Les Rose and The Valley Jazz Collective will perform Jazz Explorations 2 – Masters of Bebop, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 at St. Mark’s–in-the-Valley. in Los Olivos.
The Valley Jazz Collective’s members — Rose on saxophone, Woody DeMarco on piano, Brendan Statom on bass, and Rex Harte on drums — are among the area’s finest jazz artists and educators.
The concert will focus on Masters of Bebop — a jazz style that developed in the late 1940s after the Big Band Era. The great architects of bebop — Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and Tadd Dameron — will be explored, along with original compositions by Rose and DeMarco.
After the performance, the audience is invited to enjoy a wine and cheese reception with the artists in Stacy Hall.
Tickets for the concert will be on sale at the door (cash and checks accepted); and the price includes the post-concert reception. Cost: $15 General admission; free student admission.
The new Jazz Explorations series at St. Mark’s brings a unique perspective to the creative process of jazz. The Collective will present both original compositions and those of the great jazz masters such as Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Monk, Parker, Bill Evans and Dave Brubeck, with background and insights designed to engage the audience.
The next Jazz Explorations concert will be 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, followed by a new season of concerts starting in early 2023.
Rose led the music program at Dos Pueblos High School from 2001-16. He inspired young musicians as he continued pursuing his own work as a jazz artist and composer. His work includes Broadway shows, Hollywood soundtracks, and two of his own albums, “Jump Swing Boogie” and “Jazz Takes.”
He currently directs the jazz club at Santa Ynez High School, inspiring and mentoring young musicians.
DeMarco, Statom, and Harte have been mainstays on the local jazz scene, both as jazz performers, composers and educators.
For more about St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, visit www.SMITV.org.