The
SFJAZZ Collective -- "SF" as in San Francisco -- is a forward-thinking octet featuring an ever-changing lineup of musicians both young and old. Formed in 2004 as a nonprofit organization, the group appears regularly at the San Francisco Jazz Festival and focuses on reinterpreting the works of one important modern jazz composer a year, as well as new compositions by its members. With its varied lineups, the collective has featured a bevy of acclaimed artists including saxophonist
Joshua Redman, vibraphonist
Bobby Hutcherson, pianist
Renee Rosnes, trumpeter
Nicholas Payton, alto saxophonist
Miguel Zenón, trombonist
Josh Roseman, bassist
Robert Hurst, drummer
Brian Blade, and others. The collective released its self-titled debut album on Nonesuch in 2005, followed a year later by
SF Jazz Collective, Vol. 2. Several more albums followed, including the
Thelonious Monk-themed Live 2007: 4th Annual Concert Tour, the
Wayne Shorter-themed Live 2008: 5th Annual Concert Tour, and the
McCoy Tyner-themed Live 2009: 6th Annual Concert Tour. In 2011,
SFJAZZ Collective released
Music of Stevie Wonder and New Compositions: Live in New York 2011 Season 8. The
Collective commemorated their 2015 season with the release of another limited-edition album, The Music of Michael Jackson & Original Compositions. ~ Matt Collar