Charles McPherson Quartet

At 85 years of age McPherson remains a strong, viable force on the jazz scene today. Throughout his over six decades of being an integral performer of the music, Charles has not merely remained true to his Bebop origins but has expanded on them. For more than 60 years, saxophonist Charles McPherson has been one of the most expressive and highly regarded voices in jazz. His rich musical style, rooted in the blues and bebop, has influenced and inspired generations of musicians and listeners. Charles McPherson was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1939 and moved to Detroit at age nine. While growing up in Detroit, he studied with the renowned pianist Barry Harris and started playing jazz professionally at age 19. He then moved from Detroit to New York in 1959 in order to be in the heart of the jazz scene. McPherson soon joined bassist Charles Mingus’ band and performed with Mingus from 1960 to 1972. While performing with Mingus, he collaborated frequently with Harris, Lonnie Hillyer, and George Coleman. McPherson has performed at concerts and festivals around the world with his own variety of groups, consisting of quartets, quintets and full orchestras. Charles has toured the U.S., Europe, Japan, Africa and South America with his own group, as well as with jazz greats Barry Harris, Paul Chambers, Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, Nat Adderly, Jay McShann, Sam Jones, Pat Martino, Phil Woods, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. 16 years ago, Charles was featured at Lincoln Center showcasing his original compositions, and once again joined Wynton Marsalis and the J@LC Orchestra in April, 2019 in celebrating the altoist’s 80th birthday. The evening’s performance included new arrangements of 7 of Charles’ iconic, original compositions. Charles also performed in April, 2019 at the NEA Jazz Master’s performance during Stanley Crouch’s tribute. McPherson has recorded as a guest artist with Charlie Mingus, Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. He has recorded as a leader on Prestige, Fantasy, Mainstream, Discovery, Xanadu, Arabesque, Capri and several smaller labels in Europe and Japan. Charles was the featured alto saxophonist in the CLINT EASTWOOD FILM “BIRD,” A BIOPIC ABOUT CHARLIE PARKER. Charles has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Don Redman Lifetime Achievement Award and an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from California State University San Marcos. He is widely recognised as a prolific composer, and is now Resident Composer for the San Diego Ballet, where he has written three original suites plus two arrangements for chamber music and jazz combos. His newest album, on his own label, is a compilation of two of multiple movement suites, “Sweet Synergy Suite” and “Song of Songs,” plus a movement from a string chamber work, “Reflection, Turmoil & Hope.” Many critics from acclaimed publications, including DownBeat Magazine, recognised JAZZ DANCE SUITES as one of the best Jazz Recordings of the year. It also won the honour of two International Reader’s Polls – both DownBeat and JAZZTIMES as #1 & #4 Jazz Album of the year, plus Charles was named Artist of the Year. During the pandemic, Charles was as busy as ever online participating in programs, concerts and festivals all over the world – from the esteemed Global Music Foundation, Detroit Symphony Programs, many jazz festivals, and a new recording coming up from Germany where he is a soloist, and artists in residence programs from MSU to ASU. Stanley Crouch says in his New York Times article on Charles, “he is a singular voice who has never sacrificed the fluidity of his melody making and is held in high esteem by musicians both long seasoned and young.”