The Boise Jazz Society is a Boise, Idaho ~ Boise State University community-engagement partnership, supporting jazz performance, jazz education, and the promotion of jazz as a living American art form.

All BJS memberships have been sold, but we always have a few tickets available
for each specific concerts.  If you would like to be placed on a waiting list for a
particular concert, please email Mike Samball and you will be notified when
general admission tickets become available. 

FOR BOISE JAZZ SOCIETY MEMBERS
Can’t make the Concert?

We have another "sold-out" season and a long "waiting list" for general admission concert tickets.  Please contact Mike Samball ASAP,  if you are not able to attend the upcoming concert on Sunday 29, 2018.

The Joel Frahm Quartet
with Matt Wilson, Ugonna Okegwo, and Dawn Clement

Sunday, January 27, 2019
Riverside Hotel Sapphire Room
Boise Community Jazz Symposium, 4 - 5 pm
Free: All Students and Public Welcome
Limited General Admission Availability
Concert, 7 - 9 pm
Doors Open @ 6 pm
Jazz Buffet and Hors d'oeuvres Specials and Adult Beverages Available

 

Monday, January 28, 2019
Boise Jazz Society Educational Events
@ Boise State University featuring
The Joel Frahm Quartet
Boise State Morrison Center Recital Hall
Free, Jazz Inform-ance, 4 - 5:15 pm
Free, Jazz Clinics w/the guest artists, 5:30 - 6:30 pm

         After leaving high school in 1988, Joel Frahm attended Rutgers University for a year before transferring to The Manhattan School of Music, and following graduation with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jazz Performance he entered Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead workshop. He immediately joined Maynard Ferguson's Big Band, Larry Goldings's small group, and at the same time becoming a member of Mehldau’s early 90s quartet with bass player Dwayne Burno and drummer Greg Hutchinson.      

         In 1996, Joel, who also plays soprano saxophone, reached the semi-final of the Thelonious Monk competition. After a 1998 duo fundraiser concert with Mehldau, on behalf of their old high school, the pair recorded in this format including 2004’s Don’t Explain. In the early 00s, Frahm toured and recorded with Jane Monheit, appearing on Taking A Chance On Love.

        In October 2004, Frahm was back again at his high school, this time with his quartet, for another benefit concert, this time on behalf of Gifts of Music, a non-profit community group that collaborates with Hartt School of Music to provide local students with music lessons. A session with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis, the members of Stan Getz’s magnificent quartet, produced We Used To Dance in 2007. Not only does Frahm have full command of the instruments he plays, he is inventive and adventurous in his playing. The verve and enthusiasm he has for his music is thoroughly communicated to fellow musicians and audiences alike.  

Please visit: http://www.joelfrahm.com/home.html

Joel Frahm Burns Rhythm Changes at 360BPM

   "There are a few more emphatically dazzling drummers working today, but almost nobody in Wilson’s peer group with a broader sense of jazz history, or a more natural sense of time, or a stronger signature as a bandleader, or more goodwill among his fellow players.” Nate Chinen, JazzTimes

   Few musicians embody the spontaneous energy of jazz like Matt Wilson. The New York-based drummer combines buoyant zeal, idiosyncratic style, infectious humor, joyous swing and an indomitable spirit of surprise. Together, with his universally recognized personal warmth, these qualities have made Wilson one of the most in-demand players and educators on the modern jazz scene, both beloved and respected by his peers, elders and students. Not bad for a mischievous Midwestern boy from Knoxville, Illinois.

   Whether anchoring an all-star group at the White House, juggling tricky rhythmic swerves with his own quartets, celebrating the holidays with his Christmas Tree-O, exploring the poetry of Carl Sandburg, sensitively supporting vocalists such as Dena DeRose, presenting concerts at a neighborhood church or donning a superhero cape to inspire young musicians to embrace their individuality, Wilson approaches music as a man on a mission: fostering a lively and passionate connection between music and people, whether they be playing or listening to it.  Please visit: https://www.mattwilsonjazz.com/

   Ugonna Okegwo is one of the most distinctive and sought-after jazz bassists in the world. Critics across the globe have praised him for his rich tone, supple sense of swing, stylistic range and inventiveness. These qualities have not only earned him a place on the bandstand with jazz legends as diverse as Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Pharoah Sanders and Joseph Jarman – they have established him as one of the leading lights of a younger generation redefining jazz for the new century.  "He is very individualistic, both in his soloing and accompanying. I love the way he plays in the ensemble,” says Tom Harrell, with whom Okegwo has worked for several years. “Ugonna does some really creative things that I haven't heard anyone do with his articulation and timing."  Born March 15, 1962 in London to a German mother and Nigerian father, Okegwo was raised in Germany and grew up listening to African-American music -- James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, and, eventually, the great Charles Mingus.

"What I always heard first in funk and rock 'n roll were the bass lines, the ostinato, and later, in jazz, the walking bass," he recalls. "That's what first got me playing bass.” The fusing of funk and jazz bass conceptions is a foundation of Okegwo’s unique approach, making his sound instantly recognizable.Recently, Okegwo expanded his horizons and became a bandleader. In 2002 he took his quartet to Europe and documented the group with a recording entitled "UOniverse" [Satchmo Jazz]. The material, which consists of his compositions and brilliantly arranged standards, draws from a wide range of influences, including jazz, African, funk, and classical music.   Please visit:  http://www.ugonnaokegwo.com/fmsethome.htm

      Pianist/Vocalist/Composer Dawn Clement has established herself as one of the most sought after musicians working today. With her joyful presence, consummate technique and distinctive sound, Clement has gained the attention and respect of musicians, critics and fans through the US and abroad. “In all this world of jazz, there are very few individual voices, no matter what the instrument, but Dawn has come up with a voice that’s unique…” says legendary jazz trombonist Julian Priester.

With 5 CD’s under her belt, not to mention appearing as side woman on Jane Ira Bloom’s latest release “Wild Lines” and Emi Meyer’s “Monochrome”, Dawn has been hailed as the “Wonder Woman of Seattle” by Paul DeBarros (Seattle Times). Downbeat says “The revelation is Dawn Clement’s piano, always ready with the lyricism or structure the moment needs.  With her newest release, Tandem, she explores the magic of musical pairs with some of her closest musical cohorts.

Dawn has recently re-located from the Pacific Northwest to Denver, Colorado to take on the new role of Assistant Professor and Area Coordinator of the Jazz and American Music Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Cornish College of the Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts in Music Composition from Vermont College of the Arts. When she is not playing, composing, touring, or teaching, Clement lives in Denver with her husband and three children, Noah, Elvin, and Adele.  Please visit: http://dawnclement.com/

FOR BOISE JAZZ SOCIETY MEMBERS

Can’t make the Concert?

We have another "sold-out" season and a long "waiting list" for general admission concert tickets.  Please contact Mike Samball ASAP,  if you are not able to attend the upcoming concert on Sunday 29, 2018.

Spread the Word about our Free Jazz Ed Events

Please let your family, friends, and neighbors know of all the free events associated with our upcoming artists' two-day stay in Boise.  This is a great opportunity for young and old to experience the best in world-class jazz--Live!

Reserve and Non-reserved Seating Policy & Buffet Information

If you plan to arrive early, have a seat in the 365 Lounge and enjoy the music and a beverage--Sapphire Room doors open at 6 p.m. 

We have moved to a combination of reserved and non-reserved tiered membership pricings. We expect more development on the pre-concert, seating system as we approach the season opener.

Jazz Education Contribution Campaign

Thanks so much to all who have contributed in support of our vital BJS jazz education mission.  We trust that many more of you will contribute for the 2019-19 season making it possible for us to continue the Free, Boise Community Jazz Symposium and the many jazz education activities benefiting Boise State University and community jazz students.  Donors receive priority seating choices for future seasons.

Campaign for Continued Excellence

To assure the future quality and stability of the Boise Jazz Society, we are engaged in a Campaign for Continued Excellence.  Season subscribers who also contribute to this campaign at the $750 level or above receive priority seating choices for the 2019-2020 season.

Concert Sponsorship Available

Help sustain world-class jazz artistry in Boise by sponsoring one of our 6-concert subscription series for 2018-19.  A $2500 Concert Sponsorship associate's your name or company with internationally-acclaimed artists and assures that the BJS continues to bring you the very best in the world of jazz today.  Contact Mike Samball to find out more about the many benefits of contributing to the Boise Jazz Society.