SPIRE LOBBY SERIES: THE GREG ABATE QUARTET

Presented by The Antonia and Vladimir Kulaev Cultural Heritage Fund.

This series showcases local and regional musicians in a relaxed and intimate setting. The lobby is transformed into a 70-seat showcase lounge!

Greg Abate is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer and educator celebrated for his hard-bop style and powerful, swinging alto voice. He studied at the Berklee College of Music, played lead alto with the Ray Charles Orchestra early in his career, and has since recorded 24 albums as a leader, toured internationally, still 2 months every year UK , Austria ,France,and collaborated with greats like Phil Woods, and Kenny Barron and many more to mention !

Abate has consistently placed highly in DownBeat’s annual Readers Poll for alto saxophone—finishing near the top (e.g., #2 and #3 in recent polls) and ranked among the leading contemporary alto players by fans. He’s also earned recognition in DownBeat’s Readers Poll Critics Poll in category alto sax and as Rising Star and has been featured by critics in the magazine for his contributions to modern jazz.

He’s known for keeping the bebop tradition fresh while composing and arranging original material, and his recordings have been widely praised in jazz !

Chris Taylor

On a late summer’s early evening, playing my first solo piano set at the Philadelphia Ritz-Carlton, I happened to look up to see a stunning lady sitting alone, engaged in some kind of paper work, but more importantly, tapping her heels to my music. This fortunate encounter led me to her hometown, where after a couple of years she became my bride, and Boston my home.

My twelve years in Philadelphia allowed me to be entrenched in it’s 80’s jazz scene, giving me a fantastic opportunity to play with some remarkable musicians such as Philly Joe Jones, Bobby Durham, Mickey Roker, Jack Six, Christian McBride, Charles Fambrough, Joe Ford, Al Cohn, Larry McKenna and on and on…quite the education for this self taught jazz pianist from Wichita.

Gary Johnson

Gary Johnson has been working professionally as a drummer for over forty years.  He is the son of New England jazz great, Dick Johnson.  Gary traveled extensively with the revamped Artie Shaw Orchestra, under the direction of Dick Johnson.  During that time, he accompanied such artists as: Rosemary Clooney, Buddy Defranco and Helen Forrest.  For many years, Gary was the drummer with his father’s band Swingshift.  He was also a fixture with both Lou Colombo’s group and Ray Santisi’s quartet.  During his career, he has played with such luminaries as: Dizzy Gillespie, Dave McKenna, Scott Hamilton, Ken Poplowski, Greg Abate, Ruby Braff, Keely Smith and Phil Wilson’s Big Band. Gary attended Berklee College of Music from 1972-1974.  Gary Johnson is currently a freelance musician and teaches at the Mockingbird School of Music in Easton, MA.

Todd Baker

Todd Baker ,graduate of  Berklee College of Music 1980 has performed with Artie Shaw Orchestra Woody Herman band Tommy/Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra former bassist with the South Shore Music circus has performed with Rosemary Clooney , Cab Callaway, The Four Freshmen, Scott, Hamilton, and many others       has taught at University of Massachusetts and Rhode Island College.