Thu Apr 16
Bob Schwartz Septet featuring Jon Ozment and James F. Cotton, Jr.
6PM / $20 | $2.33 Fees Get Tickets
Bob Schwartz
A Count Basie celebration requires a stellar pianist, tenor saxes with contrasting styles, a trumpet / vocal voice, and rhythm guitar, bass, & drums. So for this Septet Bob recruited pianist & teacher Jon Ozment and tenor saxophonist James F. Cotton, Jr. to join Nina (vocal & trumpet voice) and the BSQ rhythm section – Jeff Seigle guitar, Herb Nachmann bass, Jim Deshler drums.
In 1927 a canceled tour left young Count Basie stranded in Kansas City, a hotbed of talent, creativity, and blues. In 1935 when bandleader Bennie Moten died Count took over leadership and by 1937 the band was in New York featuring Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Buddy Tate, Sweets Edison, Buck Clayton, and vocalists Jimmy Rushing and Helen Humes. The rhythm section with Freddie Green and Jo Jones came to define swing. We’ll celebrate this period thru the “Atomic Basie” era of Sonny Payne, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Joe Williams, Neal Hefti, and classic recordings with Sarah, Ella, and Sinatra.
BSQ (Bob Schwartz Quartet) has been featured throughout the DMV for 18 years. In 2015 Mike West wrote in the City Paper:
“BSQ, the Bob Schwartz Quartet, has been holding down a biweekly gig at Twins Jazz for a couple of months now. And why not? The only thing more reliable than his gig is his swing. *** Two albums, a whole lot of elegant, straight-ahead jazz. *** His improvisation has the feeling of a lively raconteur, spinning yarns with witty asides and amusing details. *** ”
Bob started on flute with classical chops, added sax, and played thru college with future leading jazz pros such as David Berger and Andy LaVerne, then came to DC to join DOJ. After too long away practicing law, Bob found the right folks to form BSQ. Over the years more than 70 DMV players have played in or with this “quartet.”
6PM / $20 | $2.33 Fees Get Tickets