The Tom Lagana Quartet featuring George Garzone continue the Byrd Series at The Mainstay in Rock Hall, Maryland on Saturday November 7 at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $15. For information and reservations call 410-639-9133. Information is also available at the Mainstay’s website https://www.mainstayrockhall.org.
Jazz and classical guitarist Tom Lagana is joined by master saxophonist George Garzone (whose students have included Joshua Redman and Branford Marsalis), bassist Tom Baldwin and drummer Dominic Smith for an evening of exquisite Brazilian influenced jazz and compelling straight ahead standards.
The group has two recordings together, Vol. 1 and Schematic. This evening will include selections from these recordings, originals by Lagana, Baldwin and Garzone, tunes by Jobim, Ary Barroso, Chick Corea, Jim Hall and newer as yet-to-be recorded material.
Tom Lagana has been steadily building a strong reputation as a multi-faceted artist in the mid-Atlantic region as a jazz guitarist, classical guitarist, educator, and composer.
After graduating from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Lagana went to work as the guitarist for the Walt Disney Jazz Band in Orlando, Florida. Upon his return to his home state of Maryland, he was recognized by jazz legend Charlie Byrd as “one of the most promising jazz guitarists in the area.” Byrd invited Lagana to sit in with him on several occasions, paving the way for the Tom Lagana Trio to become the house band at Byrd’s venue of choice, The King of France Tavern in Annapolis, three nights a week for over a year.
Lagana took his professional education to a new level obtaining a Masters in Music at Towson University with a dual focus on both jazz and classical guitar performance. While at Towson, Lagana was awarded second prize in the prestigious Sidney Lieberman Competition. Normally won by pianists, Lagana was the first guitarist to be recognized in the history of that competition.
Lagana’s work in higher education has not been limited to musical performance: His in-depth analysis of the work of Pat Metheny was published by Just Jazz Guitar magazine in two issues in 2005 and was endorsed by Metheny himself. Lagana has served on the faculty at Towson University as well as in his current position at University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Lagana has been featured with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Composer David Del Tredici lauded Lagana’s performance on the tenor banjo in Del Tredici’s work Final Alice, a 72-minute piece based on the composer’s affinity for Alice In Wonderland. He again appeared with the NSO and Eric Idle of the Monty Python troupe at the Wolf Trap and has performed with the York Symphony Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony, and recently with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the 30th Anniversary of John Waters’ Hairspray and again as accompanist to singer Jackie Evancho.
Throughout his career, Lagana has played numerous festivals including the Chestertown Jazz Festival, Annapolis Jazz Festival and the Kaufmann Music Series. He has shared the bill with international jazz icon Herbie Hancock and has worked with such noteworthy musicians as George Garzone, Walt Weiskopf, Red Rodney, Craig Handy, Bob Mintzer, and Marvin Stamm. His guitar work was also heard on the Fox Network show America’s Most Wanted.
George Garzone is known internationally for his work on tenor and soprano sax. A member of the influential and experimental jazz group, The Fringe, since 1972 and of the Grammy-winning Joe Lovano Nonet, he teaches at Berklee College of Music.
A veteran jazzman, Garzone has appeared on more than 20 recordings. He began on the tenor when he was six, played in a family band and attended music school in Boston. In addition Garzone has guested in many situations, touring Europe with Jamaaladeen Tacuma and performing with Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, Jack DeJohnette, Rachel Z and John Patitucci among others.
Garzone is well-known as jazz educator, currently teaching at the Berklee College of Music. He has also taught at New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, New York University, Manhattan School of Music, Northeastern University and the New School University. He has pioneered the triadic chromatic approach and students of his have included Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, Teadross Avery, Luciana Souza, Mark Turner, Donny McCaslin, Doug Yates and Danilo Perez, to name a few.
In 1995 he recorded a fine tribute to Stan Getz on NYC called Alone; Four’s and Two’s followed a year later with compatriot Joe Lovano which earned him four stars in Downbeat magazine, and in 1999 Garzone returned with Moodiology. Fringe in New York was released in summer 2000. He is a member of the Grammy-winning Joe Lovano Nonet, and performed and recorded with this group at the Village Vanguard.
The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street.
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