la Marta
Gionvanni Russonello of The New York Times tapped Marta Sanchez (appearing in Earthwise Productions Welcomes show at Mitchell Park January 25) as one of his ten jazz highlights for 2019. Previously, he had included last month a track from her new cd as one of his weekly picks.
I booked the band partly on the suggestion of the publicist Matt Merewitz, who has represented numerous bands that I had worked with or favor.
Not that it comes down to this but my little jewelbox show of piano duos has four musicians, one woman, two Latinos and two Filipinos. Ebony and ivory and, tapas and lumpia — that’s a metaphor folks. Or who knows — there is a kitchen at The Mitch. Marco Diaz and Melecio Magdaluyo support.
. Marta Sánchez Quintet, ‘El Rayo de Luz’
Ms. Sánchez writes for her quintet with a melody-first approach — and melody-second, and melody-third. She weaves the alto saxophone of Roman Filiu together with the tenor of Chris Cheek and her own line-driven piano style. The music of this international group (the members all hail from different countries) is driven by intersections and rhythmic friction, but it remains fluid and acrobatic.
Pianist Marco Diaz, at a recent performance at SF’s DeYoung museum
Dyptych
Plastic Alto with Mark Weiss 