What's up:
5/10/13
Another school year at Frost is over and already the planning for next fall begins. So far we are looking at guest residencies by Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, and Maria Schnieder. The biggest news is the start of construction of our new building, which is scheduled to start this summer and should be ready for the fall of 2014.
The new MSQ CD Four of a Kind is being pressed, more as soon as we have it in hand. This summers travels include the IASJ meeting in Denmark and a week in Helsinki, with gigs at the KoKo club. More on that later. Hit the gigs tab for the latest...
We have an outstanding group of new freshmen at Frost next fall, should be some great YouTube footage up in short order as soon as we get rolling.
The South Florida Jazz Orchestra "Trumpet Summit" CD (available on the Summit label) has stayed in the top ten on the Jazz Week charts for 8 weeks That's a great showing, and it's a great record. Here's the first review to hit the press (All About Jazz). Our next CD is scheduled to be a "saxophone summit" so stay tuned.
I recently posted on YouTube a recording of Ron Miller's Small Feats, made in Helsinki back in 2003. This live recording was made off the board during my gig there with the stellar Finnish rhythm section of Jarmo Savolainen, Uffe Krokfors, and Markku Ounaskari. Jarmo died tragically in 2009. When I recently rediscovered this recording I was reminded of how amazingly he played each and every time he sat at the piano. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rltCmDtZFBw
Other highlights:
Want a first hand look at what we do here at Frost? Our Frost YouTube channel says it all! If you have not visited yet, please take a moment to check it out. It is updated with new videos weekly. Amazing music is being made here in Miami!
More Links (or use the menu bar at the top of the page):
You can now visit and subscribe to the Miami Sax Quartet YouTube channel
Featured videos:
Sweet Bread
Iberia Suite: Pamplona
Twinkle Variations
Seventh Sign
Lost Illusions
Both Gary Keller and the Miami Saxophone Quartet are Conn-Selmer endorsed artists. This means added support for clinics/concerts. Contact Gary Keller or visit www.connselmer.com for details.
To subscribe to the e-mail list of Gary Keller or the Miami Saxophone Quartet, click here and enter "subscribe" in the subject heading.
Those of you who know me as a jazz saxophonist may be surprised to find me performing a "classical" concerto, but I enjoy the challenge from time to time. Recently I performed the original Villa Lobos Fantasia for Soprano Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra with the UM Frost Symphony (April 18th, 2009). This was one of very few performances of the piece exactly as written by Villa Lobos, in the original key (one step higher than the published version), and to the best of my knowledge the only one in the US. My thanks to Dale Underwood for his research into this piece and for loaning me his copy of the original score and parts, and to Thom Sleeper and the Frost Symphony Orchestra for the opportunity to debut the original version with orchestra. For program notes and a review of the performance click here. To view the video click here.
Click the link above for a recording of Gary Keller performing John William's escapes with the Frost Symphony. This recording was made live in concert at UM Frost Gusman concert hall as part of our annual Festival Miami. A great piece, and a great job by the UM Symphony.
Archive:
Miami Sax Quartet at the 2010 Rochester Jazz Festival
Two sold out sets at the Montage Club! Look for the MSQ at more festivals this year... Link to photos
The Miami Saxophone Quartet:
The Miami Sax Quartet's new CD Fourtified topped out at #14 on the jazz week charts, and was in the top 50 for its entire 8 week 2009 radio promotion. More at: www.miamisaxquartet.com
"The saxes are the drawing card here, and
they never fail to please, individually or
collectively... an album as persuasive as it is
stylish and engaging."
Fourtified features new arrangements and original compositions from Ed Calle (Dancing on a Cloud, Spunky) and Gary Lindsay (Dave Brubeck's It's a Raggy Waltz, Blue Rondo a la Turk, and Ron Miller's Seventh Sign). Also the Paquito De Rivera original, Wapango, and Gary Lindsay's Jazz Suite for Double Quartet, a joint work with the Bergonzi String Quartet. Also lending their talents to our latest effort are Chuck Bergeron, Jim Gasior, Richard Bravo, Dan Warner, Lee Levin, and Mike Harvey. Available for sale or download at our favorite retailer cdbaby, or as always, amazon, iTunes, or your favorite on-line music service.
Both Gary Keller and the Miami Saxophone Quartet are Conn-Selmer endorsed artists. This means added support for clinics/concerts. Contact Gary Keller for details.
"Infectiously joyful arrangements,
soulful improvisations, fine musical prowess, and four of the finest
saxophone players in the business--the Miami Saxophone Quartet."
Dave Martin - WUCF FM Orlando, F
The Miami Saxophone Quartet's third CD recording Midnight Rumba features the quartet joined by the inimitable Arturo Sandoval (trumpet/flugelhorn/piano) and singing sensation Jon Secada, who performs Ed Calle's arrangement of Jon's hit song "Angel." The all-star Latin percussion section of Lee Levin, Richard Bravo, and Luis Gonzales helps out on Calle's catchy songo "Rice and Beans." Gary Lindsay's arrangements of "A Night In Tunisia" and "Early Autumn" feature Arturo. and bassist Chuck Bergeron joins in on Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma." Also featured is Ed Calle's first original composition for the quartet, " The Iberia Suite," Gary Lindsay's soulful arrangement of James Taylor's "Benjamin," and Peter McGuiness' lush arrangement of "My Ship." Click here to BUY IT NOW. Complete info at www.miamisaxquartet.com.
All Miami Saxophone Quartet CD's are available on iTunes and most other digital distribution outlets. To purchase hard copies, please visit our favorite distributor, CDBaby. Gary Keller's recordings are available from the The Music Resource. Of course everything can also be purchased at Amazon.com.
Gary Keller plays Selmer saxophones, and custom mouthpieces by Francois Louis, Ralph Morgan, and John Thomas.