What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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MONICA HOOPER NWA Democrat-Gazette T his group is really, in a lot of ways, the who's who of jazz music worldwide," says Clark Gibson, who will groove onto the Walton Arts Center stage at 7:30 p.m. March 5 as part of the Starrlight Jazz Club. The quintet of jazz masters is made up of Gibson, Lewis Nash, Sean Jones, Pat Bianchi and Michael Dease, and joining the group will be special guest Nick Mancini, who was a late addition. Gibson describes him as a "wonderful vibes player," but no relation to Henry Mancini. "He went to the Manhattan School of Music and ended up being a professional musician in Los Angeles for a long time. Due to covid and some other circumstances, he ended up moving to Tulsa. It was one of those situations where this terrific musician is in town. I wanted to take advantage of that situation," explains Gibson of the recent recruit. On trumpet is Sean Jones, who is president of the Jazz Education Network and the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair in Jazz Studies at the John Hopkins University's Peabody Institute in Baltimore. He's also the artistic director for the NYO JAZZ program of Carnegie Hall. He's worked with Wynton Marsalis, Nancy Wilson, Illinois Jacquet and more. In 2011 he accompanied Marcus Miller, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter on a tribute to Miles Davis tour. He has also released eight albums. "He's really regarded as one of the top trumpet players playing today. He's a really, really special musician on the trumpet," Gibson says. On trombone is Michael Dease, who was part of "the first graduating class of the Juilliard jazz program in New York," Gibson goes on. "He's played with everybody under the sun — even pop stars like Aretha Franklin, Elton John and Alicia Keys." Dease has been named a Rising Star Trombonist by Downbeat Magazines Critic's Poll and is a three-time Grammy award-winning lead, section and bass trombonist. Gibson describes Grammy- nominated B3 organist Pat Bianchi as "one of the premier organists in the world. He was a full-time member of the Pat Martino trio, which has played at Walton Arts Center on numerous occasions, actually." Gibson adds that Bianchi was Lou Donaldson's organist and has played with jazz greats like Red Holloway and Joe Locke. He was voted best jazz organist in the 2018 New York City Hot House Readers Poll, as well as a winner of Downbeat's 2016 Critics Poll as well. "Probably the most prominent musician in the group is Lewis Nash," Gibson concludes. "Nash has one of the longest discographies in jazz, and it's played on over 400 records." He was voted Most Valuable Player by Modern Drummer magazine in 2009. "He became part of the Blue Note Seven, a septet that formed in the year of Blue Note's 70th anniversary. He's 12 WHAT'S UP! FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 5, 2022 FAQ Clark Gibson Quintet WHEN — 7:30 p.m. March 5 WHERE — Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville COST — $33-$53 INFO — 443-5600, waltonartscenter.org FYI — Special guest Nick Mancini joins the quintet for this performance. A Who's Who Of Jazz Supergroup brings its groove to Walton Arts Center Clark Gibson is a composer, a recording artist and the director of Jazz Studies at Northeastern State University. He joins a stageful of jazz greats for a one-night-only performance March 5 at the Walton Arts Center. (Courtesy Photo) FAYETTEVILLE See Gibson Page 38