Matt Zebley & Jeff Brown Quintet

Grammy-winning saxophonist Matthew Zebley brings his quintet to Mr. Tipple's for two intimate sets of contemporary jazz rooted in the modern mainstream tradition. As Director of Jazz Studies at Diablo Valley College, Zebley has performed at major venues including the Grammy Awards, Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey Jazz Festival, collaborating with jazz legends such as Dave Brubeck, Wayne Shorter, and Yusef Lateef.

Zebley is a multi-instrumentalist who moves fluidly between alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, and electronic wind instrument (EWI), bringing what one reviewer called a "rich sonic variety" to his compositions and performances. His 1999 debut album Live at Moondog captured his working ensemble's energy with tight horn voicings and swinging collective interplay, featuring mostly original compositions alongside jazz standards.

Joining Zebley in the quintet are some of the Bay Area's most accomplished musicians: drummer Malachi Whitson leads the ensemble Something with Soul and has performed with Herbie Hancock and Joshua Redman. Pianist Ben Flint brings his Memphis soul background and 18 years as keyboardist in Isaac Hayes' band before relocating to the Bay Area, where he now leads the Oakland Jazz Choir. Grammy-winning trumpeter Steffen Kuehn is co-leader of the Pacific Mambo Orchestra and known for blending contemporary jazz with Latin influences as both a lyrical soloist and skilled arranger.

The group performs music that balances composed passages with open solo sections, emphasizing the kind of inventive interplay and tight ensemble work that has defined Zebley's approach since his Berklee College of Music days. With two sets scheduled for the evening, audiences can expect to hear both bebop standards and original compositions that showcase each musician's individual voice within a cohesive, swinging framework.