Gilbert Castellanos & The Hammond B3 Quartet

Southern California trumpet virtuoso, Gilbert Castellanos, makes music that sounds effortless. Skilled with impressive dexterity and control, his clarity of expression moves listeners on a deeply emotional level.

Recognized as a new American master by Downbeat magazine, Castellanos has established himself as one of the nation’s most inventive improvisers in stirring live performances as a member of the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Anthony Wilson Nonet, Charles McPherson Quintet, Willie Jones III Quintet, and as leader of his own groups.

Zan Stewart of the Los Angeles Times says: "[Castellanos] plays with élan, evincing a more individual, ever-large sound offering hard swinging, often ear-grabbing solos...[proving] that music with deep roots in jazz's glorious '50s and '60s can sound completely contemporary today."

Slated for release in Fall, 2010, his forthcoming album as leader of Gilbert Castellanos and the New Latin Jazz Quintet is likely to change the way we think about West Coast jazz. Seamlessly drawing on his two lifelong influences -- the hardbop pioneers of modern jazz who have inspired him, and the rhythmic pulse of the Latino heritage that nurtured him -- Castellanos has channeled a passionate dedication to his art form, and a life immersed in the diverse and vibrant culture of his home state of California, into this, his third solo effort.

Castellanos was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, where his father performed as leader, singer and arranger of the popular cumbia band, Gil Castellanos y Su Copacabana. His father’s love for classical composers and big band jazz broadened young Gilbert’s horizons from an early age, and he was encouraged to become a jazz musician. By the time he’d reached elementary school in California, Castellanos was listening to Freddie Hubbard on his Walkman and playing the theme from Rocky on his first day in band class.

After graduating from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and Cal Arts in Los Angeles, Castellanos quickly rose to national attention as a member of the celebrated band Black/Note, with whom he recorded three albums: “L.A. Underground” (Red Records), Jungle Music (Columbia Records) and “Nothin’ But the Swing” (Impulse Records). His recording career since Black/Note has seen Castellanos thrive as a player, bandleader, composer and arranger on two acclaimed albums: his soulful 1999 self-titled debut release, “The Gilbert Castellanos Hammond B3 Quartet,” and his eclectic second offering, “Underground” (Seedling Records, 2006).

Between recordings, Castellanos keeps busy as one of the most respected sidemen and soloists working today. Grammy winning bassist and co-leader of the Clayton/Hamilton Orchestra, John Clayton, recalls that when he first heard Gilbert play with their band, Jeff Hamilton turned to him and said, “He’s a breath of fresh air!” Now, seated beside Count Basie band veteran, Snooky Young, Caslellanos has become an integral force in the success of this world famous touring and recording ensemble. Clayton appreciates how Castellanos “always finds new life and new energy to breath into the notes I write and the grooves we play with him.” The performing and recording credits keep growing: Castellanos has worked with world-reknown artists Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Charlie Hayden, Les McCann, Poncho Sanchez, Diana Krall, Willie Nelson, Michael Buble, and Natalie Cole, to name a few. In 2009, he played live for millions of listeners as a member of the supporting band on “American Idol.”

A passionate advocate of formal jazz education, Castellanos regularly conducts high school workshops and is a lecturer at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.

He is also a firm believer in the type of “real world” education jazz musicians have counted on to learn the ropes since the music was born. In his chosen home of San Diego, California, for nearly two decades, he has been hosting a legendary weekly jam session in various downtown warehouses and clubs. Currently, you can catch his session on Wednesday nights at Super El Camino, where Castellanos develops new material with his own band, while giving up-and-coming players a chance to perform with seasoned professionals.

Castellanos says he will “never give up” in his tireless effort to “put the West Coast back on the map.” His fans and fellow musicians know how important a figure he is, not only to the birth of a new West Coast sound, but also in helping, as Castellanos always puts it, “keep jazz alive.” -- D.A. Kolodenko, San Diego CityBeat

To learn more about Mr. Castellanos, please visit his website

SATURDAY Evening Concert @ The Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall Photo by Greg Aiello

Ben Allison Band

Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his lyrical melodies, inventive grooves and inspired arrangements, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole.

With his groups The Ben Allison Band, Man Size Safe, Peace Pipe, and Medicine Wheel, Ben has toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, South America and Europe, winning fans and building new audiences with an adventurous yet accessible sound and a flair for the unexpected.

Called “one of today’s best young jazz musicians” by the Boston Globe and a “visionary composer, adventurous improviser, and strong organizational force on the New York City jazz scene” by JazzTimes, Ben has released ten albums — Action-Refraction (2011), Think Free (2009), Little Things Run the World (2008), Cowboy Justice (2006), Buzz (2004), Peace Pipe (2002), Riding the Nuclear Tiger (2001), Third Eye (1999), Medicine Wheel (1998) and Seven Arrows (1996) on Palmetto Records — all of which showcase Ben’s forward-thinking vision as a producer, composer, arranger, and bassist, and his hands-on approach to his craft.

Ben has been cited in the Downbeat Critics Poll “Bassist” category (2010-2011), “Composer” category (2010) and won the “Rising Star Bassist” category in 2005, 2006 and again in 2007. He’s also been cited in the “Rising Star Album,” “Rising Star Acoustic Group,” “Rising Star Arranger,” and “Rising Star Jazz Artist” categories since 2003 as well as the “Bassist” category of the 2005-2010 Downbeat Readers Poll — all of which is a testament to his dedication as a musician.

In 2005, Ben was honored with the Bird Award, The Netherland’s most prestigious jazz-related award, in a ceremony held at the North Sea Jazz Festival.

“I see the the whole process — from assembling a band, writing and work-shopping the music, recording and mastering the album, doing the artwork and writing the notes, and then touring the project — to be all part of the process of musical expression.” says Ben. “I enjoy every step as they all demand a certain kind of positive energy. And I get to collaborate with a wide range of very creative people.”

Ben’s album Action-Refraction reached #1 on the CMJ National Jazz radio charts and remained in the top 20 for over three months, making it one of the most-played CDs of 2011. His previous six albums achieved similar radio success, garnering him 6 SESAC National Performance Awards, and have been named as among the best of the year by publications such as Billboard, NPR, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Village Voice, Jazz Times, Jazz Journalists Association, Downbeat Critics Poll, All About Jazz, Coda (Canada), and Jazz Review (UK), among many others.

At the age of twenty-five, Ben formed the Jazz Composers Collective — a musician-run, non-profit organization based in New York City that is dedicated to constructing an environment where artists can exercise their ideals of creating and risking through the development and exploration of new music. As the Artistic Director and a Composer-in-Residence of the Jazz Composers Collective, Ben has produced or co- produced over 100 concerts and special events, including the Collective’s annual concert series (which ran for eleven seasons), national and international tours by Collective artists, an on-going Collective residency at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA, NYC), and an annual “Jazz Composers Collective Festival” at the Jazz Standard — which has drawn international attention as a mainstay of New York City’s musical life. As a member of the Collective Ben has received commissioning, performing, and recording grants from Chamber Music America, the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Aaron Copland Foundation, Meet the Composer, and the American Composers Forum.

Born in 1966 in New Haven, Connecticut, Ben has performed the world over with musicians ranging from oudist Ara Dinkjian to saxophonist Lee Konitz to legendary performance artist Joey Arias. He has appeared on over 40 albums by various artists and has written music for film, national television and radio, including the theme for the National Public Radio (NPR) show On the Media (which boasts a listernship of over 1,000,000 people per week) and the score for Two Days, a play written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Donald Margulies. He was a featured artist with the Jazz Sinfonica Orchestra of Sao Paulo in 2005 and 2008.

For more go to www.benallison.com or follow him on twitter: @benallisonmusic