Piedmont Piano Company is pleased to present
Dann Zinn Band
The Dann Zinn Band features Dann Zinn on tenor and soprano saxophone, Taylor Eigsti on piano, Dan Robbins on bass, and Mark Ferber on drums. This performance is a CD release concert for Dann’s newest recording, Day Of Reckoning, on Origin Records. The music is a dynamic blend of Contemporary Jazz, World Music, and Americana, with memorable melodies and intense improvisations. “…demanding new material and game virtuosity combine for a thrilling, seat-of-the-pants set…” SFCV
$20 General Admission
“Dann Zinn is a game changer, who is taking jazz in new directions.” As a world-class saxophonist/flutist, Zinn is renowned for being a passionate soloist and composer/arranger. Hailed over the years as “inventive,” “distinctive,” and for “creating a stunning and emotional listening experience,” Zinn has developed a unique style distinguishing him as a one of a kind artist with a tone unlike any other horn player on the jazz scene today.
Zinn’s resume includes working with Peter Erskine, Taylor Eigsti, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Terry Lyne Carrington, Allison Miller, Derrick Hodge, Geoffrey Keezer, Mary Wells, Martha and the Vandellas, and Barry Finnerty, among others. Zinn has been featured on numerous CDs, and has produced five of his own; Ten Songs, Wish, Grace’s Song, and Shangri La. DownBeat Magazine gave Shangri La a Four Star review, and listed it as one of the best albums of 2015. Zinn’s newest recording is Day Of Reckoning. Zinn has toured around the world, and played on distinguished stages including a Top Ten, Must See at the 2015 Monterey Jazz Festival with Peter Erskine, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, and Yoshi’s Night Spot, where he has played to sold-out crowds.
As an educator, Zinn’s resume includes Director of Jazz Studies at the California State University East Bay, former Director of Jazz Studies at Chabot College, Director of the San Francisco Jazz Festival High School All Star Combo, faculty of the University of California at Berkeley, The California Jazz Conservatory, and The Brubeck Institute. Zinn’s private studio is home to multiple winners of full scholarships to the nation’s top Jazz college programs and all star bands. Zinn and the Art of Saxophone is the newly published series of six technique books based on Zinn’s 30 years of teaching experience. dannzinn.com
"Eigsti exudes fearlessness and joy, secure in the belief that he can make music with anyone." - Variety Magazine
33-year old New York-based pianist and composer Taylor Eigsti started playing the piano when he was four years old. Growing up in the Bay Area, Eigsti was quickly labeled a prodigy, and has since released 7 albums as a leader, garnering multiple individual GRAMMY Award nominations for his work as a recording artist and composer, including Best Instrumental Composition, and Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. Recently, Eigsti also contributed a featured composition on the 2017 GRAMMY-winning soundtrack to the motion picture Miles Ahead, starring Don Cheadle.
Eigsti has performed, toured, or recorded with such luminaries as Dave Brubeck, Joshua Redman,Joshua Bell, Esperanza Spalding, Chris Botti, Sting, John Mayer, Terence Blanchard, James Moody, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gretchen Parlato, Julian Lage, Hank Jones, and Frederica Von Stade, among many others over the years.
Eigsti has travelled internationally quite extensively over the years both as a sideman and with his trio and quartet, performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Royal Festival Hall, Olympia Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, Salle Pleyel, and many top festivals throughout the world throughout six continents.
Eigsti has performed as a soloist with many premiere symphony orchestras, including the New York Pops, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Naples Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, and many others. Eigsti has also composed a large repertoire of symphonic music for multiple collaborations with the Peninsula Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Bear Valley Chamber Orchestra, amongst others.
Eigsti has also been featured numerous times in various television specials, NPR appearances, commercials, and composed the theme music to the motion picture Detachment (2011) starring Oscarwinner Adrien Brody, collaborating on the score with the Newton Brothers. tayjazz.com
Dan Robbins has played and recorded in settings ranging from solo, duo, trio, etc. to big band and orchestra, and is known for driving, creative, harmonically and melodically rich background and lead parts on bass. He doubles on both acoustic bass, and four, five, six, and seven-string electric bass, in styles ranging from solo jazz chord-melody arrangements, to hard-swinging jazz double bass accompaniment, acoustic and electric funk, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Carribean, rock, R&B, blues, tango, Indian, and fusion styles, as well as arco (played with the bow) classical and comtemporary interpretations of composed music. He is also known to employ looping and effects to create the impression of a “one man band”.
He brings a fiery improvisational spirit and energy to all the projects he is involved with. Currently co-leading the funk trio Wasabi, and the acoustic jazz trio Source Field, he also has an ongoing duo project with distinguished California Poet Laureate Al Young, and plays bass for the Hristo Vitchev Quartet, Idiot Fish 3, Joe DeRose & Amici, the Weber Iago Trio, Rick Vandivier/Nate Pruitt and Primary Colors, the BR Jazz Band, and also does solo concerts. He also teaches at San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, runs a private teaching studio, and is involved as an educator with the Monterey Jazz Festival, Cabrillo Jazz Festival, and the San Jose Jazz Society. In addition, he also freelances as a performer, composer, and arranger in studios and venues in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. danrobbinsmusic.com
Drummer Mark Ferber can be heard on over 100 recordings. Ongoing projects includes the Gary Peacock Trio, Ralph Alessi’s ‘This Against That’, the Brad Shepik organ trio, and his twin brother, Alan Ferber’s big band and nonet. Past work includes tours and recordings with Lee Konitz, Jonathan Kreisberg, Jack Wilkins, Don Byron, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Mark Helias, and John O'Gallagher, among others. Mark has taught extensively in the United States and Europe. He was a faculty member for the Maine Jazz Camp, the Tavira Jazz Workshop in Portugal, the School of Improvisational Music (SIM), and is currently teaching privately out of the City College of New York. He was born and raised in Moraga, CA and received a degree in Biogeography from UCLA. Mark is an endorsing artist for Istanbul Cymbals. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.