Orcas Center Welcomes Vincent Herring Quartet

Thursday, June 21, 7:30 p.m., Orcas Center

— from Laura Kussman for Orcas Center —

The Orcas Center is proud to welcome saxophone master Vincent Herring, who returns this year to the international concert stage with a new quartet of top rated New York jazz men. Supported by singular pianist David Kikowski, bassist Yasushi Nakamara, and drummer Carl Allen, Herring brings his diverse bop and post-bop influences together in a precise and swinging quartet that handles the varied repertoire Herring draws from with ease.

A sensual ballad, an earthy, gospel-tinged blues or a no-holds-barred burnout, The Vincent Herring Quartet delivers the goods on all levels.

Vincent Herring is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost voices on alto saxophone, and earned his spot in the jazz pantheon playing alongside legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and Freddie Hubbard. Herring’s playing and writing express a deep understanding of the blues, but can easily shift gears into the type of incendiary, expressive and forceful playing associated with 1960s John Coltrane or Eric Dolphy.

Vincent’s discography reveals over 20 titles as a leader and over 250 as a sideman. His current and past projects speak to the wide range of his musical interest and versatility: The Vincent Herring-Joris Dudli’s Soul Jazz Alliance, Earth Jazz Agents, Friendly Fire with Vincent Herring and Eric Alexander.

For tickets, go to orcascenter.org/upcoming-events/.

Clearly this is a show not to be missed.