Patrick Wolff Quartet

Saxophonist and clarinetist Patrick Wolff leads his celebrated quintet in a showcase of original compositions and hard bop classics, joined by special guest Mark Ferber, one of the most in-demand drummers on today's scene. This nine-year veteran group of San Francisco's finest has built their reputation on a "big sound" approach to the music of masters like Horace Silver, Kenny Dorham, and Freddie Redd.

Wolff brings decades of experience from the New York and San Francisco jazz scenes, having performed and recorded with jazz legends including Albert "Tootie" Heath, Matt Wilson, Grant Stewart, and Louis Moholo-Moholo. His saxophone work draws from the bebop tradition with the kind of "dependably enjoyable" approach that delivers "thematic variety" without overwhelming complexity, as one review noted. Pianist Keith Saunders studied with Charlie Shoemake and Horace Silver in Los Angeles before leading The NY HardBop Quintet and making his mark in the Bay Area scene. Bassist Eric Markowitz relocated from St. Louis in 2003 and has become a first-call player throughout the region.

For this performance, the quartet welcomes Ferber, whose resume spans over 200 recordings and collaborations with ECM recording artist Ralph Alessi, the Marc Copland Quartet, and his twin brother Alan Ferber's Grammy-nominated ensembles. His addition promises to elevate the group's already formidable rhythm section.

The quintet's 2024 album Bay Blue on Bop City Records spent several months on national jazz radio charts and earned recognition as one of the "Best jazz albums of 2024" by the Mercury News. Expect to hear music that balances Wolff's intricate original compositions with expertly crafted interpretations of hard bop standards, delivered with the kind of tight ensemble playing that comes from nearly a decade of collaboration.