Coming to the famous Van Dyck Jazz Club on Thursday, June 26th will be 4 time Grammy Award winner Ralph Lalama with Joe Barna Quartet.
Ralph Lalama - tenor sax
John Esposito - piano
Jason Emmond - bass
Joe Barna - drums & cymbals
• One set from 7:30-9pm
• Doors open for dinner at 6:30pm. Reservations are highly recommended.
ABOUT RALPH LALAMA
A solid fixture of the New York jazz scene and respected world-wide, Ralph Lalama embodies the best of the jazz sound ideal – great time, great swing, expressed through great melodic ideas. Everything he says and plays comes out of his deep connection and appreciation for “the Beat.” Jazz critic Zan Stewart put it succinctly: “Lalama is a grand, modern-minded storyteller…a first-class jazz soloist.” He excels in a chord-less trio format with his amazing command of the harmonic progressions articulated through his horn. But on top of being a great jazz soloist, Lalama is equally a solid veteran of jazz ensembles and orchestras. Over his impressive career starting with Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, and the Mel Lewis Orchestra – now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra – he has honed the craft of sonic blending.
Lalama is a four-time Grammy winner through his work in the Joe Lovano Nonet and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. He has nine CDs out as a leader and is on more than sixty recordings as a sideman. He has received praise from the likes of critics Gary Giddins, Stanley Crouch, Ben Ratliff, Ira Gitler and Stuart Troup, among others.
Ralph Lalama’s playing reveals an enormous depth of musical heart and knowledge. With his muscular, free-wheeling sound and masterful ability to tell a story through his horn, one understands why he so thoroughly connects with musicians, students and listeners alike.
Equipment: Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone; Buffet Crampon Clarinet; Altus Flute.
ABOUT JOE BARNA
Joe Barna is a Drummer/Composer/Bandleader originally from Troy, NY whose passion and dedication to music have taken him around the world. He is a former student of SCCC in Schenectady, NY and holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase in Westchester, NY.
Joe spent his first 4 years of college focused on classical percussion and performance before transferring to the music conservatory at Purchase in 1999. While at Purchase, he had the privilege to study with jazz greats the likes of Jon Faddis, Hal Galper, Adam Nussbaum, John Riley, Todd Coolman and Ralph Lalama. In 2004 Barna received his BFA in Jazz Studies with a focus on drumset performance & composition.
Some of the outstanding performers Barna has had the honor of performing alongside include: 3 time Grammy Award winners The Celtic Tenors, 7 time Grammy Award recipient Gary Smulyan, world renowned classical violinist Peter Fisher and 4 time Grammy Award recipient Ralph Lalama.
Other notable performances include Joe Magnarelli, Dick Oatts, Joel Frahm, Jon Gordon, Lee Shaw, Grant Stewart, Jim Rotondi, Keith Pray, Charlie Sigler, George Muscatello, Ray Vega, Jerry Weldon, Stacy Dillard, Jon Elbaz, Matt Garrison, Victor Gould, Lee Russo, Bryan Patneaude, The Big Soul Ensemble and his own original band Sketches Of Influence.
Joe has taken his passion and talent abroad to Canada, Australia, Russia, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, New Zealand, Dubai UAE, Turkey and Egypt. In addition to performing in these destinations he has also traveled across the United States and through the Caribbean Islands. In 2013, Barna also performed around the coasts of Hawaii, Fiji, Tahiti and New Caledonia.
In addition to his above credits Barna has recorded on over 10 albums as a sideman and has 6 albums as a bandleader. His most recent effort, The Heights (2024) is a dedication to his daughter Savina Jewel Barna.
We invite you to be a part of what makes live performances so special.
Follow the link to reserve your seats now…
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joe-barna-quartet-ft-ralph-lalama-tickets-1336955643319
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