Tucson, AZ --- The Century Room has stayed busy this summer with some amazing concerts, and their August programming will keep it going. Highlights include a 9-piece Latin Jazz band, a singing tap dancer from NYC, jazz flute night, tributes to saxophone greats, a night of Keith Jarret’s European Quartet, and more! There are also some homecoming concerts with Tucson saxophonists Autumn Dominguez and Alex Weitz who are coming home to visit, and some going away concerts with saxophonists Kevin Ravellette and Jaxon Hirsh who are about to move away to attend music school.
The Century Room has also just announced a partnership with a new non-profit organization called the Sonora Arts & Music Initiative. SAMI will support the big band, jam session, and signature concert series, as well as instrument purchases and maintenance, plus a new streaming series live from the Century Room! All donations are tax deductible and go directly into supporting the Century Room. More information at www.sonoraarts.com
There is also a new category in this year’s “Best of Tucson” voting from the Tucson Weekly. The Century Room has been nominated for “Best Venue For Live Jazz” which is category 228. After 3 ½ years of being the home for live jazz in Tucson, it would be great to be recognized!
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.
Fri, August 8, 6:30PM & 8:30PM - Armen Donelian Trio Plays The Great American Songbook
($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees) Century Room welcomes back esteemed pianist Armen Donelian for his annual summer showcase. Known for the synthesis of technical brilliance and profound musicality in his playing, his style is characterized by a seamless blend of intricate harmonic textures, fluid improvisational prowess, and a deep sensitivity to rhythm and dynamics. Within the trio format, he fosters a dynamic interplay with fellow musicians, emphasizing collective improvisation and intuitive dialogue. For this show his trio will focus on songs from the Great American Songbook!
Armen Donelian (piano) Scott Black (bass) Pete Swan (drums)
Sat, August 9, 6:30PM & 8:30PM - Armen Donelian Quintet: The Wayfarer
($25-$35 Tickets + DICE fees) Century Room welcomes back esteemed pianist Armen Donelian for his annual summer showcase. Known for the synthesis of technical brilliance and profound musicality in his playing, his style is characterized by a seamless blend of intricate harmonic textures, fluid improvisational prowess, and a deep sensitivity to rhythm and dynamics. Within the trio format, he fosters a dynamic interplay with fellow musicians, emphasizing collective improvisation and intuitive dialogue. For this show his quintet will present original music from his albums The Wayfarer and Secrets. Brice Winston (tenor) Armen Donelian (piano) Matt Mitchell (guitar) Ryan Magness (bass) Arthur Vint (drums)
Thu, August 14, 6:30PM - A Night of Jazz Flute with the Duane Rielley Trio
($15-$25 tickets + DICE fees) Duane Reilley has played woodwinds professionaly for over 40 years. His career has included performances with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Gene Krupa Orchestra, Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Marvin Hamlisch, Diahann Carrol and many more. Now based in the Southwest, Duane regularly performs with the Redhouse Family Jazz Band and the Century Jazz Orchestra. This is Duane’s debut at the Century Room as a leader and he has prepared a set of jazz standards including songs like Invitation, Ceora, Joy Spring, and Prelude to a Kiss among others. Duane Rielley (flute) Matt Mitchell (guitar) Evan Dain (bass)
Fri, August 15 , 6:30PM & 8:30PM - Know What I Mean? The Young Lions Play Cannonball + Bill Evans
($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fee) The next vanguard of jazz musicians come together for an all-star performance of the Cannonball Adderley/Bill Evans classic Know What I Mean? Both Adderley and Evans were alumni of the Miles Davis Quintet and this 1961 album represented the confluence of two major jazz movements: Adderley's soulful, blues-infused hard bop and Evans’ introspective and sophisticated modal harmony. The importance of their collaboration lies in how it bridges styles without compromise, showing that swing, soul, and subtlety can coexist. Eric Nakanishi (alto sax) Denali Hershey Kauffman (piano) Colin McIlrath (bass) Kenji Lancaster (drums)
Sat, August 16 , 6:30PM & 8:30PM - Profile of Jackie | Autumn Dominguez Quintet Plays Jackie McLean
($25-$35 Tickets + DICE fees) Autumn Dominguez is back! The Autumn Dominguez Quintet pays tribute to legendary bebop and hard bop alto saxophonist, Jackie McLean. Emerging from the bebop scene of 1950s New York, McLean was a protégé of Charlie Parker but quickly developed a biting, urgent tone and rhythmic edge that set him apart. Later McLean would incorporate the freer structures of the avant-garde, making him a pioneer in that transitional moment of 1960s jazz. In the 1970s, he became one of the first collegiate jazz educators founding the jazz studies program at the University of Hartford.
Arizona-born Autumn Dominguez is a saxophonist, vocalist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator based out of New Orleans. A graduate of the University of Arizona School of Music and student of former New Orleans Brice Winston, Autumn has now built a career as a successful performer and educator in her own right. She has performed with artists such as Gabrielle Cavassa, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Branden Lewis of Preservation Hall, and she is currently a member of world-famous trumpeter Ashlin Parker’s Trumpet Mafia. Autumn Dominguez (alto sax) Max Goldschmid (brass) Angelo Versace (piano) John Black (bass) Arthur Vint (drums)
Fri, August 22, 6:30PM & 8:30PM - Alex Weitz Group | Rule Of Thirds
($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees) Originally from Arizona, saxophonist Alex Weitz was a member of the award-winning Tucson Jazz Institute Ellington Band before going on to complete both his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. Now based in NYC, he returns to his hometown for a special concert of original music and arrangements with an all-star band!
Alex has performed at esteemed venues and jazz festivals around the world including Dizzy’s Club, Tucson Jazz Festival, Red Sea Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Birdland Jazz Club, Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, Jazz Standard, South Beach Jazz Festival, Telluride Jazz Festival, and the Jazz Showcase.
In 2019, Alex won second place in the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition and in 2019 and 2021 he was the recipient of an ASCAP Herb Albert Composer Award. In 2021 Alex won a “Pathways to Jazz” grant from Boulder County Arts which helped fund his third studio recording. The album features special guests Emmet Cohen, Ari Hoenig, Yotam Silberstein, and Marcus Printup. The album was released at the Tucson Jazz Festival in January 2023 and became available globally on “Outside in Music” on April 28 2023. Alex Weitz (saxophone) Chris Peña (piano) Colin McIlrath (bass) Gibb Mandish (drums).
Sat, August 23, 6:30PM & 8:30PM - My Song: Nick Manson Plays Keith Jarrett European Quartet
($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees) Pianist Nick Manson returns to the Century Room with a concert dedicated to the Keith Jarrett European Quartet. The European Quartet featured Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, Swedish bassist Palle Danielsson, and Norwegian drummer Jon Christensen and they recorded several albums for ECM Records between 1974 and 1979, including “Belonging”, “My Song”, “Personal Mountains” and “Nude Ants”. Jarrett’s compositions for this project are famous for their memorable themes and open-ended structures, which provided a canvas for some of the most emotive and intuitive group playing of the era. The European Quartet helped define the “ECM sound” that featured crystalline production, spacious textures, and cross-cultural musical influences and still sounds fresh today. Brice Winston (sax) Nick Manson (piano) Colin McIlrath (bass) Arthur Vint (drums)
Thu, August 28, 6:30PM - Juniper Djinn
($10-$20 + DICE Fees) Welcome back Bisbee-based early jazz experts Juniper Djinn to the Century Room! Clarinet dreamscapes amongst a sea of melodious waltzes, the billowing sounds of early American jazz, gypsy jazz, and Balkan folk music make up the core sounds of Juniper Djinn. The duos originals reflect a familiar feeling of 30s & 40s nostalgia and timeless tunes ingrained deep within traditional American and European jazz. The duo is best known for their live performances in which they play an array of genres spanning across decades of time and regularly features other musicians from across the globe.
Singer, clarinet player, and rhythm guitarist Jessica Fleet is the main vocal of the group with a voice that has been described as an angel and a demon singing in harmony with her powerful vocals, dynamic vocal range, and deep growl. Famed Baby Gramps quoted her as his “favorite singer” and compared her to the great Bessie Johnson. “That voice is a force of nature and hearing it’s a bright balm shining like a birth cake emerging from a dark wood”. – Charlie Unhau
Multi-instrumentalist Bill Stoller is the other half of the duo with his incredible, studious guitar playing, rhythmic accompaniment, accordion and upright bass on the duos albums. With over a decade of experience playing in different bands and touring Juniper Djinn brings a transformative atmosphere of sound and musicians with each and every show.
Fri, August 29 & Sat, August 30 ,6:30PM & 8:30PM - University of Arizona Faculty Ensemble Plays Standards & Originals
($20-$30 Tickets + DICE fees) Celebrate Join us for two unforgettable nights of world-class jazz performed by the renowned faculty of the University of Arizona’s Jazz Studies department. This special faculty concert series showcases the artistry, originality, and collaborative spirit of four master musicians who are not only dedicated educators but also internationally respected performers.
The first night features beloved jazz standards reinterpreted through the dynamic interplay and seasoned perspective of the UA faculty ensemble. The second night turns the spotlight onto the faculty’s compositional voices, presenting an evening of original music that reflects each artist’s unique background, influences, and creativity.
Dr. Angelo Versace – Piano
Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Arizona, Dr. Angelo Versace is a highly regarded pianist, arranger, and educator. His performance career spans Europe and North America, and he has collaborated with artists such as Take 6, Slide Hampton, and Lewis Nash. Versace’s energetic playing and deep harmonic knowledge anchor the ensemble. Angelo directs the UA Studio Jazz Ensemble.
Brice Winston – Saxophone
A Tucson native and longtime member of Grammy-winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard’s band, Brice Winston is an acclaimed tenor saxophonist known for his powerful tone and modern sensibility. After spending over 15 years in New Orleans, Winston brings a blend of Crescent City soul and contemporary jazz to the stage and classroom alike. Brice teaches jazz saxophone and also directs the UA Jazz Ambassadors Ensemble.
Jason Carder – Trumpet
With a résumé that includes work with Yanni, Maria Schneider, Ray Charles, and Woody Herman, Jason Carder is a versatile trumpeter with deep roots in both jazz and classical traditions. His warm tone, technical precision, and lyrical improvisations make him a standout soloist and ensemble player. He teaches classical and jazz trumpet and directs the UA Experiential Ensemble.
Arthur Vint – Drums
Drummer, composer, and producer Arthur Vint brings a cinematic flair and rhythmic inventiveness to the group. A Tucson native and New York City veteran, Vint has recorded multiple albums as a leader and toured internationally with bands spanning jazz, rock, and Americana. He teaches jazz drums and also directs the UA Explorations Ensemble.
Colin McIlrath – Bass
Rising bassist Colin McIlrath joins in for night two, bringing fresh perspective. A former student of of the Tucson Jazz Institute and University of Arizona, McIlrath represents the next generation of Arizona jazz artists shaped by this very faculty.
THE CENTURY ROOM - A Borderlands Jazz Club & Mezcal Lounge
Since opening its doors in 2022, the Century Room has quickly become one of the premier jazz clubs in the country. Featuring a beautiful and acoustically engineered stage, elegant ambience and décor, delicious food, and a robust craft cocktail program, the Century Room offers guests an escape into another time and place, somewhere between New York, New Orleans, and the Old West. World class music graces the stage nightly, with musicians traveling regularly from New York City, Los Angeles and New Orleans to perform. The Century Room has presented jazz legends including Bill Charlap, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Buster Williams, and Charles McPherson plus the next generation of jazz greats like Emmet Cohen, Christian Sands, Joel Ross and Linda May Han Oh, among many others. Arizona’s many fantastic local musicians ensure amazing live music nightly. The stage features state of the art sound system and backline, anchored by a Yamaha S5X piano, courtesy of the Tucson Jazz Music Foundation.
The Century Room experience also includes an extensive mezcal and agave spirit list, featuring dozens of ancestral and artisanal mezcals from across Mexico. There are regular agave tastings, flights and features at the Century Room, co-presented with the Agave Heritage Festival. The menu also boasts a robust craft cocktail program inspired by the Southwest that features local flavors, scents, and ingredients. Additional information at https://hotelcongress.com/venues/centuryroom/
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