Tucson, AZ --- As the Century Room enters its third year of operation, many of the world's top jazz artists continue to fill the venue with regularity. Sold out shows are no longer a rarity.
The Century Room now offers over 10 shows each week, including their Monday night 17-piece Jazz Orchestra, Hot Jazz Wednesdays, Thursday local spotlight, Sunday night jam sessions and
weekend Signature concerts and Late Night programming. Spring programming includes world class talents like Donny McCaslin, Bill Frisell, Or Bareket and others, as well as tributes to Benny Goodman
and JJ Johnson and so much more. Listed below is a sampling of the great talent coming to the Century Room this spring. For the complete schedule visit https://hotelcongress.com/venues/centuryroom/
SPRING SHOWS AT THE CENTURY ROOM
Saturday March 30: Armen Donelian with Jay Anderson & Dennis Mackrel ($30-$40 | 7pm & 9pm Shows)
Since 1975, pianist and composer Armen Donelian has performed internationally in major venues in over 25 countries backing up legends like Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Mongo Santamaria, Billy Harper,
Jackie Paris, Anne Marie Moss, Paquito D’Rivera, Night Ark, Ivo Papasov and others. He brings his New York based trio of Jay Anderson and Dennis Mackrel to the Century Room for the 2nd time!
Thursday April 4: Brandon Sanders Quartet ($20-$30 | 7pm & 9pm shows)
Join the Century Room in welcoming Downbeat Magazine award-winning drummer Brandon Sanders and his band from New York for an excellent night of music! A vibrantly gifted jazz drummer, Brandon Sanders is known for his hard-swinging, yet sophisticated approach to acoustic post-bop jazz. Raised on the West Coast, he first garnered attention in the 2000s after moving to New York City and playing with artists like Joe Lovano, Peter Bernstein, and Esperanza Spalding. In 2023, he made his solo debut with his album “Compton’s Finest” which landed on Downbeat Magazine’s “Best Albums of 2023” list.
Joining him are Eric Wheeler, Chris Lewis & Luther Allison.
Friday & Saturday April 5 & 6: Yayennings Quintet ($25-$35 | 7pm & 9pm shows)
The Century Room is proud to present 4-time Grammy Award-winning Snarky Puppy trumpeter Jay Jennings! Jay began playing trumpet in the small town of Grapevine, Texas at age 11 and started playing professionally by age 15. Since those first few notes came jumping out of the horn with surprising ease, Jay has known that he is at his core and essence a trumpet player. Known for his work with jazz supergroup Snarky Puppy, Jay Jennings has had a fruitful career has backing up some of the world’s finest artists such as Aretha Franklin, Michael McDonald, David Crosby, David Bowie, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Four Tops, and many more. April 5 features Kevin Ravellette, Angelo Versace, Colin McIlrath & Arthur Vint. April 6 features Brice Winston, Matt Mitchell, Colin McIlrath & Arthur Vint.
Tuesday April 9: Bill Frisell Solo Guitar (SOLD OUT! | 7pm & 9pm Shows)
Widely regarded as one of one of the most important guitar players in the jazz idiom, Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 40 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as *“the best recorded output of the decade” The Century Room is proud to welcome Bill Frisell to the stage for very special one-night solo guitar performance.
Thursday April 11: Nick Finzer: A Centennial Celebration of JJ Johnson ($20-$30 tickets | 7pm & 9pm sets)
Acclaimed trombonist Nick Finzer returns to the Century Room for his 2nd annual appearance to celebrate the music and legacy of JJ Johnson! Hailed as a “Rising Star” in the world of jazz (DownBeat Critics Poll), Nick Finzer is making waves in the music industry with his dynamic original compositions and trombone artistry. Finzer has toured the globe as a bandleader as well as sharing the stage with some of the most respected names in jazz. As both a headlining trombonist and an entrepreneur, Finzer is on a mission to spread the joy and power of jazz. Playing the music from latest album “Legacy – A Celebration of JJ Johnson,” Nick will be joined by Angelo Versace, Scott Black and Arthur Vint.
Friday April 12: Donny McCaslin Quartet ($30-$40 | 7pm & 9pm Shows)
Donny McCaslin is best known as the saxophonist on David Bowie’s last album, “Blackstar”, but the noted composer and bandleader has released a dozen albums over his genre-defying, Grammy-nominated career. He brings his electric quartet to the Century Room for the first time! McCaslin began playing at age 12, and as a teenager, performed in his vibraphonist father’s band in Santa Cruz. By high school, he had appeared multiple times at the Monterey Jazz Festival. After attending Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship, McCaslin became a sought-after player in New York City. David Bowie saw McCaslin perform as soloist for the Maria Schneider Orchestra and brought in McCaslin’s progressive jazz quartet that came to define Blackstar’s visionary stylistic fusion. As David Hadju wrote in The Nation, “Donny McCaslin was David Bowie’s David Bowie.” In turn, Bowie influenced McCaslin, who fused alt-rock and jazz on his first album with lyrics, 2018’s BLOW. A new album I Want More is out now on Edition Records.
Donny McCaslin (saxophone) Jason Lindner (keyboards) Jonathan Maron (bass) Nate Wood (drums)
Saturday April 20: Michael Weiss Trio ($20-$30 tickets | 7pm & 9pm Shows)
For over four decades, NYC pianist, composer, educator and bandleader Michael Weiss has enjoyed a formidable career working in the bands of a host of jazz giants, including Johnny Griffin, Art Farmer, George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Slide Hampton, The Jazztet, Lou Donaldson, Charles McPherson, Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. As a leader Weiss has headlined at every major New York jazz venue including the Village Vanguard. “He can focus the intensity in a tune as well as any pianist in mainstream jazz,” says the New York Times. As a composer Weiss has been recognized with the 2000 BMI/Monk Institute Composers Competition grand prize. The Detroit Free Press writes, “the songs simply smoke.”
Friday April 26: Peter & Will Anderson play Benny Goodman! ($25-$35 tickets | 7pm & 9pm shows)
Returning to the Century Room for their 3rd annual engagement, the Anderson Twins present a fantastic retrospective of Benny Goodman’s music! Born and raised in Washington D.C., the Andersons moved to New York City to attend The Juilliard School. They’ve performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Wycliffe Gordon, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Paquito D’Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, and can be heard on the 2014 Grammy-winning soundtrack of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire with Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks. They’ve headlined at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Feinstein’s 54 Below, Blues Alley, Birdland, and live on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion Radio Program. The Andersons have performed in over 40 U.S. states, throughout Brazil, Japan, the U.K., and six times in NYC’s famed Highlights in Jazz series, alongside Lou Donaldson, Jimmy and Tootie Heath, Ken Peplowski, Steve Turre, Warren Vache, Frank Vignola, and Jimmy Cobb.
Friday May 3: Greg Abate: Bird Lives! ($25-$35 tickets) | 7pm & 9pm Shows)
Known for his acrobatic bebop chops, Greg has been wowing audiences internationally and brings his big alto sax sound back to the Century Room stage for the 2nd year in a row.
New England saxophonist, flutist and composer Greg Abate has enjoyed an extraordinarily diverse international career that has included playing lead alto for the Ray Charles Orchestra, tenor sax for the Artie Shaw Orchestra, and recording a total of 23 recordings as a leader. He has recorded or performed with many jazz greats including Phil Woods, Kenny Barron, Claudio Roditi, Red Rodney, Ben Riley, George Mraz , Rufus Reid , Claudio Roditi, James Williams, Barry Harris, Richie Cole, Kenny Washington, Hilton Ruiz, and many more.
Friday May 10: Joe Fonda Quartet ($25-$35 tickets | 7pm & 9pm Shows)
Joe Fonda, a multifaceted artist, excels as a composer, bassist, recording artist, interdisciplinary performer, producer, and educator. Internationally recognized in jazz, Fonda has graced stages across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, collaborating with luminaries like Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, and Dave Douglas. Notably, Fonda’s tenure with the Anthony Braxton ensemble, from 1984 to 1999, marked significant contributions as both bassist and board member, including his role as President of the Tri-Centric Foundation. His compositional prowess, acknowledged through grants and commissions, is evident in his twelve solo recordings, reflecting a diverse range of influences from tap dance to Peking opera. He brings his NYC quartet to the Century Room for one night only.
Friday May 31: Or Bareket Quartet ($25-$35 | 7pm & 9pm shows)
Century Room welcomes acclaimed bassist Or Bareket to the stage for the 2nd time! Born in Jerusalem to parents of Moroccan, Iraqi, Argentinian, and Eastern European descent, raised between Buenos-Aires and Tel-Aviv, and based out of Brooklyn since 2011, Or Bareket is one of the most prominent bassists of his generation, as well as a composer and bandleader with an eclectic yet meticulously cohesive approach. Bareket’s distinct lyricism, rhythmic dexterity, and groove-centric approach are clearly present in his playing and writing alike. Growing up trilingual, Bareket is fascinated by how different languages and cultures intersect and diverge. His creative process is an investigation of spaces between and within languages, continuously synthesizing the different worlds he inhabits into a personal aesthetic that honors all of them: his ancestral North African and Latin-American folklores, his life-long study of Black American music, and his experiences making music with some of today’s foremost artists across a wide range of musical generations and stylistic orientations; Bareket has worked extensively with bands led by the likes of Joel Ross and Ari Hoenig, and has performed with artists such as Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Ben Wendel, Leon Parker, Aaron Parks, Hamilton de Holanda, Anat Cohen,Sam Yahel, Gilad Hekselman, Taylor Eigsti, Marta Sanchez, Aaron Goldberg, and Sullivan Fortner in different settings.
About the Century Room
The Century Room is located on the corner of 5th Avenue/Congress Street, inside the Hotel Congress in Downtown Tucson. The popular Jazz club is open every night at 6pm with live music starting at 7pm. Great jazz is best when accompanied by great beverages. A primary feature of the Century Room, is the beautiful bar and sculptural agave centerpiece, dedicated to the celebration and tasting of Mexico's best Mezcal and Agave spirits. A broad selection of local and Sonoran wines, locally brewed beer and spirits including Whiskey del Bac, Hotel Congress 100 Vodka and a full list of creative cocktails designed by Ryne Hoffman, round out the offerings. A small bites and boards menu is also available. For reservations and show schedules visit www.hotelcongress.com/centuryroom/ or call 520-622-8848/toll free at
1-800-722-8848. Tickets are also available at the hotel front desk.
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