Sunday, March 3, 2024, 4 p.m.
Grizzly Peak Winery, Ashland
Siskiyou Music Project kicks off its 2024 Spring concert series with the Max Haymer Trio. Based in Los Angeles, Grammy Award Nominated Pianist Max Haymer and his trio will present a concert of re-imagined Broadway hits, jazz standards and Afro-Cuban jazz compositions. Please note that this performance will start at 4 p.m., doors open at 3:30.
Max Haymer was born and raised in Los Angeles. He began his classical piano studies at the age of seven and was introduced to jazz piano at the age of 14.
He has had the pleasure of performing and recording with many amazing artists, including Arturo Sandoval, Jane Monheit, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Lynch, Mike Stern, Denise Donatelli. Greg Hutchinson, Bill Holman, Crystal Bowersox, Mike Clark, Bob Francheschini, Cindy Blackman, Joel Frahm, John Ellis, Andy Galore, Ernie Andrews, Justo Almario, Andrew Heringer, Brian Swartz, Munyungo Jackson, Bobby Rodriguez, Mike Cottone, Katisse Buckingham, Hamilton Price, Dan Schnelle, and Barbara Morrison.
Since 2018, Haymer has been touring and performing extensively with Grammy Award Winner and trumpet legend, Arturo Sandoval, playing at such places as the Blue Note NYC/Tokyo/Beijing, Newport Jazz Festival, Vancouver Jazz Festival, Teatro Opera de Buenos Aires, Sala Sao Paolo, Focsani Blues Fest, Gazarte Athens, Detroit Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz Alley, Blues Alley, Yoshi’s Oakland, and Disney Hall. Haymer was the featured pianist on Arturo Sandoval’s scores for Clint Eastwood’s films, The Mule and Richard Jewell. Haymer is also the pianist on Sandoval’s newest Grammy-Nominated album, Rhythm & Soul.
Haymer spent most of 2020 performing remote shows with vocalist Jane Monheit, cultivating a new musical relationship that has blossomed into a stellar partnership. This partnership has now blossomed into duo and quartet shows that have been performed nationwide at Blue Note Hawaii, Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Yoshi’s Oakland, SF Jazz, Jazz TX, LIBRETTO, Jazz Alley, and the Purple Room Palm Springs. Haymer played and arranged for Monheit’s most recent album, The Merriest.
Bassist Luca Alemanno. Currently based in Los Angeles (originally from Lecce, Italy), upright/electric bassist Luca Alemanno is considered by critics “among the finest young modern jazz musicians that currently Italy has to offer.” Touring, recording and performing at festivals and clubs in Europe, Asia and North and South America, Luca has appeared with international jazz artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Miguel Zenón, Mark Turner, Walter Smith III, Greg Osby, Bob Mintzer, Joe Lovano, Logan Richardson, Esperanza Spalding, Gerald Clayton, Stanley Jordan, Kenwood Dennard, Maria Schneider, Jerry Bergonzi, Mark Giuliana, Dave Koz, Jason Lindner, Enrico Pieranunzi, Fabrizio Bosso, Flavio Boltro, Rosario Giuliani, Anne Ducros, Kim Plainfield, Magnus Lindgren, Nicola Conte, and many others. An alumnus of the world-renowned Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance (2018), Luca studied and performed with jazz legends including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chris Potter, Danilo Perez, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Jimmy Heath, Billy Hart, Billy Childs and many more. Previously, Luca also earned diplomas in Classical Double Bass at the T. Schipa Conservatory of Music (Lecce) and Jazz Electric Bass at the G. Martucci Conservatory of Music (Salerno).
Drummer Rick Montalbano has had a long and varied career that spans over three quarters of his forty years. Growing up in Central New York, he was surrounded by deep musical influences both in and outside the home, centering on jazz and beginning with the work of his father, renowned pianist, organist, and arranger Rick Montalbano Sr.
Honing his skills on the late-night bandstands of new York clubs like Augie’s (now Smoke) and the legendary Small’s led to sideman work with New York’s most acclaimed jazz musicians, including Brad Mehldau, Chris Potter, Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Joel Frahm, Sam Yahel, Joe Magnarelli, Eric Alexander, Kurt Rosenwinkle, and many more. It was during this period of Montalbano’s rise that he formed a relationship (both personal and professional) with vocalist Jane Monheit. This collaboration has proved to be the most prolific of his career, resulting in eight studio albums, two DVDs, nearly twenty years of nonstop international touring, and countless film and tv appearances. These include the soundtracks of feature films “Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow” and “Never Let Me Go”, performances on Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Good Morning America, and Access Hollywood, and many additional talk shows and news programs both domestic and international. Touring with Monheit has also enabled Montalbano to work with many other prominent musicians and producers as well, including Michael Bublé, Michael Feinstein, John Pizzarelli, Ivan Lins, Jimmy Webb, Mark O’Connor, Gil Goldstein, Peter Asher, and Joel Dorn. In addition, his distinction as an expert vocal accompanist has led to engagements with many stars of the New York musical theater scene, such as legendary pianist and singer Billy Stritch and Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole.
