Pat Metheny W/ James Francies & Anwar Marshall with James Francies

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Norfolk

DETAILS

Thu, March 01, 2018
Norfolk, CT
Show: 8 PM

Ticket INFO

Member Presale: 1/22/18 06 AM
Public Onsale: 1/25/18 06 AM

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GENRE

Jazz

Pat Metheny W/ James Francies & Anwar Marshall

On sale to Superstars Mon Jan 22, Stars Jan 23, General On sales Thu Jan 25

20-time Grammy-Award winning jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny takes our Norfolk stage with some very special guests! Who loves to watch masters do their work? You do not want to miss your chance to see these living legends take the stage!! This extra special show will include James Francies (pianist) and Anwar Marshall (drums/percussion). Three Fusion Jazz Masters coming together for a night of groundbreaking tunes.

Pat Metheny

Connect with this artist:

www.patmetheny.com/

Video:

Artist Bio

PAT METHENY was born in Lee's Summit, MO on August 12, 1954 into a musical family.
Starting on trumpet at the age of 8, Metheny switched to guitar at age 12. By the age of 15, he
was working regularly with the best jazz musicians in Kansas City, receiving valuable on-the
bandstand experience at an unusually young age. Metheny first burst onto the international jazz
scene in 1974. Over the course of his three-year stint with vibraphone great Gary Burton, the
young Missouri native already displayed his soon-to-become trademarked playing style, which
blended the loose and flexible articulation customarily reserved for horn players with an
advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility -a way of playing and improvising that was modern
in conception but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and the blues. With the
release of his first album, Bright Size Life (1975), he reinvented the traditional "jazz guitar"
sound for a new generation of players. Throughout his career, Pat Metheny has continued to
redefine the genre by utilizing new technology and constantly working to evolve the
improvisational and sonic potential of his instrument.

Metheny's versatility is nearly without peer on any instrument. Over the years, he has performed
with artists as diverse as Steve Reich to Ornette Coleman to Herbie Hancock to Jim Hall to
Milton Nascimento to David Bowie. Metheny’s body of work includes compositions for solo
guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras, and ballet pieces and
even the robotic instruments of his Orchestrion project, while always sidestepping the limits of
any one genre.

As well as being an accomplished musician, Metheny has also participated in the academic arena
as a music educator. At 18, he was the youngest teacher ever at the University of Miami. At 19,
he became the youngest teacher ever at the Berklee College of Music, where he also received an
honorary doctorate more than twenty years later (1996). He has also taught music workshops all
over the world, from the Dutch Royal Conservatory to the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz to
clinics in Asia and South America. He has also been a true musical pioneer in the realm of
electronic music, and was one of the very first jazz musicians to treat the synthesizer as a serious
musical instrument. Years before the invention of MIDI technology, Metheny was using the
Synclavier as a composing tool. He also has been instrumental in the development of several
new kinds of guitars such as the soprano acoustic guitar, the 42-string Pikasso guitar, Ibanez’s
PM series jazz guitars, and a variety of other custom instruments.

It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim
Metheny has garnered from critics and peers. Over the years, Metheny has won countless polls
as "Best Jazz Guitarist" and awards, including three gold records for (Still Life) Talking, Letter
from Home, and Secret Story. He has also won 20 Grammy Awards spread out over a variety of
different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best
Jazz Instrumental Solo, Best Instrumental Composition at one point winning seven consecutive
Grammies for seven consecutive albums. In 2015 he was inducted into the Downbeat Hall of
Fame, becoming only the fourth guitarist to be included (along with Django Reinhardt, Charlie
Chrisitan and Wes Montgomery) and it’s youngest member. Metheny has spent much of his life
on tour, often doing more than 100 shows a year since becoming a bandleader in the 70’s. At the
time of this writing, he continues to be one of the brightest stars of the jazz community,
dedicating time to both his own projects and those of emerging artists and established veterans alike, helping them to reach their audience as well as realizing their own artistic visions.

James Francies

Connect with this artist:

www.jamesfranciesmusic.com

Even before moving to New York City in 2013, pianist James Francies had generated a well deserved buzz in the jazz arena. He is the youngest recipient of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) President's Youth Award, DownBeat Magazine awarded him twice for Composition and Jazz Arrangement, his band opened for the legendary Jazz Crusaders reunion and he performed at Monterey Jazz Festival. GRAMMY nominated pianist Taylor Eigsti describes Francies as, "poised to become a major voice on the instrument. He has the passion, creativity and ability to be a real leader amongst his generation."

And he keeps moving forward. Since he’s been in NYC, James has toured internationally with Jeff “Tain” Watts, Chris Dave and Drumhedz, joined Stefon Harris’s band Sonic Creed, fronts his own band, Kinetic, has appeared with The Roots, Nas, Jadakiss, and Raekwon (Wu Tang Clan) during 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend, has recorded with Watts, Robert Glasper and has a soon to be released duo album with Eric Harland. Francies can often be seen from time to time on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC with the Roots. He is currently recording the Glasper produced soundtrack for a documentary on Nina Simone, featuring Mary J. Blige, Common and others. And he was just named one of "8 Artists You Should Know” by the genre-bending website Revive Music. Mr. Francies also works with drummer and producer ?uestlove of the Roots on numerous projects such as music for commercials, film scores, and singles for different artists.

Encouraged by his parents to learn by experience James reveled in the rich Houstonian culture exploring the arts and gaining early exposure to music in church and through formal lessons at age 5. While assimilating the contemporary music of his peers he also developed a distinct interest in jazz. Three years attending Houston’s Summer Jazz Workshop helped solidify his foundation and set a clear path as a standout at HSPVA, the renowned performing and visual arts high school whose alumnae include Beyoncé, Jason Moran, Chris Dave and Eric Harland. During that time he won the Ruth and Eli Nadel Scholarship Award at Stanford Jazz Workshop (2012-2013), earned a full scholarship to Skidmore Summer Jazz Institute in Saratoga Springs, NY and was awarded the Moran Scholarship Award from pianist and 2010 MacArthur Fellow, Jason Moran. It was also evident that James was a talented composer. Bolstered by his inquisitive mind and synesthesia, the ability to hear in colors, James’ music is insightful and purposeful with a distinct melodic styling that is forward looking and comforting. He explores the full spectrum of keys from acoustic piano to Fender Rhodes to synthesizer. "I enjoy being able to describe life through sound... To me, that's what makes music relevant; speaking on a subject with out words."

Francies’ impressive performance credits include Bobby Watson, Joe Lovano, Houston Person, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Arturo Sandoval, Antonio Hart, Julian Lage, Joel Frahm and Terrell Stafford among others. He has been a member of the GRAMMY® Jazz Session Combo, The Thelonious Monk Institute All-Star Jazz Sextet, The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, and the Texas Music Educators Association’s (TMEA) All-State Jazz Ensemble and performed at some of the premiere venues around the country including Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center and The Jazz Standard (NYC). Francies currently attends the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on full-scholarship and will perform with his band Kinetic in Bern (SW) in Spring 2015. James Francies is a Yamaha Artist and Korg Artist.

Not bad for a 20 year old from Houston, Texas.