Tucson, AZ ---  As is it heats up and the last of the snowbirds fly away for the summer, the Century Room continues to present the best of local and national live jazz every week! To reward those Tucsonans who are sticking it out this summer. The Century Room has tons of great programming lined up with several specials as well! Starting June 14th, the Century Room will revive their popular late-night reverse happy hour, Thursday through Saturday starting at 10pm. The Century Room is also participating in Visit Tucson’s FREE Summer Streetcar Savings Pass, which gives exclusive access to buy-one get-one tickets to the Monday night Century Jazz Orchestra all summer long!! Lots of Sunday matinees will keep you cool during the day including a special Pride edition of Fruit Cocktail Lounge on June 8th and their annual Father’s Day presentation of Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father” with ½ price tickets for kids!  To celebrate Juneteenth holiday, Jon Eldridge II presents “Songs Across the Black American Spectrum” on Thursday, June 19th.

 

Their summer concert series starts off June 6th and 7th with Los Angeles based drummer Jonathan Pinson and his band “Boom Clap” doing a two-night LIVE RECORDING. You never know, your applause might end up on the first ever “Live at the Century Room” album!  The Century Jazz Orchestra will be hosting a SWING DANCE on Monday June 9th inside the Club Congress with a dance floor courtesy of the Tucson Swing Cats, with an introductory Lindy Hop dance lesson included with the ticket. Other highlights include Grammy winner Bill Cunliffe, NYC jazz organist Pat Bianchi on June 14, NYC guitarist Dave Stryker and the Native American first family of jazz, the Redhouse Family Jazz Band. The Hot Jazz Wednesday series expands to include Latin Jazz with Grupo Arizona and Los Esquineros, in addition to the regular Marco and the Polos New Orleans Jazz Band and the Hot Club of Tucson Gypsy Jazz Band.

 

The Century Room presents over 10 shows each week, anchored by their Monday night 17-piece Century Jazz Orchestra, plus Hot Jazz Wednesdays, Thursday local spotlight, Soul Jazz Organ Lounge, Sunday night jam sessions and weekend Signature concerts and Late Night programming.  It is all accompanied by an award-winning craft cocktail program and an extensive agave spirits list.  New shows get announced every week so visit centuryroomtucson.com for complete listings and more information.

 

JUNE HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

Fri, June 6 & Sat, June 7

Jonathan Pinson’s Boom Clap | Live Recording Night One

 

($25-$35 + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Daring and versatile, American drummer Jonathan Pinson is making his mark across genres and generations. Whether it’s jazz legend Herbie Hancock, saxophone colossus Kamasi Washington, or artistic icon Seal, Pinson brings his bold and empathic musicality to every composition and scenario.

The leader of “Boom Clap,” Pinson is an international artist and educator who aspires to bring joy and healing to the listener through the power of storytelling. Jonathan Pinson’s Boom Clap will be doing a Live album recording in the Century Room June 6 & 7. Catch the magic and be part of history!

Mario Castro (tenor) Andrew Renfroe (guitar) Taber Gable (piano) Kyle Miles (bass) Jonathan Pinson (drums)

 

Sun, June 8

Fruit Cocktail Lounge: PRIDE EDITION!

 

($15 tickets | 3pm doors) Kick off Pride month at Fruit Cocktail Lounge on Sunday June 8!

Join your friends, family and community at Tucson’s premiere LGBTQIA+ jazz cocktail party for a special Pride edition featuring unforgettable performances by host Tyler Wright, Dennis Tamblyn and Prizm from Desert Voices chorus along with the Fruit Cocktail Combo led by our fabulous friend, Khris Dodge! Enjoy downtown Tucson’s only jazz club for a delightful afternoon with stellar entertainment, signature craft cocktails, delectable small plates and fabulous fellowship.

 

Mon, June 9

The Century Room Jazz Orchestra SWING DANCE in the Club!

 

($20-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8pm sets) Inspired by the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the 17-piece CJO performs classic big band repertoire every Monday night in the Century Room. This week we will play a special set for dancers in the Club Congress!

 

Based on the overwhelming success of the International Jazz Day Celebration on the Hotel Congress Plaza, the CJO will host a SWING DANCE on Monday June 9 with dance instructor Rodrigo Romero of the Tucson Swing Cats. Dance lessons starts at 6pm followed by two sets of LIVE swing music performed by the Century Jazz Orchestra at 6:30pm & 8pm. Come learn some Lindy Hop moves and then participate in the social dance! Ticket price include the swing dance lesson at 6pm. There will be limited number of chairs for General Admission, but you can guarantee a seat with Preferred Seating at our two top tables! Don’t plan on sitting much because we’ll have you dancing in no time…

 

Fri, June 13

Bill Cunliffe Trio

 

($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Grammy Award-winning arranger, composer, pianist and bandleader Bill Cunliffe returns to the Century Room! This time, he will be joined by Colin McIlrath (bass) and Arthur Vint (drums).

 

Jazz pianist, composer and Grammy Award-winning arranger Bill Cunliffe is known for his innovative and swinging recordings and compositions. Bill began his career as pianist and arranger with the Buddy Rich Big Band and worked with Frank Sinatra, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson and James Moody. He has since established himself as a solo artist and bandleader, with more than a dozen albums under his name. Bill currently plays with his trio; his big band; his Latin band, Imaginación; and his classical-jazz ensemble, Trimotif. He performs in the U.S. and around the world as a leader and sideman as well as a soloist with symphony orchestras.

 

 

Sat, June 14

Bianchi, Gibson, Mitchell, Vint

 

($20-$30 + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) NYC organist Pat Bianchi, Nash Education Director Clark Gibson, esteemed guitarist Matt Mitchell and Century Room Artistic Director and drummer Arthur Vint form a super group for one very special night in the Century Room!

 

Pat Bianchi has never been afraid to take the concepts of “Jazz Organ” into new directions. His playing draws from a wide range of musical influences including organists Dr. Lonnie Smith and Joey DeFrancesco (both who mentored Bianchi in his early years) but also encompasses other instrumentalists and approaches that stretch beyond the Hammond B-3 world. The result is a unique and creative voice of the organ that acknowledges the tradition while looking forward at the same moment.

 

Clark Gibson is a jazz saxophonist, composer and the Director of Education at The Nash in Phoenix, AZ. He is a highly sought after adjudicator and clinician throughout the country. His forward-thinking music is strongly rooted in the traditions of jazz musicians of the 20th century, the history of Western classical music, his own life experiences, as well as musical traditions from cultures across the globe.

 

A graduate of the University of Arizona’s classical guitar program in the ’90s, Matt Mitchell has gone on to become the top call jazz guitarist in the Southwest. Playing everything from country to modern jazz, Matt co-leads the Hot Club of Tucson, which is dedicated to the music of Django Reinhardt. Matt is a mainstay on the Century Room scene, regularly performing in our Thursday night organ trio, Monday night Jazz Orchestra and with many other ensembles.

 

Drummer, composer, educator and general musical impresario Arthur Vint has been described as a ‘musical chameleon’ as he is able to shape-shift to meet the needs of any style of music and always does so with the right colors for the job. Equally adept at playing modern jazz, early jazz, big band, salsa, country, pop or rock, his drumming style is based around a strong sense of time and arrangement, leading the band from behind with creative grooves and textures.

 

Sun, June 15

Song For My Father: The Music of Horace Silver

 

($10-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 4:30pm show) Celebrate Father’s Day with the Century Room with an all-star band! Brice Winston, Max Goldschmid, Angelo Versace, Colin McIlrath & Arthur Vint will be playing Horace Silver’s classic album Song for My Father as well as other Silver tunes in honor of Father’s Day!

Bring the kids! This event features a limited discounted ticket for families bringing their children. (Because of our limited seating, every guest requires a ticket.)

 

Since its release in 1965, pianist Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father” and the celebrated album that shares its name have withstood the test of time and are among the most recognizable jazz songs today. A photo of Silver’s father is featured as the cover art of the Blue Note album.

”After returning home to New York [from a trip to Brazil], I was haunted by the bossa nova rhythm I had heard in Brazil. So I said to myself, ‘I’m going to try to write a song using that rhythmic concept.’ I sat down at the piano for a few hours and came up with a new song using the bossa nova rhythm. However, the melody didn’t sound Brazilian to me; it sounded more like some of the old Cape Verdean melodies my dad had played. Dad had always wanted me to take some of the old Cape Verdean songs and do jazz interpretations of them…When I realized I had written a new song with a Brazilian rhythmic concept and a Cape Verdean melodic concept, I immediately thought about dedicating the song to Dad. So I titled it ‘Song for My Father’.”

 

Wed, June 18

Aaron Szabo | Los Esquineros

 

($10-$15 + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8pm Sets) Drummer & percussionist Aaron Szabo (Zona Libre, TLJN, et al) brings us “Los Esquineros”, a Latin jazz project co-led with pianist Amilicar Guevara. Expect a blend of of Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythms mixed with jazz and Brazilian melodies. Two sets at 6:30pm & 8pm!

 

Thu, June 19

Jonathan Eldridge II & Team Real New: Songs Across the Black American Spectrum

 

($15-$25 + DICE fees | 6:30pm show) Jonathan Eldridge II, local favorite piano player, composer, arranger and educator brings a selection of original songs to the Century Room stage to help celebrate Juneteenth!

 

Accompanied by some of his closest collaborators, Jonathan’s music is an exploration of and an exercise in the actualization of the lived experience of being a Black American. It is a look at the evolution of music in America, the oneness of Black diaspora musical traditions, and what it truly means to be you.

Featuring Aria Ratcliffe (vocals) Jon Eldridge II (keys) Patrick Morris (bass) Miguel Melgoza (percussion) Casey Handland (drums)

 

Fri, June 20

Dave Stryker Quartet: Messin’ With Mr. T

 

($20-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm shows) With 35 albums under his own name, NYC guitarist Dave Stryker has built a formidable career both as a leader and collaborator with legendary jazz artists like Stanley Turrentine and Jack McDuff. He returns to the Century Room for the 4th time!

 

“Messin’ with Mr. T” is the name of Styker’s 2015 album, which was inspired by his tenure in Turrentine’s band. He revisits the music of Stanley Turrentine backed up by saxophonist Kevin Ravellette, organist Chris Peña, and drummer Arthur Vint.

 

Sat, June 21

Felíz Torralba Sings Ella On Congress

 

($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Century Room welcomes back vocalist Felíz Torralba as she sings Ella on Congress with an all star band featuring Chelsee Hicks!

Join us for an evening of timeless sophistication as locally-acclaimed jazz vocalist, Felíz, pays tribute to the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald. With a voice that is both silken and soul-stirring, Torralba reimagines Ella’s iconic catalog—infusing each phrase with youthful energy, refined nuance, and effortless charm.

 

Hosted in Tucson’s premier upscale jazz lounge, The Century Room, this curated performance offers an intimate escape into the golden era of swing, reinterpreted for today’s discerning audience. Expect masterful renditions of Fitzgerald’s most beloved standards, from the playful scat of “It Don't Mean a Thing” to the sultry elegance of “Dream a Little Dream of Me”

Enjoy an evening wrapped in ambiance, elevated by craft cocktails and candlelight, Felíz Sings!: Ella on Congress.

Featuring Kevin Ravellette (sax) Jeremy Anderson (trumpet) Chris Peña (keys) Thoger Lund (bass) Greg Ashbaugh (drums) with Chelsee Hicks (vocals)

 

Fri, June 27

The Redhouse Family Jazz Band

 

($20-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm shows) The Redhouse Family Jazz Band makes their Century Room debut and their first public performance in over 20 years! The Redhouse Family is known as Arizona’s Native American first family of jazz. Their music is influenced by Latin, fusion, and contemporary jazz, as well as R&B, funk, folk, and traditional Native American sounds and spirituality. Members of the band have been nominated for Grammy awards and have received Native American Music Awards.

Larry Redhouse (piano) Lenny Redhouse (drums) Mary Redhouse (bass, vocals) Tony Redhouse (congas, percussion) Duane Reilley (tenor sax, flute)

 

Sat, June 28

Brice Winston & Katherine Byrnes: Return To Forever

 

($20-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm shows) Saxophonist/flautist Brice Winston and Katherine Byrnes team up to present the music from Chick Corea’s classic “Return To Forever” band! The night will focus on RTF’s first two albums that featured Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim, 1972’s “Return To Forever” and 1973’s “Light As A Feather.” Coming off of playing the Fender Rhodes piano in Miles Davis’ electric band, Chick Corea went on to create two of the most iconic jazz fusion albums of the 1970s with his Return To Forever Band, blending Brazilain Jazz, Spanish Flamenco and Rock and Roll. The original band featured Flora Purim on vocals, Airto Moreira on drums and percussion, Joe Farrell on saxophone and flute, Stanley Clarke on bass, and of course Chick on the Fender Rhodes electric piano.

For this special show, Winston will play sax and flute with Byrnes tackling Purim’s airy vocals. Joining them are Angelo Versace on Fender Rhodes, Colin McIlrath on electric bass and Arthur Vint on drums.

 

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