The 2018 Jazz Port Townsend mainstage performances close with two sets that are sure to move audiences. Grammy-nominated Jeand and Marcus Baylor make their JPT debut, and we celebrate the amazing musical legacy of the inimitable George Cables.
Jazz Port Townsend Saturday Night
Saturday, July 28, 2018, 7:30pm
McCurdy Pavilion
Reserved Seating $48, $38, $28
The Journey
featuring Jean and Marcus Baylor
- Jean Baylor, vocal
- Marcus Baylor, drums
- Taylor Eigsti, piano
- Jon Hamar, bass
- Stefon Harris, vibes
Celebrating George Cables
A Wealth of Faculty Performers Pay Tribute to a Treasure
- Stefon Harris, vibes
- Terell Stafford, trumpet
- Jeff Clayton, alto sax
- Tim Warfield, tenor sax
- Dan Marcus, trombone
- Chuck Deardorf, bass
- Jeff Hamilton, drums
JEAN BAYLOR – VOCALS
MARCUS BAYLOR – DRUMS
Grammy nominated artists Jean and Marcus Baylor stormed onto the jazz scene on their debut CD “The Journey”, cracking the top 10 on the Billboard Jazz Chart. Their follow-up, “The Baylor Project,” has been nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2018.
Jean, a “Jersey Girl”, was introduced to jazz in college as a Vocal Performance Major at Temple University, where she was heavily influenced by artists such as Carmen McCrae, Jimmy Scott, and Shirley Horn. She subsequently made her mark as one-half of the platinum recording duo, Zhane´. In addition to continued development of her craft, Jean has expanded into composing, arranging, producing, and band leading. She has been a featured guest artist in performances and recordings with Yellowjackets, Kenny Garrett, Marcus Miller and legendary bassist, Buster Williams. Well-equipped with an agile mezzo-soprano range, Jean combines a fresh, whimsical approach to phrasing with clever improvisation resulting in singing of such vocal purity that she embraces the soul.
Marcus, a St. Louis native, is widely recognized as the former member and drummer of the Grammy Award winning jazz quartet, Yellowjackets. While studying and graduating from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, he performed and recorded with musical icons Cassandra Wilson, John Scofield, and Kenny Garrett. Since then, Marcus has come into his own as a composer, arranger, producer and bandleader. With his natural feel, creative use of space and innovative ability to tell a story, his musicianship and improvisation are those of a seasoned musician.
TAYLOR EIGSTI – PIANO
New York-based pianist and composer Taylor Eigsti has released 7 albums as a leader, receiving two GRAMMY nominations for Best Jazz Solo and Best Instrumental Composition for his CD Lucky to Be Me. He has also been featured as a sideman on many award-winning albums as well as numerous television specials and radio appearances. He and composed the theme music to the motion picture “Detachment” (2011) as well as a song for the new Miles Davis biopic “Miles Ahead.” Taylor was spotlighted in Vanity Fair Magazine among a handful of the young azz musicians in New York.
Taylor has composed and orchestrated music for various symphony orchestras including the San José Chamber Orchestra, Oakland East Bay Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, Boston Youth Symphony and the New York Pops. He has had the good fortune of working with such luminaries as Dave Brubeck, Joshua Redman, Nicholas Payton, Esperanza Spalding, Chris Botti, Sting, David Benoit, Christian McBride, Marian McPartland, Red Holloway, John Mayer, James Moody, Chris Potter, Ernestine Anderson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, The Clayton Brothers, Dianne Schuur, Ambrose Akinmusire, Hank Jones, Brubeck Brothers, and Frederica Von Stade.
JON HAMAR – BASS
Jon Hamar is a versatile artist who has been recognized for his ability to find a tasteful unique voice in any musical situation. Jon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Double Bass Performance from Eastern Washington University under the tutelage of Roma Vayspapir and graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a Master’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media, studying with Jeff Campbell, James Vandermark, Harold Danko, Clay Jenkins and Fred Sturm.
Jon recently moved from Seattle to Knoxville, Tennessee joining the University of Tennessee and the Natalie L. Haslam School of Music.
STEFON HARRIS – VIBES
Stefon Harris has earned four GRAMMY™ nominations, and has been named Best Mallet player eight times by the Jazz Journalist Association. He was also chosen Best Vibes in the 2017 Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll, the 2016 Jazz Times Expanded Critics Poll, the 2014 Jazz Times Critics Poll and the 2013 Downbeat Critics Poll.
Srefon was named Associate Dean and Director of Jazz Arts at Manhattan School of Music in July 2017. He also serves as Artistic Director of Jazz Education at New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Stefon gives presentations on corporate leadership to Fortune 50 companies using jazz as a metaphor. In 2012 he gave a TED talk, “There Are No Mistakes on the Bandstand.”
Stefon has recorded eleven albums as a leader, with the latest, Sonic Creed, to be released in 2018. He has recorded as part of The Classical Jazz Quartet, with Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, and Lewis Nash, and toured worldwide with his bands and as a member of the SFJAZZ Collective. He has recorded and performed with Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Dr. Billy Taylor, Max Roach, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Benny Golson, Bobby Watson, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling, Buster Williams, Dianne Reeves, Ry Cooder, Charlie Hunter, Common, and Pablo Zeigler.
In 2016, together with partner Clif Swiggett, Stefon premiered Harmony Cloud™, an app to help musicians learn and grow.
TERELL STAFFORD – TRUMPET
Based in New York, acclaimed trumpet player Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Stafford is recognized as an incredibly gifted and versatile player, he combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Stafford’s exceptionally expressive and well defined musical talent allows him to dance in and around the rich trumpet tradition of his predecessors while making his own inroads.
Since the mid-1990’s, Stafford has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Frank Wess Quintet, Jimmy Heath Quintet and Big Band, Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band.
He is the Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University, founder and band leader of the Terell Stafford Quintet, and Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia (JOP).
JEFF CLAYTON – ALTO
Reed specialist Jeff Clayton is a versatile performer, bandleader, and studio musician whose diverse recording credits include work with Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Madonna, and Earth, Wind, and Fire.
Together with his brother John, he founded the Grammy-nominated Clayton Brothers in 1977, and later co-founded the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz orchestra – named by readers of Downbeat as the top big band in jazz.
In addition, Jeff has performed with numerous artists including Lena Horne, Lionel Hampton, Dr. John, Ella Fitzgerald, and played in the Count Basie Orchestra while under the leadership of Thad Jones. (Photo by Jim Levitt)
TIM WARFIELD – TENOR SAX
Tim Warfield Jr., a native of York, Pennsylvania, began studying the alto saxophone at age nine. He switched to tenor saxophone in the ninth grade, during his first year at William Penn Sr. High School, where he participated in various musical ensembles winning many jazz soloist awards, including second out of forty competitors at the Montreal Festival of Music in Canada.
Warfield’s first recording, A Cool Blue, was selected as one of the top ten recordings of the year in a 1995 New York Times critic’s poll, as was his 1998 recording Gentle Warrior (featuring Cyrus Chestnut, Tarus Mateen, Clarence Penn, Terell Stafford, and Nicholas Payton), proclaiming him possibly the most powerful tenor saxophonist of his generation.
In December of 2012, Warfield released his CD entitled “Tim Warfield’s Jazzy Christmas,” on his label Undaunted Music. The recording features an all star cast including, trumpeter Terell Stafford, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianists Cyrus Chestnut, and Neil Podgurski, bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Clarence Penn, percussionist Daniel Sadownick, and vocalists Joanna Pascale, and Jamie Davis. The CD, which advanced to slot #25, as the Highest Debut, Most Added, and Biggest Gainer, on the Jazzweek charts in only its second week of release, was showcased among 20 other new holiday recordings, as one of the Best Holiday recordings for 2013, in the New York Times, Holiday Gift Guide.
On November 7, 2015, The Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts, recognized Tim, as “Tenor saxophonist of the Year,” at their annual Clef Club Jazz Awards, in Philadelphia. Tim currently serves as a board member, and music committee chairperson, for the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz. Tim also serves as “artist-in-residence” at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa, and an adjunct music faculty member at Temple University, in Philadelphia, Pa. Tim has recently joined the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, under the direction of Terell Stafford.
Tim’s newest recording entitled “JAZZLAND” on the Criss Cross Jazz label, featuring trumpeter Terell Stafford, organist Pat Bianchi, drummer Byron Landham and percussionist Daniel Sadownick, is scheduled for release in the late spring of 2018.
CHUCK DEARDORF – BASS
Chuck Deardorf has recorded and toured internationally with Bud Shank and Don Lanphere, George Cables and Kenny Barron, Winard Harper, and Larry Coryell. As the first call bassist in Seattle, Chuck has performed with Chet Baker, Zoot Sims, Art Farmer, Howard Roberts, Monty Alexander, Kenny Burrell, Marian McPartland, Mel Lewis, Pete Christlieb, Joe Williams, Kenny Werner, Carl Fontana, Joe LaBarbara, and Tal Farlow.
Chuck’s latest solo release on Origin records, “Transparence” (released 2011) demonstrates his performing, producing and arranging abilities with a host of great musicians. He is currently a member of the Deardorf/Peterson Group (whose 2004 Origin release “Portal” won critical acclaim), the Jovino Santos Neto Quartet, the Susan Pascal Quartet along with the Bill Ramsay Big Band.
An accomplished studio musician, Chuck’s bass has been heard on many first run movie soundtracks, dozens of albums and CD projects, and numerous Broadway touring shows. Chuck also has performed on numerous occasions with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
JEFF HAMILTON – DRUMS
Originality is what versatile drummer Jeff Hamilton brings to the groups he performs with and is one of the reasons why he is constantly in demand, whether he is recording or performing with his trio, the Clayton Brothers or co-leading the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.
In addition to his many recordings with Ray Brown, Jeff has been on nearly 200 recordings with artists such as Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Milt Jackson, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Streisand, Mel Torme, John Pizzarelli, Benny Carter, Lalo Schifrin, George Shearing, Dr. John, Clark Terry, Gene Harris, Toshiko Akioshi, Scott Hamilton, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Keely Smith, Bill Holman, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel and Mark Murphy.
Jeff is a frequent guest of the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany. He also appeared in Natalie Cole’s Great Performances PBS special, Unforgettable and an Oscar Peterson documentary, Life In The Key Of Oscar.
Port Townsend & Fort Worden
Located just 2 hours west of Seattle, Port Townsend is the perfect place to indulge your creative side. With its maritime heritage, Victorian architecture, artist spirit, and a touch of urban chic, Port Townsend is an easily accessible base camp to the Olympic Peninsula and beyond.
Centrum’s home is at Fort Worden – the kind of destination that stays with you for a lifetime. Amidst the magnificent natural setting and the influence of its military past, Fort Worden is home to inspiration, education and personal transformation. People gather here to participate in arts and music events, woodworking classes, conferences, camping and outdoor activities, family reunions, weddings, and much more. Originally designed as a military base to protect Puget Sound, Fort Worden evolved into an iconic and cherished state park. The fort – featuring 100 historic structures – spans two miles of saltwater shoreline with views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, and the San Juan Islands.
Click here for detailed instructions about traveling to Seattle to Port Townsend without a car.
Ferry
Seattle to Bainbridge
Edmonds to Kingston
Mukilteo to Clinton (Whidbey Island)
Whidbey Island to Port Townsend
Airports
Sea-Tac International Airport
17801 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98158
Shuttle information
Jefferson County International Airport
Airport Cutoff Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368
Bus/shuttle
Located less than two miles from downtown Port Townsend, Fort Worden is easily accessible for both locals and visitors.
General inquiries: info@centrum.org, (360) 385-3102 x117