This year’s Jazz@thePoint Festival, produced by the South Jersey Jazz Society from October 10-12 in Somers Point, will focus on bassists, featuring performances by John Patitucci, Brian Bromberg, Ciara Moser, Andy Lalasis, and Mike Boone.
Patitucci (photo above) is perhaps best known as the bassist in the late Wayne Shorter’s quartet. Shortly after Shorter died in March 2023, Patitucci posted this tribute on Facebook: “Wayne challenged us and empowered us to go on the most incredible journey of life, spiritual unity, and artistic growth . . . I love Wayne’s definition of jazz — ‘Jazz means — I dare you!!’ He never lost the childlike wonder of discovery in life and music.” (‘The Work He Left Behind Will Stay With Us Forever’, Jersey Jazz, April 2023).
When Patitucci appeared at Tarrytown’s Jazz Forum last February, AllAboutJazz’s Scott Lichtman wrote that he “demonstrated why he’s a go-to performer, delivering a pristine acoustic tone and dexterous facility while walking and soloing. This distinctively put the bass on par with every instrument in contributing to a song’s motion.” In Somers Point, Patitucci will be leading his Brazilian Trio, which usually features Yotam Silberstein on guitar and Rogerio Boccato on drums. The October issue of Jersey Jazz will include an interview with Patitucci by Contributing Editor Jay Sweet.
In April 2023, Bromberg released an album called LaFaro, a tribute to the late bassist Scott LaFaro, who was tragically killed in an auto accident while a member of the Bill Evans Trio. Bromberg’s concert in Somers Point will feature music from that album.
For more information on Jazz@thePoint, log onto southjerseyjazz.org or
call (609) 289-0326