Saturday evening November 12th at 7:00pm the talented Jon Mayer Quartet will take center stage at Pete Carlson’s Golf & Tennis Jazz for Jazz Lovers series. Tickets are $25.00 students and active military are free. Non-profit concert proceeds support music education for young musicians in the Coachella Valley. Location is 73-741 Hwy 111 in Palm Desert. Phone # (760)568-3263, website www.petecarlsonsgolf.com. The quartet includes Jon Mayer on piano, Doug Webb on saxophone, Bruce Lett on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums.
A native of New York, Jon Mayer studied at Manhattan Music & Art High School, and Manhattan School of Music. Jon has been on the jazz scene since the late 50’s, and was influenced early on by Charlie Parker. Mayer played with Kenny Dorham, and Tony Scott in New York City, and eventually recorded with saxophone greats Jackie Mclean and John Coltrane. Jon played in Paris, and at the Blue Note Club in New York City working with Chet Baker, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughn, and the Manhattan Transfer. Mayer later joined Les McCann’s Magic Band, and has played with Ron Carter, Billy Higgins, and Ernie Watts. Jon’s influences on piano are Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Carl Perkins, and Horace Silver. Mayer plays with great emotional range, feeling, and a keen sense of melodicism. Mayer has a supple touch and relaxed rhythmic feel so he tries to play fast, clean, and go for the pretty notes. Jon has 8 recordings as a leader, and his compositions have been recorded by Les McCann, Nancy Wilson, Ernie Watts, and Jackie Ryan.
Talented saxophonist Doug Webb has been playing music since he was 8 years old, and currently plays 24 different woodwind instruments. Doug is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and has played and recorded with Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Clarke, Quincy Jones, Rod Stewart, Art Garfunkel, Carly Simon, Queen Latifah, Cher, Bonnie Raitt, Poncho Sanchez, and Vicky Carr. Webb has played in the big bands of Dennis Miller’s TV Show, the Jimmy Cleveland Orchestra, and both the Doc Severinsen and Bill Holman Big Bands. Doug has recorded music for 100’s of movies, TV shows, and jazz dates including “Family Guy”, “The Simpsons”, “Mystic River”, “Million Dollar Baby”, “Jersey Boys”, and “Gran Torino”. Doug has 16 recordings as a leader, and his high-energy style blends saxophone influences of John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, and Joe Henderson. Doug is also a master teacher for many jazz students.
Bassist Bruce Lett is on the jazz faculty of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State University in Long Beach. Bruce has played with Gerry Mulligan, Alfonse Mouzon, Nancy Wilson, Ernie Watts, Bill Holman, Terry Gibbs, and at the premier of Bette Midler’s show “For the Boys”. Lett has recorded commercials, TV soundtracks, industrial films, and been an active studio musician for the shows “Moonlighting”, “Beverly Hills 90210”, Fox TV, “After Breakfast”, “Dear God”, the TV mini-series “Titanic”, and the PBS children’s show “Wasted”. Bruce has recorded for many major corporations, the military, and the California Radio Network.
Drummer Roy McCurdy is best known for his drumming power with the Cannonball/Adderley Quintet for over a decade. Roy has performed on nearly 40 jazz recordings, and played with numerous jazz greats that include the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet, the Mangione Brothers, Bobby Timmons, Betty Carter, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, Wes Montgomery, Ella, Sarah, Carmen, Joe Williams, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Art Pepper, Milt Jackson, J.J. Johnson, Ray Brown, and Blood, Sweat, & Tears. McCurdy attended Eastman School of Music, and early on played with Roy Eldrigde and Eddie “Clean Head” Vinson. Roy is a professor in the jazz studies department of the Thornton School of Music at USC in Los Angeles. Roy’s drum influences include Louie Bellson, Shelly Manne, Sam Woodyard, Buddy Rich, Papa Joe Jones, and the big bands of Ellington, Lunceford, and Hampton.
Don’t miss this all-star group Saturday November 12th at 7:00pm at Pete Carlson’s in Palm Desert. We’ll see you there!!!
