Sun 1/4 @ 7PM
Drummer Ricky Exton has been playing music in this area for some three decades, starting as a teenager with the Tri-C High School All-Stars. (I took promo photos for him in 2001.) He left to earn his degree at Boston’s respective Berklee College of Music, eventually returning to home base.
He hasn’t wasted his time here: like most talented local jazz musicians, he’s putting together an impressive resume as a sideman both live and in the studio playing with artists such as international celebrated jazz trumpeters Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard and Dominick Farinacci, pianist Joanne Brackeen, soul singer Lou Rawls, sax player noted sax players Ernie Krivda and Joe Lovano, and instrumental guitar virtuoso Neil Zaza. He currently plays with a number of area ensembles including Ernie Krvivda’s Fat Tuesday big band and the Dan Zola Orchestra.
As such players often do, he also has his own project called Ricky Exton’s Octo-Jazz described “a fun yet sophisticated group paying homage to some of the great Jazz arrangers including but not limited to the West Coast or ‘cool’ style of Jazz.” The cast of top area jazz musicians plays arrangements of an octet as well as some original pieces. In addition to Exton, it features trumpet player Garret Folger, trombonist Scott Marsh, alt sax player John Orsini, tenor sax player Steve Kortyka, baritone sax player Dick Ingersoll, pianist Joe Hunter and bassist Tim Lekan, all familiar faces at area jazz performances.
Get tickets here. The concert will also be livestreamed on BOP STOP’s Youtube Channel at showtime.
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