CalArtians Perform in 2019 Angel City Jazz Festival

Kris Davis’ Diatom Ribbons perform at REDCAT as part of the 2019 Angel City Jazz Festival | Image courtesy of REDCAT

CalArtians are among the performers in the 2019 edition of the Angel City Jazz Festival, held Wednesday, Oct. 2 to Sunday, Oct. 13 at various Los Angeles venues. Founded in 2008 and described as LA’s “most adventurous jazz festival,” the festival is a celebration of cutting-edge jazz, with an emphasis on West Coast artists.

Dan Rosenboom A.I.T.A. takes the stage on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 9 pm, at the bluewhale jazz club in Little Tokyo. Helmed by Rosenboom (Music MFA 07) on trumpet, the group is comprised of guitarist Alexander Noice (Music BFA 08), saxophonist Gavin Templeton (Music MFA 08), keyboardist Jeff Babko, drummer Gary Novak and bassist Jerry Watts Jr. The performance is double-billed with the JBL Quintet at 10:30 pm, featuring saxophonist James Brandon Lewis (Music MFA 10), trumpeter Jaimie Branch, guitarist Anthony Pirog and bassists Luke Stewart and Warren Trae Crudup III.

On Saturday, Oct. 12 at 10:30 pm, Motoko Honda’s Sound Escape Project performs at bluewhale. Honda, described by the Los Angeles Times as a “keyboard alchemist,” is joined by Jesse Gilbert (Music-IM MFA 02) on visuals and Noice on guitar.

David Binney’s Future Philosophy performs Sunday, Oct. 13 at 8 pm at the Lodge Room in Highland Park. Binney, credited as a distinct composer and one of the jazz world’s most prolific musicians, is joined by Herb Alpert School of Music faculty Steve Lehman on saxophone. The performance also includes Justin Brown, Benjamin Ring and Anthony Fung on drums, Luca Mendoza and Paul Cornish on keyboard, Ethan Moffit on bass and Nick Reinhart on guitar. 

Flutist, composer and recipient of the 2011 Herb Alpert Award in Music Nicole Mitchell joins two festival performances: IRIDESCENT, with vocalist and harpist Christina Wheeler on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 pm at Mr. Musichead Gallery in Hollywood; as well as Artifacts Trio (with which IRIDESCENT is double-billed at 9 pm), featuring cellist Tomeka Reid and drummer Mike Reed. 

At REDCAT, festival goers can enjoy Simple Trio and Parlour Game double-billed on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8 pm and 9:30 pm, respectively. Also double-billed are Katisse and Kris Davis’ Diatom Ribbons on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 8 pm and 9:30 pm, respectively.

See the full Angel City Jazz Festival program lineup here.