Greg Abate Quartet

Alto saxophonist and flutist Greg Abate closes out his weekend residency at Black Cat with a powerhouse bebop quartet featuring some of jazz's most accomplished musicians. Ranked among the top 5 alto saxophonists in DownBeat's Readers Poll, Abate has built his reputation as one of the leading modern interpreters of the bebop tradition, having performed with Ray Charles and the Artie Shaw Orchestra early in his career.

Abate's performances are high-energy affairs that capture the authentic spirit of Charlie Parker and the hard bop masters. As legendary saxophonist Phil Woods noted, he's "one of the most exciting saxophonists around today... a hard-driving player who swings like mad." Expect passionate, in-the-moment improvisation as Abate effortlessly bounces between bebop standards and his own compositions, often weaving quotes from other tunes into his solos — bits of "Let's Fall in Love" emerging during "Crazeology" or "Summertime" floating through Joe Henderson's "Recorda-Me."

Joining Abate is Bay Area pianist Ben Stolorow, whose introspective, lyrical approach blends classical influences with modern jazz sensibilities. Anchoring the rhythm section is premier bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, who served as Art Blakey's last bassist with the Jazz Messengers and has collaborated with everyone from Bobby Watson's Horizon to the Blue Note All-Stars. Drummer Sylvia Cuenca completes the lineup, bringing her hard-swinging post-bop style honed through long associations with Clark Terry and Joe Henderson.

With no music stands between the musicians and audience, this is pure bebop energy that builds throughout the evening as the quartet finds its collective groove. Abate seamlessly switches between alto sax and flute, creating both driving, adrenaline-fueled numbers and gentler, mellower moments. His original compositions like the 6/4 minor blues "On the Road" showcase his skills as both player and composer, while his interpretations of Parker classics reaffirm the enduring vitality of the bebop tradition.