SEASON OPENER Jazz for the SOUL featuring Jazz con Alma

Jazz for the Soul Season Opener with Beth Lederman-piano, and features percussionist Frank Valdes, John Murray-bass, Adam Clark-drums, and Adam Roberts-tenor sax!

Translating as “Jazz with Soul” or “Jazz with Spirit,” Beth Lederman and Jazz Con Alma provide just that. With an emphasis on Latin jazz, the group ranges from traditional to contemporary music with the spirit of improvisation and the love of jazz always intact. Jazz that is easy to listen to, but doesn’t compromise the integrity and creativity that make this music celebrated as America’s own unique art form. Mix in the rhythms of samba, salsa, swing, bossa-nova, cha-cha, add some of Phoenix’s finest musicians, shake well, and serve for a memorable evening of music!

Beth Lederman is well-known for her sophisticated jazz and rhythmic Brazilian and Latin-jazz piano styles, not only in the Phoenix area, but throughout the Western U.S. from Canada to Mexico. She has been playing professionally for more than thirty years, leading her own groups, Jazz Con Alma and the Brazilian Jazz group Novo Mundo as well as playing with such well-known names as The Diamonds, Bobbie Vinton, and the Drifters.

Beth is a first-call player in the Valley who loves all kinds of music, and she has played with a variety of local artists such as Steven Powell, Diana Lee, Kim Weston, Walt Richardson, Pete Pancrazi, Alice Tatum, Dennis Rowland, and Mario Mendivil. She has performed with the Phoenix Symphony and played shows at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, The Ravenscroft, The Nash, and many of Phoenix’s iconic venues. Her music is melodic, fun, fluid, passionate, innovative, heartfelt, rhythmic, eclectic, honest, artistic, humorous, spontaneous…and great!!

"Incredible piano diversity, inventive arrangements, and memorable originals."

Frank Valdes is a 26-year veteran of music performance who performs and tours with the Machito Orchestra, The Richie Cecere Orchestra, The Shirelles, The Dalton Gang and Donna Summers.

Adam Clark has worked with jazz legends David "Fathead" Newman, Stanley Jordan, Papa John DeFrancesco, Marshall Hawkins, Doug Webb and accordion master Frank Marocco as well as popular artists Lenny Castro, Casey Abrams, Jimmy Vivino and gospel legend Andrew Gouche.  He has been heard as the opening act for Joey DeFrancesco, Blues Traveler, Randy Brecker, Vince Neil and Alice Cooper. As a band leader Clark's groups have played  almost all the major festivals in the Phoenix area from 2002-2012 as well as noted festivals in California including the California Jazz and Wine Festival 3 years in a row. ABC has been the drummer for many local legends including Raul Yanez, DJ Radar, Nicole Pesce, Dennis Rowland and Arizona Blues Hall of Fame inductees Walt Richardson, Margo Reed, Hans  Olsen, Francine  Reed, Mike Howard and the Bad News Blues Band.

Bassist Jon Murray is the Music Theory professor at Grand Canyon University and Orchestra and Jazz Director at Arizona School for the Arts,

Tenor Saxophonist Adam Roberts is an in-demand musician and educator. He performs and records on saxophones, guitars, flutes, and clarinets in a variety of genres including jazz, rock, funk, classical and pop. Adam is a seasoned music educator with over a decade of public school, college and private instruction. Adam is the Instrumental Music Lead at Chandler Gilbert Community College in Chandler, Arizona. Adam holds 3 music degrees in both performance and education, including a Masters from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has studied with a wide array of teachers including Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Bob Brookmeyer, Danilo Perez, and Joel DiBartolo among others.

ALL JFTS CONCERTS ARE FREE and open to the public and all donations received will benefit local and international humanitarian causes.

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