Jazz at The Cherry proudly welcomes back to our stage nationally known pianist, Dick Whittington. Joining Dick will be virtuoso drummer, Akira Tana, and jazz bassist, Dan Robbins.
You won’t want to miss this exciting afternoon of straight-ahead jazz featuring the compositions of John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Dizzy Gillespie and John Lewis, as well as standards by Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. Sunday, March 26th at 2:00. Doors open at 1:30 for a reception featuring wine and light fare (included in the ticket price). Tickets are $35, purchased on eventbrite.com or by calling (831) 624-7491.
About the Trio:
Dick Whittington grew up in Los Angeles, and while earning a degree in elementary education at Cal State Northridge, he was working gigs with Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Criss, Barney Kessel, Charles Lloyd, Charlie Hayden, Scott Lafaro, Gary Peacock, and Billy Higgins. Dick later went on to accompany vocalists Anita O’Day, Ernestine Anderson, Dinah Washington, and Mel Torme. Over the last five decades he has performed with many jazz greats including Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Art Pepper, Eddie Harris, and Chet Baker.
Akira Tana, an SF Bay Area native, earned degrees from Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music. Tana has worked with innumerable jazz giants including Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims, Hubert Laws, Milt Jackson, Jim Hall and Art Farmer. An active teacher and clinician, he has taught at Rutgers University, Queens College, Jersey City State College and New York University. He is also currently on the faculty at San Francisco State University and the California Jazz Conservatory.
Dan Robbins, who is among the West Coast’s most in-demand bassists, is known for his driving, creative, harmonically and melodically rich background and lead parts on bass. He has performed with numerous jazz stars such as Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Benny Green, Regina Carter, Lewis Nash, John Clayton, Bruce Forman, and many other West Coast jazz luminaries. Dan teaches at San Jose State University and Santa Clara University and is also involved as an educator with the Monterey Jazz Festival, Cabrillo Jazz Festival and the San Jose Jazz Society.
