The New York Sun hailed his work on this film as, “a standout music score.”

Wolfe’s early career included Grammy award-winning, platinum-selling collaborations with both Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall, including Harry’s 1988 soundtrack album When Harry Met Sally, and Diana’s 1999 release When I Look in Your Eyes. He appeared alongside both artists on numerous world tours.

Wolfe’s ongoing and close association with Wynton Marsalis; during which Marsalis recorded as a guest on two of his albums, has seen Ben appear on a number of Wynton’s releases, and included a stint in the Wynton Marsalis Septet and membership in the Jazz at Lincoln CenteOrchestra (JLCO), where he performed with jazz luminaries such as Joe Henderson, Doc Cheatham, Jon Hendricks, Harry “Sweets” Edison, and Billy Higgins, among many others. Contemporary jazz greats with whom he has also worked and recorded include Branford Marsalis, Orrin Evans, Eric Reed and Benny Green.

JOEL ROSS

“Ross’ playing erupts through the layers of lush arrangements like consistent currents of electricity, high-powered and full of luminous energy” — DownBeat

For the past several years, Joel Ross has been refining an expression that’s true to his sound and his generation. In 2019, the vibraphonist-composer released his anticipated Blue Note debut KingMaker to eruptive critical acclaim. He’s topped the DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star category for vibraphone and in 2017, he became one of the youngest artists to receive a coveted Residency Commission from The Jazz Gallery. With the release of Who Are You? (Blue Note, 2020), Ross shares the culmination of a year-long exercise in experimenting and risk-taking on and off the bandstand.

($10-$15 + DICE fees | 10:30pm & 11:30pm Sets) After Saturday night’s show, stick around for Late Night with swinging drummer Tim Rachbach, recently back from Europe!

($15-$25 + DICE fees | 4pm doors | 4:30pm show) Ryan David Green’s music has been called “virtuosic acoustic guitar that is remarkably accessible”, with fast fingerwork that is always in service of unmistakeable melodies. A graduate of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Ryan David Green has performed on four continents, been profiled in Acoustic Guitar Magazine, endorsed by Takamine Guitars, and twice been named “Best Guitarist” in the Tucson Music Awards (where he currently resides). He was recently awarded 1st place in the 2024 American Songwriter Song Contest (for “Best Instrumental”), and his original compositions have received numerous film and TV placements, including shows on E!, Lifetime, and ABC Family/Freeform.

($5-$10 + DICE fees | 6:30pm-9:30pm) Come sit in with multi-instrumentalist Max Goldschmid and the Century Room house band! Band opens up with a short set followed by an instrumental jam until 9:30pm. Musicians who sit in get in free!

($20-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8pm sets) Inspired by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the 17-piece Century Jazz Orchestra performs every Monday night at the Century Room starting at 6:30pm. Expect music from the Count Basie Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Thad Jones/Mel Louis Jazz Orchestra, plus classics from Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and much more! An intergenerational ensemble, the CJO fosters community with students, teachers and professionals performing alongside each other and is supported by the Sonora Arts & Music Initiative 501(c)3. Come relive the magic of the big band era every Monday as the CJO keeps the music alive and thriving in the 21st Century!

Some of the musicians you can expect to see on Mondays:

Arthur Vint, Pete Swan, Kenji Lancaster, Fred Hayes (drums) Colin McIlrath, Scott Black (bass) Angelo Versace, Chris Peña, Peter Saxe (piano) Matt Mitchell (guitar) Tim Buechler (bari sax) Kevin Ravellette, Simeon Roth, Dave Long (tenor sax) Eric Nakanishi, Joseph Rader (alto sax) Jordan Robison, Joshua Schanie, Benjamin Constantinides, Aidan Schofield (trombone) Morani Sanders, Addit Smith, Anthony Gibes, Tony Belletti, Jibrael Alsooz, Jason Carder (trumpet).

($25-$35 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Welcome back fan favorite trumpeter, vocalist, arranger & bandleader Danny Jonkuchi as he swings the Great American Songbook! Danny returns for his 3rd Century Room residency with a program of classic jazz performed with timeless style.

Danny Jonokuchi (trumpet) Angelo Versace (piano) Scott Black (bass) Arthur Vint (drums)

Danny Jonokuchi is a multi-talented jazz artist based in New York City and Los Angeles. As a jazz trumpeter, vocalist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator, few artists are as diversely involved in their craft. Whether arranging for artists like Lady Gaga, composing original works for full orchestras, or performing in intimate jazz trios, his distinctive musical voice always shines through. Recognized for his performance on two GRAMMY© Award-winning projects, Jonokuchi has been praised for his “world-class arrangements” (Broadway World) and his work as both a performer and producer. He is also a recipient of several awards including the 2024 ISJAC Wayne Shorter Jazz Arranging Prize, the 2020 ASCAP Foundation Louis Armstrong Award, and he was unanimously named the winner of the 2020 Count Basie Great American Swing Contest.

Danny is originally from Los Angeles and holds a Master’s degree in composition from The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College with the support of the Sir Roland Hanna Memorial Scholarship, and was the recipient of the Boyer Alumni Award as an undergraduate from Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance. His notable mentors include jazz luminaries Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts, Luis Bonilla, Bruce Barth, and John Swana. He has studied composition & arranging with Michael Philip Mossman, John Clayton, Darcy James Argue, Norman David, and David Berger. His early champions were Matt Finders, David Washburn, Ira Nepus, & John Mosley.

Danny performed on two GRAMMY award-winning projects with The Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra and the 8-Bit Big Band, performed on Broadway stages, dozens of studio albums, subbed with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and can be heard trumpeting on the acclaimed game Red Dead Redemption 2. His playing has also been featured on PBS, NPR, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and Good Morning America. Danny has performed on distinguished stages including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broadway’s Lyceum Theater, Birdland Jazz Club, The Blue Note NYC, Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Bimhaus (Netherlands), and the North Sea Jazz Festival. A frequently traveling musician, Danny has performed in the U.K., South Korea, Israel, Germany, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Belgium.

($30-$40 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Join us for a special night of modern piano trio with Jon Cowherd, Tony Scherr and the incomparable Brian Blade!

Keyboardist **Jon Cowherd** might best be known as the cofounder and codirector of Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, but he has also worked extensively as an arranger, producer, songwriter, and accompanist with a vast range of artists, including Cassandra Wilson, John Scofield, Lizz Wright, Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlile, k.d. lang, and Rosanne Cash. “By all rights and designs, pianist/composer Jon Cowherd should be a star in modern music circles.” —‍WBGO

**Brian Blade** established himself as a versatile, accomplished drummer early in his career, appearing on albums by the likes of Joshua Redman, Kenny Garrett, and Bob Dylan. Blade released his first album, Brian Blade Fellowship, at the age of 27 in 1998 and followed two years later with Perceptual, both on Blue Note. Always an in-demand sideman and collaborator, Blade continued to find work with a varied bevy of artists, including Joni Mitchell, Bill Frisell, and Wayne Shorter. “A peerless drummer with a gift for subtle shading and flowing undertow.” —NPR

**Tony Scherr** became a prolific session musician in the late ’80s, working with artists including Bill Frisell, John Scofield, and Norah Jones. He has been a member of several bands, including the Lounge Lizards and Sex Mob. Scherr owns a recording studio and has worked as record producer for many of the artists he performs with. “Singer-songwriter soul, the chops of a jazzman.” —New York Times

($20-$30 + DICE fees | 4pm doors | 4:30pm show) Join vocalist Nia Elise and a powerhouse group of musicians as they pay tribute to the iconic songstress, Anita Baker. This show will revisit the timeless sound that defined an era filled with soul, romance, and elegance.

Nia Elise (vocals) Meredith Alvarado & Erika Segura (background vocals) Jamar Harmon (keys) Shua Taylor (guitar) Johnny Walker (bass) Joshua Sailor (drums)

($5-$10 + DICE fees | 6:30pm-9:30pm) Come sit in with multi-instrumentalist Max Goldschmid and the Century Room house band! Band opens up with a short set followed by an instrumental jam until 9:30pm. Musicians who sit in get in free!

($30-$40 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8pm Sets) Welcome back fan favorite trumpeter, composer, arranger & bandleader Danny Jonokuchi as he premiers new big band repertoire and revisits arrangements from his award winning albums “Voices” and “A Decade.” Joining Danny is beloved vocalist Katherine Byrnes who will bring life to Danny’s amazing original big band arrangements! Katherine will be belting and Danny will be conducting the band and playing some solos out in front of the 17-piece Century Jazz Orchestra!

KATHERINE BYRNES

Katherine Byrnes is an award-winning vocalist, educator and concert producer based in Tucson, AZ. She is the sell-out headliner of “Tapestry: The Album”, a show honoring Carole King’s landmark album and “Piece Of My Heart”, her tribute to Janis Joplin. She toured China as the featured vocalist for Art.if.act Dance Project’s “Great American Dance Tour”, and all across Europe and the US as a harmony singer in Blue Note recording artist Amos Lee’s band. She has sung with acts as diverse as the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona legends Calexico, and cumbia sensation Orkesta Mendoza, She also co-leads the band Sweet Ghosts with her partner Ryan Alfred.

​​​Raised in the Sonoran Desert, Katherine is a proud member of the eclectic Tucson arts community, both onstage and behind the scenes. She is the co-director and choreographer of The Gaslight Theatre, and assistant director of the Pastime Players, a program that helps children with special abilities build confidence through singing, acting, and dancing. She is also the designer and director of The Gaslight Theatre’s summer musical theater camp for kids.

DANNY JONOKUCHI

Danny Jonokuchi is a multi-talented jazz artist based in New York City and Los Angeles. As a jazz trumpeter, vocalist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator, few artists are as diversely involved in their craft. Whether arranging for artists like Lady Gaga, composing original works for full orchestras, or performing in intimate jazz trios, his distinctive musical voice always shines through. Recognized for his performance on two GRAMMY© Award-winning projects, Jonokuchi has been praised for his “world-class arrangements” (Broadway World) and his work as both a performer and producer. He is also a recipient of several awards including the 2024 ISJAC Wayne Shorter Jazz Arranging Prize, the 2020 ASCAP Foundation Louis Armstrong Award, and he was unanimously named the winner of the 2020 Count Basie Great American Swing Contest.

Danny is originally from Los Angeles and holds a Master’s degree in composition from The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College with the support of the Sir Roland Hanna Memorial Scholarship, and was the recipient of the Boyer Alumni Award as an undergraduate from Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance. His notable mentors include jazz luminaries Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts, Luis Bonilla, Bruce Barth, and John Swana. He has studied composition & arranging with Michael Philip Mossman, John Clayton, Darcy James Argue, Norman David, and David Berger. His early champions were Matt Finders, David Washburn, Ira Nepus, & John Mosley.

Danny performed on two GRAMMY award-winning projects with The Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra and the 8-Bit Big Band, performed on Broadway stages, dozens of studio albums, subbed with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and can be heard trumpeting on the acclaimed game Red Dead Redemption 2. His playing has also been featured on PBS, NPR, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and Good Morning America. Danny has performed on distinguished stages including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broadway’s Lyceum Theater, Birdland Jazz Club, The Blue Note NYC, Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Bimhaus (Netherlands), and the North Sea Jazz Festival. A frequently traveling musician, Danny has performed in the U.K., South Korea, Israel, Germany, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Belgium.

($25-$35 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Uniting two of the most dynamic forces in contemporary jazz, Ron Jackson and Eric Person bring their distinctive styles to the forefront with “NYC Jazz Stories.” Seven-string guitar virtuoso Ron Jackson is a world-renowned performer, composer, and educator who has graced stages in over 30 countries. Known for his artistry and innovation, Jackson’s career highlights include producing and performing on Kevin Powell’s GRAMMY® Award-nominated album, Grocery Shopping With My Mother. With more than 10 albums as a leader, including the critically acclaimed Standards and My Songs (2022), Jackson is celebrated as one of the few master jazz guitarists specializing in both six- and seven-string instruments.

Eric Person, an acclaimed saxophonist and composer, has performed with jazz legends such as McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland, and Chico Hamilton. A prolific bandleader, Person heads multiple ensembles, including the Eric Person Quartet and Big Band. With 12 albums as a leader, his latest release, Rhythm Edge (2024), showcases his unique sound and compositional prowess. A fixture on prestigious stages worldwide, Person is also dedicated to jazz education, serving as an adjunct saxophone instructor at Bard College.

Accompanied by a solid rhythm section of Arthur Vint-Drums and Chris Pena-Organ, these NYC-based jazz powerhouses combine their talents for an electrifying journey through the sounds and stories of jazz. From iconic venues like Birdland and Zinc Bar to international jazz festivals, their collaboration is a celebration of innovation, tradition, and artistry.

“Jackson is a master of the seven-string, which puts him in the ranks of a select few.” – Adam Perlmutter, JazzTimes

“Person is more than fine; he’s a major talent of his generation.” – Russ Musto, All About Jazz

Eric Person (alto sax) Ron Jackson (7-string guitar) Chris Peña (organ) Arthur Vint (drums)

(Ticketing handled by Arizona Arts Live | 6:30pm & 8:30pm shows) Arizona Arts Live & Center Stage present Egyptian oud master Mohamed Abozekry in a moving evening filled with unbridled imagination and improvisation.

“With brilliant, inventive virtuosity that goes far beyond technical mastery…Abozekry’s compositions are interwoven with jazz, Arabic modes, and swirling ardor.” – Le Monde (France)

Mohamed Abozekry is one of today’s most exciting and creative musicians. Born in Cairo, Abozekry is a master of the oud — a beautiful, pear-shaped string instrument often called the “grandfather of the guitar.” Blending the sounds of his homeland with jazz, classical, and world music, Mohamed Abozekry creates something completely his own. His music feels both ancient and new, carrying the soul of Egypt.

With a talented group of six musicians from two continents (Camille Maussion on saxophone; George Nabil on keyboards; André Segone on bass; Ahmed Aly on percussion; Kerdani on drums; and Mohamed Abozekry on the Oud and vocals), Mohamed Abozekry’s performance is a powerful journey through improvisation, rhythm, and emotion. This is a rare chance to experience a modern master reimagining centuries-old traditions in thrilling, unexpected ways.

6:30pm https://www.ticketmaster.com/mohammed-abozekry-tucson-arizona-09-20-2025/event/1900631AC96B3B3C

8:30pm https://www.ticketmaster.com/mohammed-abozekry-tucson-arizona-09-20-2025/event/1900631ACA473B9D

($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm) On the heels of her JazzWeek radio chart topping album RIOFONIC, vocalist Mafalda Minnozzi makes her first westward tour from her home bases of NY, Brazil and Italy. Italian born and Brazilian baptized via her over 20 albums and touring career in Brazil that includes duets with the legendary Milton Nascimento, Joao Bosco and Leny Andrade, Mafalda will surprise with her blend of the Brazilian, American, French and Italian songbook classics wrapped up in an exciting arranging style with NY guitarist Paul Ricci. Their unique takes and improvisational twists blend the familiar with the unexpected. Mafalda connects in a visceral way that has moved audiences from NY’s top jazz clubs to festivals and theaters throughout Europe, S. America and even Bahrain.

“Minnozzi is boundlessly expressive… connecting to each lyric viscerally, regardless of language … where everything including body language and gesture heightens the emotional impact of her delivery. Minnozzi’s approach to a song is one of a kind.” David Adler, editor-in-chief JazzTimes magazine

MAFALDA MINNOZZI

Mafalda Minnozzi has arrived in NY on the jazz scene by way of a long journey across three continents. Originating in Italy and evolving in Brazil to the USA with many stops on the way, the musical language that evolved from her journey comes to light on her latest álbum “RIOFONIC”.

After recording over 20 albums in Brazil, Mafalda’s latest release is her fourth in a series for the American jazz market in collaboration with producer, guitarist and arranger Paul Ricci. Her first was the critically acclaimed Brazilian based “SENSORIAL – Portraits in Bossa & Jazz” (2020) featuring Art Hirahara, Rogerio Boccato, Essiet Okon Essiet, Will Calhoun, Victor Jones and Harvie S. It is still in rotation on WBGO radio and has earned her Latin Jazz Artist of the Month on WUCF radio.

PAUL RICCI

An accomplished stylist born out of the NYC jazz scene and nourished by a life of touring through Brazil, Italy and beyond, Ricci has integrated Brazilian, Latin, African and Caribbean musical accents into something unique as a soloist, composer, arranger and especially as accompanist to vocalist Mafalda Minnozzi.

From his time in the jazz clubs with Jaki Byard, Michael Wolff, Dennis Irwin, Sonny Fortune, David Kikoski, Harold Vick, Victor Jones, Santi DeBriano, Mino Cinelu, Dom Um Romao, Hugo Fattoruso, Mike Clark, Larry Willis and so many others to performances with Bobby Sanabria, Bebel Gilberto, the African Blue Note Band and tours with Astrud Gilberto and Harry Belafonte, it can be said that the musical choices he makes come from a life in the music. His album with Anthony Jackson, Steve Jordan, Randy Brecker and others speaks to the reach of his sound.

His collaboration with Minnozzi has produced over 20 albums and countless concerts that have culminated in RIOFONIC, Minnozzi’s latest that placed in the top 10 on the prestigious JazzWeek chart for a 13 week period.

($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Tucson’s tenor titan Brice Winston takes the stage for a powerful retrospective concert celebrating the timeless music of John Coltrane. Winston brings both technical mastery and deep emotional resonance to Coltrane’s iconic works, from the hard-swinging energy of his early recordings to the spiritual intensity of his later compositions. With a sound that is at once commanding and lyrical, Winston pays tribute to one of jazz’s greatest visionaries while offering his own unique perspective shaped by decades of performance and collaboration.

Featuring Brice Winston (tenor & soprano sax) Angelo Versace (piano) Colin McIlrath (bass) Arthur Vint (drums)

($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Century Room welcomes back vocalist Felíz Torralba as she brings Broadway to Congress!

Felíz and her band will explore jazz standards in musical theatre from every decade since the 1920s. With household hits like My Favorite Things, On The Street Where You Live, and Anything Goes. This toe-tapping night of live music is sure to enthrall Jazz and Musical Theatre fans alike bringing to light the influence that American Musical Theatre has made on the world of Jazz through the decades.

This musical revue stars local vocalist Felíz Torralba whose background in musical theatre and Jazz date back to childhood. Torralba has long collaborated with local theatre companies as a music director and actress. She has, in adult life, found a deep love for jazz and finds it to resonate with those theatre roots. Felíz would like to educate and entertain the Century Room audience about those connections between musical theatre and jazz standards as they have influenced her as an artist.

with

Max Goldschmid (sax) Jeremy Anderson (trumpet) Alassane Diarra (keys) Colin McIlrath (bas), Teo Fabris (drums)

Dramaturgy by Gaby De Brequet