Gold Coast Jazz Society 2023-2024 Concert Season

Willie Jones III All Stars

Love Songs and Lovers…The Ones You Have Forgotten


Wednesday, February 14, 2018

7:45pm  

Willie Jones III, Drums (Leader)
Ever since 1997, when he moved to New York City from Los Angeles, his hometown, Willie Jones III has been one of the jazz capital’s most prominent drummers. Whether functioning as a savvy bandleader or high-profile sideman, Jones applies to every context an abiding musicality and a tonal personality that, as Wynton Marsalis puts it, is “ever tasteful,” marked by what pianist Eric Reed, his frequent collaborator, calls “a West Coast swagger in his swing, with a looseness that isn’t lackadaisical and an edge that isn’t overwhelming.”

Loston Harris

Loston Harris Plays the Great American Songbook

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

7:45pm

For more than a decade Loston Harris has headlined at a “home” that shares his passion for timeless music, the legendary Bemelmans Bar located in The Carlyle in Manhattan’s storied Upper East Side.   Bemelmans has hosted cabaret and jazz greats for decades from the likes of Bobby Short, Eartha Kitt, Elaine Stritch, John Pizzarelli and the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ).

Honoring the Great Ladies of Jazz

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

7:45pm

Gold Coast Jazz Society Band
Formed in 1994 by past artistic director of the Gold Coast Jazz Society, the late Lee Amlie, and Simon Salz, the band is now led by Martin Hand.  Band members are South Florida resident musicians, many with international reputations and credits, who share in their desire to perform and thereby preserve America’s musical heritage of jazz. The band has performed each year as a part of the Society’s jazz concert series and for audiences in Sarasota, West Palm Beach and Miami, with such jazz greats as Dick Hyman, Howard Alden, Frank Vignola, Bucky Pizzarelli, Shelly Berg, Richie Cole and Jiggs Whigham.  They have performed at the Kravis Center, The Amaturo Theater at the Broward Performing Arts Center, the Bonnet House JazzFest, the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society’s and annually at the SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch in Fort Lauderdale. The group also performs numerous education concerts in regional schools, libraries and museums for the Gold Coast Jazz Society. 

Jeff Hamilton Trio

Rim Shots – An Evening with the Jeff Hamilton Trio

Wednesday, November 8, 2017   

7:45pm

Jeff Hamilton, Drummer
Born in Richmond, Indiana, Jeff Hamilton grew up listening to his parent’s big band records and at the age of eight began playing drums along with Oscar Peterson records. He attended Indiana University and later studied with John Avon Ohlen. Jeff was influenced by Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, “Philly” Joe Jones and Shelly Manne. In 1974, he got his first big break playing with the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. He then joined Lionel Hampton’s Band until 1975 when he, along with bassist John Clayton, became members of the Monty Alexander Trio. He attained a childhood goal in 1977 when he joined Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd, with whom he made several recordings. In 1978, he was offered the position vacated by Shelly Manne in the L.A.4 with Ray Brown, Bud Shank and Laurindo Almeida. He recorded six records with the L.A.4, some of which featured his own arrangements and compositions. From 1983 to 1987, Jeff performed with Ella Fitzgerald, the Count Basie Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney and Monty Alexander. Jeff began his association with the Ray Brown Trio in 1988 and left in March 1995 to concentrate on his own trio. From 1999-2001, the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra was named the in-residence ensemble for the Hollywood Bowl Jazz series. The Los Angeles Jazz Society named Jeff and his musical partner, John Clayton, musicians of the year for 2006. Jeff is currently touring with his own Trio, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and Diana Krall.

In addition to his many recordings with Ray Brown, Jeff has been on nearly 200 recordings with artists such as Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Milt Jackson, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Streisand, Mel Tormé, John Pizzarelli, Benny Carter, Lalo Schifrin, George Shearing, Dr. John, Clark Terry, Gene Harris, Toshiko Akioshi, Scott Hamilton, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Keely Smith, Bill Holman, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel and Mark Murphy. Jeff is a frequent guest of the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany. He also appeared in Natalie Cole’s Great Performances PBS special, Unforgettable and an Oscar Peterson documentary, Life in the Key of Oscar.

Tamir Hendelman, Pianist
The award-winning jazz pianist has performed with Teddy Edwards, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Harry Allen, Tierney Sutton, Phil Upchurch, Jeff Clayton, Rickey Woodard, Sandra Booker, Barbara Morrison and the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. He has recorded with Oscar Brashear, Bob Sheppard and Jeff Clayton. He can also be heard on Brasil Brazil’s self-titled 1999 release as well as vibraphonist’s Eldad Tarmu’s CD, Aluminum Forest. In demand as both a pianist and arranger, his accomplishments include: receiving awards from ASCAP and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, musical director for Lovewell Institute for Creative Arts and clinician for the Thelonious Monk Institute. In March of 2000, Tamir joined the Jeff Hamilton Trio and in January of 2001, became the pianist with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. He was a recent guest soloist with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.

Christoph Luty, Bassist
Christoph currently lives in the Los Angeles area, and maintains a busy concert schedule, appearing in concert halls, clubs, and festivals throughout the United States, Japan, and Europe. He is presently a member of the Jeff Hamilton Trio, which performs concerts, club dates and workshops nationally and internationally. As the longtime bassist of the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra he has collaborated on concerts with artists like Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Diana Krall, Clark Terry, Dave Brubeck, James Moody and Shirley Horn, to name only a few. He has recorded with the likes of Milt Jackson, John Pizzarelli, Diana Krall and more; and has appeared nationally with artists such as Dena DeRose, Harry Allen, Warren Vache, Curtis Stigers, Bill Watrous, Anthony Wilson, Jeff Clayton, Bill Cunliffe, Howlett Smith and many others.

Four Freshmen

An Evening with the Four Freshmen

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

7:45pm

The Four Freshmen are America’s most enduring vocal group. One might think that after 69 years, a multitude of recordings, 6 Grammy nominations to their credit, they would just ride the wave of success through nostalgic renderings of hits like “It’s A Blue World” and “Graduation Day”, but you would be sorely mistaken. One thing THE FOUR FRESHMEN do as the celebrated vocal group has done since its inception in 1948 has been to forge ahead; constantly redefining their sound all the while maintaining the core integrity of their unique and innovative vocal harmonies that have inspired such iconic groups as The Manhattan Transfer, The Lettermen, and the legendary Beach Boys.

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