2011.11.28
Kate McGarry Quartet, Chamber Music Hall.
Kate McGarry Quartet (Durham, North Carolina) is a bold and cohesive jazz group that embraces the freedom of the jazz tradition while pointing the genre towards a future as fresh and thrilling as its past. Having worked together for years in New York City jazz clubs, the Kate McGarry Quartet’s sound is inspired by great jazz singers and instrumentalists, delta blues artists, and Brazilian music, as well as Kate McGarry’s original compositions.
Kate McGarry (Vocals) has four critically acclaimed albums and a 2009 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Jazz Vocal to her credit. She is recognized as a jazz artist who brings authenticity and vitality to a wide range of material. McGarry earned her bachelor's degree in Afro-American music and jazz at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Her musical collaborations include projects with jazz luminaries including Fred Hersch, Kurt Elling, and Maria Schneider. McGarry performs in many of the most venerated jazz clubs and festivals throughout the United States and abroad. She has also served on the faculty of Manhattan School of Music.
Keith Ganz (Guitar) is a guitarist, composer, and arranger who has worked with a range of jazz notables including Fred Hersch, Kurt Elling, and Harry Connick, Jr. Ganz is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) where he was recognized for his solo performances with the UNC Jazz Ensemble. Since then, Ganz has worked with several GRAMMY® nominated artists as producer, arranger, and performer. Ganz has been featured on NPR's Jazz Set, most recently in a concert at the Kennedy Center with GRAMMY® nominee Luciana Souza.
Jordan Perlson (Percussion) moved to New York City after graduating from the Berklee College of Music in 2004. Since then, he has collaborated with a wide range of musicians including Kaki King, Gary Burton, Phil Woods, Hiromi, and more. Perlson has been an adjunct professor at New York University’s Steinhardt School and has taught master classes in Japan, Korea, Costa Rica, Mexico, and throughout Europe and North America. He has performed on over 40 recordings and is in the process of finishing his first CD release as a leader.
Gary Versace (Organ) is one of the busiest and most versatile musicians on the scene, often featured in bands led by John Scofield, Regina Carter, Maria Schneider, and others. Versace has partnered on a duo recording with the legendary saxophonist Lee Konitz, and won the "Rising Star” category on the Hammond organ in Downbeat's Critic's Poll in 2009 and 2010. He has a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music and was an Associate Professor in the Jazz Studies Department at University of Oregon. Versace remains active as a clinician and guest soloist both nationally and around the world.
