Terry Koger Quintet

TKQ QUINTET – A TRIBUTE TO ​​​​ART BLAKEY
Theme: Tribute to Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers

Art Blakey (1919 – 1991) epitomized the loosening style of jazz drumming. His drumming emerged at the forefront of the combo sound. His accompaniment  on drums  was very dynamic throughout compositions, and very supportive during solos. He directed tunes with cues for transitions within pieces by figures he played and was a master of dynamics creating tension gradually over solos. His near constant hi-hat played on beats  two and four, his musical soloing, his press roll are what people write and talk about most often.

Blakey led quintets and sextets for 36 years years and represented the hard bop style of jazz. The music was hard, driving, extremely intense and uncompromising. Blakey’s sidemen  is a list of jazz legends and giants including, Bobby Watson, Lonnie Plaxico, Terrence Blanchard, Clifford Brown,  Donald Byrd, Bill Hardman, Donald Harrison, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie, McLean, Hank Mobley,  Wayne Shorter, Benny, Golson, Johnny Griffin, Chuck Mangione, Horace Silver, Cedar Walton, Junior Mance, Keith Jarrett, Curtis Fuller, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Timmons, George Cables, Reggie Workman, Jymie Merritt, Lou Donaldson, Bobby Watson, James Williams, Donald Brown, Mulgrew, Miller, Ira Sullivan, Valerie Ponomarev, Javon Jackson, Gary Bartz, Frank Mitchell, John Gilmore, John Hicks, Reggie Johnson, Kenny Garrett and many more.   Blakey was known as jazz’s best talent spotters.

The Terry Koger Quintet will play selections from various periods of the Art Blakey catalog. These selections will represent repertoire from the 60’s to the 90’s.  TKQ (Terry Koger Quintet) will be represented by Terry Koger on Alto Saxophone, Freddie Dunn on Trumpet, Bill Washburn on Piano, John Leonard on Bass, and George Gray on Drums.  We will feature songs from several periods of Art Blakey’s career.