Malachi Whitson Quintet

Drummer Malachi Whitson brings together a stellar quintet featuring bassist Giulio Xavier Cetto, saxophonist Kazemde George, and guitarist Kai Lyons for an evening of contemporary jazz that blends traditional foundations with modern innovation.

Whitson, a Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz graduate who has performed with Herbie Hancock, Joshua Redman, and Helen Sung, leads his ensemble Something with Soul, which combines jazz, R&B, and improvisation into what he calls "songs of peace, adversity, and the trials of growing and living in this world." His approach emphasizes dynamic interplay between composed passages and open solo sections, creating space for each musician's voice within a cohesive, swinging framework.

The quintet features Venezuelan-Italian bassist Giulio Xavier Cetto, whose sound seamlessly blends jazz with hip-hop influences drawn from his multicultural heritage and Bay Area roots. Joining them is Kazemde George, an Oakland-based saxophonist whose 2021 debut album I Insist showcases his gift for streamlined melodies and explorations of African diaspora musical traditions, incorporating his studies of traditional music in Havana, Cuba. Guitarist Kai Lyons rounds out the rhythm section with his background in Cuban music and world music traditions.

Expect to hear music that balances bebop standards with original compositions rooted in post-bop and Afro-Cuban influences. Whitson's quintet creates what audiences describe as a "hybrid sound" that communicates through tight horn voicings, inventive collective interplay, and the kind of rich sonic variety that moves fluidly between contemporary jazz's many expressions. The intimate setting at Mr. Tipple's provides the perfect backdrop for experiencing the dynamic energy and spontaneity that defines this ensemble's live performances.