Noah Haidu Buster Williams Lenny White at The Century Room

Noah Haidu, Buster Williams and Lenny White performed at The Century Room @thecenturyroom July 1, 2023.

Pianist Noah Haidu has arrived as an important new voice in jazz who combines modernism, soul, and swing into his own unique approach. Recently the national media has focused on Noah as a force to be reckoned with: The Wall Street Journal singled out Haidu for a major write-up stating that “by now he has his own unique approach…sounding buoyant and and free like a pent up spirit released.”

Buster Williams has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Herbie Hancock to name just a few.

Lenny White is still best-known for being part of Chick Corea's Return To Forever in the 1970's. He largely started his career on top, playing regularly with Jackie McLean (1968) and recording "Bitches Brew" with Miles Davis in 1969.

On the evening:

  • Noah Haidu - piano @noahhaidu

  • Buster Williams - bass @busterwilliamsofficial

  • Lenny White - drums @lennywhitemusic

#thecenturyroom #noahhaidu #busterwilliams #lennywhite #jazzclub #jazzpianist #jazzbassist #jazzdrummer #tucson #arizona #jazzintucson #thebestinarizona #josephberg #jazzphotography #jazzphotographer #jazzmusicianportrait #concertphotographer #musicphotographer #blackandwhite #jazzimage

Running From Bears at The Century Room

Running From Bears performs at The Century Room @thecenturyroom in Tucson, AZ May 19, 2023.

Running From Bears is one of the leading creative jazz ensembles in the Southwest. Formed in 2009, this eclectic Phoenix-based sextet is known for adventurous compositions, imaginative arrangements including live jazz mash-ups, and exhilarating improvisations.

On the evening:

  • Eric Rasmussen - alto saxophone @erassax

  • Adam Roberts - tenor saxophone @adam.roberts

  • Keith Kelly - tenor saxophone @a_grand_apparatus

  • Ray Lebert - guitar @raystaypaidnasty

  • Ben Hedquist - bass @ben.hedquist.bass

  • Ryan Anthony - drums @ryan.anthony.music

#runningfrombears #thecenturyroom #ericrasmussen #adamroberts #keithkelly #raylebert #benhedquist #ryananthony #tucson #arizona #jazz #jazzintucson #jazzmusicianportrait #josephberg #jazzphotographer #jazzphotography #thebestinarizona #concertphotographer #musicphotographer #jazzclub

Ben Wendel at The Century Room

Ben Wendel and the Ben Wendel Group performed at The Century Room October 13, 2023.

Grammy nominated saxophonist Ben Wendel was born in Vancouver, Canada and raised in Los Angeles. Currently living in Brooklyn, NY, he has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, composer and producer. Highlights include tours, performances and/or recordings with artists such as Tigran Hamasyan, Antonio Sanchez, Gerald Clayton, Eric Harland, Taylor Eigsti, Linda May Han Oh, Moonchild, Louis Cole, Daedelus, Snoop Dogg and the artist formerly known as Prince. Ben is a founding member of the Grammy nominated group Kneebody.

On the evening:

  • Ben Wendel - saxophone

  • Taylor Eigsti - piano

  • Or Barequette - bass

  • Jonathan Pinson - drums

As a composer, he has received an ASCAP Jazz Composer Award, the 2008, 2011 and 2017 Chamber Music America “New Works Grant” and was awarded the Victor Lynch-Staunton award by the Canada Council For The Arts. He also co-wrote the score for John Krasinski's adaptation of David Foster Wallace’s "Brief Interviews With Hideous Men."

@benwendel @tayloreigsti @orbareket @jonathanpinson @thecenturyroom #benwendel #tayloreigsti #orbareket #jonathanpinson #thecenturyroom #tucson #arizona #jazzintucson #jazzmusicianportrait #josephberg #jazzphotographer #jazzphotography #concertphotographer #concertphotography

Bill Charlap Solo Piano at The Century Room

Bill Charlap @billcharlapmusic presented a one-set-only solo piano show for a very grateful sold-out audience at The Century Room @thecenturyroom on November 11, 2023.

“Charlap approaches a song the way a lover approaches his beloved…when he sits down to play, the result is an embrace, an act of possession. The tune rises, falls, disappears and resurfaces in new forms as Charlap ranges over the keyboard with nimble, crisply swinging lines, subtly layered textures, dense chords and spiky interjections.” - TIME Magazine

Grammy Award winning pianist, Bill Charlap has performed and recorded with many leading artists of our time, ranging from jazz masters Phil Woods and Wynton Marsalis to singers Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand. Since 1997, he has led the Bill Charlap Trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, recognized as one of the leading groups in jazz.

#billcharlap #piano #jazz #solopiano #thecenturyroom #tucson #arizona #tucsonjazzscene #jazzmusicianportrait #josephberg #jazzphotographer #arizonasbest

The Heavy Hitters at The Century Room

The Heavy Hitters returned to The Century Room @thecenturyroom for their 2nd appearance on December 7, 2023. The band presented compositions calling upon the timelessness of old Blue Note sounds. The Heavy Hitters are co-led by Mike LeDonne, New York-based bop pianist best known for his sideman work with Milt Jackson and Benny Golson. His partner in crime, Eric Alexander (himself a first-rate soloist working with Harold Mabern amongst others) was his quartet-mate on a well-received series of releases on the Venus label in the mid-2000’s.

The Heavy Hitters at The Century Room

LeDonne & Alexander were joined in this powerhouse ensemble by the fiery trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, bassist Alexander Claffy and the sublime swing of drummer Kenny Washington. These world-renowned musicians are the epitome of New York jazz and are known for bringing the heat and taking no prisoners.

On the evening:

  • Mike LeDonne - piano @mikeledonne5

  • Jeremy Pelt - trumpet @jeremypeltthegriot

  • Vincent Herring - alto saxophone @vincent.herring

  • Eric Alexander - tenor saxophone @ericalexanderjazz

  • Alexander Claffy - bass @claffybass

  • Kenny Washington - drums @kwjazzdrums

#heavyhitters #theheavyhitters #mikeledonne #ericalexander #vincentherring #jeremypelt #alexanderclaffy #kennywashington #thecenturyroom #centuryroom #tucson #jazz #bop #hardbop #bebop #bluenote #bestconcertphotographerintucson #bestconcertphotographerinarizona #jazzportrait #sextet

Christian Sands Trio at The Century Room

Playing with his trio, Grammy nominated pianist Christian Sands performed at The Century Room in Tucson, Arizona on March 31, 2023.

Playing music from his stunning new album, Be Water, Sands takes inspiration from water’s tranquility and power and muses on the possibilities offered by echoing its fluidity and malleability. Just embarking on his 30s, Sands has already enjoyed a remarkable career trajectory, touring and recording with Christian McBride’s Inside Straight and Trio, as well as collaborating with the likes of Gregory Porter and Ulysses Owens.

On the evening:

  • Christian Sands - piano @christiansandsjazz

  • Jermaine Paul - bass @kidogo.wav

  • Jonathan Pinson - drums @jonathanpinson

#christiansands #jermainepaul #jonathanpinson #thecenturyroom #centuryroom #tucson #arizona #tucsonaz #tucsonmusicscene #tucsonjazzscene #jazz #josephbergjazzphotographer #josephbergjazzphotography

Freddie Jay Walker at The Century Room

Freddy Jay Walker on guitar at The Century Room in Tucson.

Freddy 'Jay' Walker @freddyjaymusic_ is a multi-instrumentalist with styles that include original Latin, Jazz, Blues, R&B, Neo-Soul, and more. Self-taught, he began his musical journey playing the drums which lead him to the bass, electric and acoustic guitar, and the piano. His work as a composer / producer has been featured in independent award winning short films, docu-series, and commercials.

#freddiejaywalker #thecenturyroom #centuryroom #tucson #jazz #blues #randb #neosoul #josephberg #jazzphotographer #jazzphotography #tucsonjazzfestival

Gracie Jay at The Century Room Tucson

Gracie Jay and the Gracie Jay Quartet perform at The Century Room in Tucson, Arizona. Most recently hailing from New Orleans Gracie consistently works as a lead vocalist, composer, arranger, and teacher of music with an extensive repertoire in jazz, motown, blues, soul, gospel and r&b.

On the evening:

  • Gracie Jay - Vocals @missgraciejay

  • Jon Eldridge II - Piano @teamrealnew

  • Jeffrey Sandberg - Bass

  • Casey Hadland - Drums

#graciejay #joneldridge #jeffreysandberg #caseyhadland #centuryroom #thecenturyroom #jazz #tucson #arizona #jazzsinger #jazzvocals #josephberg #jazzphotography #jazzphotographer

Bill Charlap Trio at The Century Room

The Grammy winning Bill Charlap Trio featuring Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums perform at The Century Room in Tucson, Arizona. The group, which has been together nearly a quarter-century, has a new highly acclaimed album out on Blue Note Records, “Street Of Dreams”.

On the day:

  • Bill Charlap - @billcharlapmusic - piano

  • Peter Washington - bass

  • Kenny Washington - @kwjazzdrums - drums

  • The Century Room - @thecenturyroom - venue

  • Steinway Pianos - @steinwayandsons - piano

#billcharlap #billcharlaptrio #peterwashington #kennywashington #thecenturyroom #tucson #arizona #jazz #josephberg #jazzphotographer #jazzphotography #bop #bebop #hardbob #steinwaypiano #jazzpiano #jazzpianist #hotelcongress

Benny Benack III at The Century Room

Master showman Benny Benack III, “A Lot of Livin' To Do” presented by The Century Room. Benack, the trumpeter and singer, wowed The Century Room at The Hotel Congress patrons with his intonation and bracing virtuosity that enabled him to handle feats of originally composed vocalese. And he’s a capable pianist as well.

By age 28, Benack has proven to be a rare talent; not only a trumpet player with a command of the bebop and hardbop trumpet vernacular in the vein of Kenny Dorham and Blue Mitchell, but also a singer with a mature, naturally expressive delivery.

Benny Benack III and The Century Room founder Arthur Vint attended the Manhattan School of Music together where they played in Bobby Sanabria's Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra and recorded the critically acclaimed album "¡Que Viva Harlem!"

On the evening:

  • Benny Benack III: Trumpet | @bbjazziii

  • Jonathan Eldridge II: Piano |

  • Max Goldschmid: Saxophone | @max.goldschmid

  • Colin McIlrath: Bass | @molinccilrath

  • Arthur Vint: Drums | @arthurvint

  • The Century Room: Venue | @thecenturyroom

#bennybenack #bennybenackIII #jonathaneldridge #maxgoldschmid #colinmcilrath #arthurvint #centuryroom #thecenturyroom #hotelcongress #tucson #jazztrumpet #jazzpiano #jazzsaxophone #jazzbass #jazzdrummer #jazzclub #jazzlife #jazzlover #tucsonmusicscene #tucsonmusicphotographer

#josephbergjazzphotographer #jazzphotographer #concertphotographer #musicphotographer #jazzphoto #livejazz #jazzmusic #jazzportrait #jazz