Five Spot: Happenings In The Jazz World This Week

 

Esperanza Spalding performs at the White House

• Barack & Michelle Obama host "In Performance at White House: A Celebration of American Creativity" featuring Esperanza Spalding, Trombone Shorty, Buddy Guy & more.
• Seattle Weekly takes a look back at "The Night That John Coltrane Played Seattle & Pushed Afro Futurism Forward" 50 years later.
• Another clip from Don Cheadle's "Miles Ahead" was leaked—a conversation between Cheadle (Miles Davis) and Ewan McGregor (journalist).
• Amoeba Records wants to convert its "jazz room" into Berkeley's newest medical marijuana dispensary.
• U of Illinois professor is building a jazz-improvisation computer.

SFJAZZ Center One-Year Anniversary, Pt.2

After a clinic with the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars earlier this week, Resident Artistic Director Bill Frisell reflected, "So much has happened in a year. It seems impossible. I said, 'Wait, that's two years!' It just seems like an incredible bunch of stuff happened." In recognition of the SFJAZZ Center's One-Year Anniversary, SFJAZZ Members get 25% off all of Bill Frisell's shows this weekend, starting with his debut of the Big Sur Quintet tonight!

To continue celebrating the Center's One-Year Anniversary, below is a collection of photo-highlights, spanning from the Historic Grand Opening, Season 1, the 31st San Francisco Jazz Festival, the first annual Summer Sessions and Season 2, still underway!

Opening Day: John Santos and High School All-Star Alum Laila Smith cutting the ribbon!

One of three tile murals by Sandow Birk & Elyse Pignolet

Opening Night: The Founding Donors Wall

Season 1: Juan de Marcos & Afro-Cuban Allstars

Season 1: Hiromi's Trio Project

Season 1: Jason Moran & Skateboarding

Season 1: Miguel Zenon's Alma Aldentro

SFJAZZ Photographer Laureate Jim Goldberg installing his "Prized Possession"

SFJAZZ Poet Laureate Ishmael Reed in front of his

"When I Die, I Will Go To Jazz" art installation in Linden Alley

31st San Francisco Jazz Festival: Ahmad Jamal Trio

Summer Sessions: Eric Harland's Drum Vibe

Season 2: Terence Blanchard Quintet w/ Lionel Loueke

Season 2: SFJAZZ Collective w/ new members Warren Wolf & Obed Calvaire

Season 2: Buika

Hotplate Series: Robert Stewart & Chester Thompson play Jimmy Smith

Season 2: The Robert Glasper Experiment

POTUS: Redman, Spalding, Obama, Pinderhughes, Hancock + Morans

Season 2: Regina Carter / Kenny Barron duo

Season 2: Dave Holland's Prism w/ Eric Harland, Kevin Eubanks & Craig Taborn

Season 2: Mary Stallings / Eric Reed duo

More information at sfjazz.org. See more photos at SFJAZZ Flickr, or follow us on Instagram!

PHOTO: President Obama Speaks at SFJAZZ Center

President Obama speaking in Miner Auditorium at the SFJAZZ Center

On Monday, November 25th, President Obama visited the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco for a Democratic National Committee Fundraiser.

SFJAZZ High School All-Star alum Elena Pinderhughes sitting on "Cantaloupe Island"

with Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding & Joshua Redman!

Before the President's remarks, SFJAZZ assembled an all-star combo featuring Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Joshua Redman and SFJAZZ High School All-Star alumni Elena Pinderhughes. SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director Jason Moran and Alicia Hall Moran also performed as a duo.

Resident Artistic Director Jason Moran performs "Summertime"

with acclaimed vocalist (and wife) Alicia Hall Moran

Bay Area artists in attendance included Bobby Hutcherson, John Handy, Mary Stallings, Paula West, Marcus Shelby, Les Claypool, Charlie Musselwhite, Kitty Margolis, SFJAZZ Poet Laureate Ishmael Reed, Faye Carol, Mike Greensill, Jules Broussard, Calvin Keyes, Pamela Rose, Wayne Wallace, Derek Lassiter, and more.