Saxophonist, composer and arranger Virginia Mayhew returns to Wilton Library to headline a Hot & Cool: Jazz at the Brubeck Room concert on Sunday, November 11 at 4 p.m. She was greeted with an enthusiastic welcome when she played at the library in 2009. Her group for this performance includes Ed Cherry on guitar, Andy Watson on drums, Noah Bless on trombone, and Harvie S, who also has graced the Brubeck Room stage, on bass.
Virginia has been an active participant in the New York jazz scene for the past 25 years working with renowned artists such as Earl 'Fatha' Hines, Frank Zappa, James Brown, Al Grey and many others. She has appeared as a leader in most of New York City’s top jazz venues as well as performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. She has traveled twice as a representative of the US as a Jazz Ambassador, has six CDs under her own name and many with others. In addition to leading her own groups, Virginia is the musical director for the Duke Ellington Legacy Band and Duke Ellington Legacy Big Band. Dan McClenaghan writes in All About Jazz, “Who’s this Virginia Mayhew woman anyway, Dexter Gordon’s daughter? Sonny Rollin’s niece? She plays the saxophone like a blood relative of those two giants…”
Guitarist Ed Cherry has been part of the New York jazz scene for more than 34 years, having worked alongside Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D’Rivera, John Patton, and many others. He has toured Europe and Japan, performing in numerous jazz festivals around the world. He has released several critically acclaimed CDs. He also is a music educator having taught classes in New Jersey and New York.
Drummer Andy Watson has had a longtime presence in the New York jazz landscape and has performed with notables such as Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bill Frisell, Benny Golson, Jim Hall, Tom Harrell, John Hendricks, Wood Herman, Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis, Marian McPartland, James Mood and others. Andy has toured extensively throughout the US, Europe, Japan and South America.
Trombone player Noah Bless has collaborated on dozens of albums for various artists, along with performing and touring worldwide with diverse bands including the Ellington Legacy Band, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and so many others. He has played with jazz greats such as Wynton Marsalis, Little Louis Vega and Jocelyn Brown, to name a few. His work has been recognized with major industry awards and recognition including the Grammys and the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.
Harvie S played the Brubeck Room in the beginning of this year, provided wonderful music for a library benefit this fall and is welcomed this time as a member of the Virginia Mayhew Group. Playing his bass, Harvie has performed with jazz and Latin masters including Stan Getz, Jim Hall, Michael Brecker, Toots Thielemans, Paquito D’Rivera, Tony Bennett, Ray Barretto and Sheila Jordan. He has a hundreds of CDs on which he can be heard, including thirteen as a leader and fifteen as a co-leader. He performs worldwide and is a jazz bass instructor at The Manhattan School of Music.
Caption: The Virginia Mayhew Group performs in concert at Wilton Library’s Hot & Cool: Jazz at the Brubeck Room, Sunday, Nov. 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. Suggested donation: $10. For information and registration: www.wiltonlibrary.org or 203-762-3950, ext. 213, Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT.
An informal reception follows the concert at which CDs will be available for purchase and signing. The suggested donation for the concert is $10 per person. Hot & Cool concerts are funded by the William and Karen Tell Foundation with special thanks to Ed and Catherine Romer and Chris and Tish Brubeck. Advance registration is strongly suggested. Pre-registrants should arrive by 3:50 p.m. to be guaranteed seating; wait-listed and walk-in registrants will be admitted after that if space is available. For information or to register, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org and click on “Events” or call 203 -762-3950, ext. 213. Wilton Library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center.
