Willie Jones III Plays Blues Alley in DC, June 28th.
With an unparalleled style of rhythmic expression, Willie Jones III is one of the world's leading jazz drummers. Jones brings together four of his gifted, jazz friends in an all-star jazz quintet which will play at Blues Alley on June 28th.
Joining Jones on stage are Terell Stafford on trumpet, Ralph Moore on saxophone, Eric Reed on piano and George Delancey on bass.
Tickets $30. 8pm show and 10pm show here
Willie Jones III, Drums (Leader)
Ever since 1997, when he moved to New York City from Los Angeles, his hometown, Willie Jones III has been one of the jazz capital’s most prominent drummers. Whether functioning as a savvy bandleader or high-profile sideman, Jones applies to every context an abiding musicality and a tonal personality that, as Wynton Marsalis puts it, is “ever tasteful,” marked by what pianist Eric Reed, his frequent collaborator, calls “a West Coast swagger in his swing, with a looseness that isn’t lackadaisical and an edge that isn’t overwhelming.”
“I still follow Billy Higgins’ model,” Jones says. “I’m always trying to support whoever I’m working with to make the music sound as good as possible. I have a good balance. I’ll continue to evolve as a leader, but I’ll always play as a sideman—I still love learning and playing other people’s music.”
Terell Stafford, Trumpet
Terell Stafford, acclaimed trumpet player based in New York, 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.
Ralph Moore, Saxophone
Ralph Moore has lived in the U.S. since 1970. He is a fine tenor saxophonist influenced by John Coltrane, but possessing a slightly softer tone. He moved to New York in 1981 and has recorded several fine albums for Landmark, Criss Cross, Savoy, and Mons (with the L.A. Jazz Summit). He has toured extensively with J.J. Johnson, and since 1995, has been a member of the Tonight Show Orchestra in Los Angeles.
Eric Reed, Piano
Whatever the context, whatever the style, he consistently animates the flow with fresh ideas, virtuosic chops, intellectual clarity and an unwavering will to groove. Through more than a quarter-century as a first-caller on the jazz scene, Reed has articulated this inclusive conception as a leader of numerous ensembles, solo performer, composer, producer, educator and sideman with numerous artists.
George Delancey, Bass
A native of Cambridge, OH, and a student of such prestigious programs as the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Michigan State University Jazz Studies Program, where he studied under Rodney Whitaker. He has worked with notable bandleaders Johnny O’Neal, Wessell Anderson, Willie Jones III, Philip and Winard Harper, Christian Howes, Houston Person, Tia Fuller, Bria Skonberg, as well as many others in New York and throughout the Midwest.
More about Willie Jones III here.