SFJAZZ today released SFJAZZ Collective: 10, celebrating the SFJAZZ Collective’s 10-year musical legacy.  10 was recorded during the SFJAZZ Collective’s four-night residency on the SFJAZZ Center’s Robert N. Miner Auditorium stage in October 2013.  The ten tracks are performed by the SFJAZZ Collective’s current lineup: alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón, tenor saxophonist David Sánchez, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, trombonist Robin Eubanks, pianist Edward Simon, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Obed Calvaire.  Over the last decade, the SFJAZZ Collective has produced a flow of fresh music of 71 original compositions and 75 new arrangements brought forth in the band’s thrilling live performances and captured on annual recordings that collectively document a rich chunk of 21st century jazz and the creative output of some of the music’s most compelling artists.

The SFJAZZ Collective’s illustrious alumni include Bobby Hutcherson, Joshua Redman, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas, Brian Blade, Stefon Harris, Nicholas Payton, Mark Turner, Renee Rosnes and Eric Harland, and others, was formed in 2004 by Redman and SFJAZZ Founder Randall Kline as a hot house for the creation of new music. (Master arranger Gil Goldstein worked with the band in 2004 and 2005).  They envisioned an intensive workshop where eight prime artists – each an accomplished instrumental soloist, composer and bandleader – meet for several weeks a year to write new music for those specific players and work new arrangements of music by modern masters like Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, Stevie Wonder, and Chick Corea.

The SFJAZZ Collective comes together to rehearse, refine, and then perform the music for audiences in San Francisco, around the country and the world. This is still an intriguing idea – and a rarity in the jazz world – that has given rise to one of jazz’s most exciting ensembles and produced more than a few compositions and arrangements that bear repeating. There are ten such keepers on this celebratory 10th Anniversary album which covers a rich cache of music spanning a decade of the Collective’s work, recorded live by the current incarnation of the octet during its smashing four-night run at the new SFJAZZ Center in October, 2013.  Performing for packed audiences in acoustically fine Robert N. Miner Auditorium, the Collective performed 16 selections from the band’s vast repertoire and culled ten of these recordings for this limited edition album.

This year, the SFJAZZ Collective will perform new arrangements of the bracingly original music of Joe Henderson, the late tenor saxophone giant, multiple-Grammy winner, and composer who lived in San Francisco and was long associated with SFJAZZ.   This material along with new original compositions will be recorded at the SFJAZZ Center from October 23-26, 2014 and a new multi-disc package will be released in early December 2014.

Throughout its existence, Miguel Zenón says, “The Collective has featured some of the greatest musicians in jazz, the current configuration being no exception. For me, being around such a level of musicianship is very inspiring. It pushes to me to work harder and try to get better at what I do. Naturally, people become very close when they spend this much time together, so we’ve developed a sort of family environment which makes making music together even better.”

Track Listing

1.) And What If I Don’t – Herbie Hancock (arranged by Gil Goldstein)

2.) Alcatraz – Dave Douglas

3.) Frosted Evils – Matt Penman

4.) Moment’s Notice – John Coltrane (arranged by Gil Goldstein)

5.) Visions – Stevie Wonder (arranged by Stefon Harris)

6.) San Francisco Holiday – Thelonious Monk (arranged by Miguel Zenón)

7.) Union – Eric Harland

8.) Lingala – Miguel Zenón

9.) When Will the Blues Leave – Ornette Coleman (arranged by Gil Goldstein)

10.) More Than Meets the Ear – Robin Eubanks

Public Price: $10

SFJAZZ Member Price: $9

SFJAZZ Collective: 10 available directly from sfjazz.org.