($25-$35 | 7pm & 9pm shows) TOM WAKELING’S “STRINGS & THINGS” Down-home Blues and Jazz meets Brazilian Choro.
Bassist Tom Wakeling’s “Strings and Things” embraces jazz’ past, present, and future with vibrant rhythms and an elegant, hard-swinging style. From beautiful and exciting Brazilian Choro rhythms to down-home Blues and Jazz, their joyful spontaneity and unique repertoire is filled with surprise, beauty, and creativity.
Featuring seven-string guitar legend Howard Alden, six-string bass guitarist, Todd Johnson, bass violinist Tom Wakeling, and special guest Arthur Vint (drums).
**TOM WAKELING**
Bassist Tom Wakeling’s musical travels have taken him throughout Europe, Asia, and North America to perform and record at major festivals, jazz clubs, and concert halls.
Wakeling has put his bass to work with many of the jazz greats, including Arturo Sandoval, Lee Konitz, Mel Torme, Benny Golson, James Moody, Herb Ellis, Mose Allison, Charlie Rouse, Houston Person, Ken Peplowski, Ernie Watts, Scott Hamilton, Charles McPherson, Carl Fontana, and Herb Geller..
Tom has shared the stage with some of the most significant jazz pianists and drummers of our time, including Albert “Tootie” Heath, Lewis Nash, Jeff Hamilton, Mickey Roker, Butch Miles, Grady Tate, Dave Frishberg, Bill Mays, Roger Kellaway, Mike Wofford, Larry Fuller, Bruce Barth, Randy Porter, and Art Lande.
Wakeling’s “show biz” credits include playing in the orchestras of national touring shows such as “Cats”, “A Chorus Line”, the Joffrey Ballet, “Grease”, and “Damn Yankees” (with Jerry Lewis). He’s also backed up such showbiz figures as Della Reese, Mickey Rooney, Red Skelton, Rich Little, and the Fifth Dimension.
“…Excellent, exciting playing….” – TorontoJazz.com
“Bassist Tom Wakeling provides the great foundation upon which all else is built…” – Jazz Times
**HOWARD ALDEN**
Virtuoso guitarist Howard Alden, acknowledged as “…the best of his generation” by JazzTimes, can be heard on the soundtrack to the Woody Allen movie “Sweet and Lowdown”, starring Sean Penn. Howard not only played all the guitar solos, but also coached Mr. Penn on playing the guitar for his role in the film.
“A modern maestro…an original virtuoso…one of the 75 Great Guitarists of all time”, is how Downbeat, the world’s leading jazz magazine, describes Alden.
Having lived in New York City and toured the world many times over, Howard’s impressive performing, touring, and recording credits include such artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Torme, Charlie Byrd, Mavis Rivers, Benny Carter, Joe Williams, Flip Phillips, Mel Powell, Bud Freeman, Kenny Davern, Clark Terry, George Van Eps, Woody Herman and scores of others.
Howard’s inimitable playing has also been sought out by rock-blues-pop icon Steve Miller for recording projects and live appearances.
Alden plays the seven-string guitar, which imparts a greater range and harmonic richness to Alden’s already colorful tonal palette, as evidenced on so many of his remarkable recordings. He has appeared on over 100 recordings, including more than 30 recordings under his own name.
“I’m meat and potatoes, but he’s the real deal!” – Vince Gill
“It’s the best recording of the seven-string guitar I’ve ever heard.” – Leo Kottke
“If there is such a thing as a complete jazz guitarist, then Alden is it.” – The London Observer
**TODD JOHNSON**
Todd Johnson is recognized as a pioneer of the six-string electric bass. Todd has developed an innovative technique where he plays chord changes and bass lines simultaneously. His ability to play “chord melody” and bass lines gives him a uniquely rich and full sound. A unique musician with a unique instrument, Johnson stretches the limits in creating new sounds and directions with the electric bass guitar.
Todd was an integral member of the critically acclaimed jazz trio of guitarist Ron Eschete for many years. He has performed, toured and/or recorded with such artists as Mike Stern, Poncho Sanchez, Frank Potenza, Dave Weckl, Scott Henderson, Plas Johnson, Lew Tabackin, Jack Sheldon, Rufus Reid, Mundell Lowe, Michael Manring, Paul Humphrey, Kristin Korb, and Frank Gambale.
In demand for residencies and master classes at prestigious institutions such as the Academy of Contemporary Music (London), Basscool (Lille, France), and Berklee College of Music, Todd’s instructional videos and books are published worldwide by Alfred Publishing, Inc.
“Johnson’s sophisticated chord melodies are unrivaled amongst his contemporaries…his innovative bass playing style is anything but traditional.” – Bassically.net
“Todd Johnson brings more than mastery to the electric bass; he brings a new vision of the instrument that greatly expands its musical horizon. Todd has found the freedom of extra strings, and as such has developed a distinctive solo voice on his instrument.” – Jim Fisch
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