$41 – $131 | 2 – 3:15 pm
Paul Mahder Gallery | 222 Healdsburg Ave | Healdsburg

There’s simply no one who plays straight-ahead modern jazz piano with more joy and finesse than Benny Green, a lyrically charged and insistently propulsive approach honed in the star-making bands of three legendary masters: singer Betty Carter, drummer Art Blakey, and bassist Ray Brown. The irrepressibly swinging Berkeley pianist turns every concert into a thrilling expedition as he pays homage to the pianists and bandleaders who’ve provided life-long inspiration. His latest album, Sunnyside’s Solo, is his first solo recording in two decades and focuses on compositions by friends, heroes and mentors such as Oscar Peterson, Cedar Walton, James Williams, Tommy Flanagan, and Thelonious Monk. Like his performances, it’s a warm embrace that leaves audiences intimately connected to jazz’s soul-bearing artistry.

9:30 pm | No Cover
Healdsburg Hotel Spirit Bar | 25 Matheson Street | Healdsburg

Presented by Healdsburg Jazz MAJOR SPONSOR Hotel Healdsburg

San Jose-reared drummer Sylvia Cuenca had only been in New York City for a few months when Joe Henderson hired her for a European tour, the start of a four-year working relationship with the tenor saxophone legend. She spent 17 years performing regularly with trumpet great Clark Terry, with whom she accompanied distinguished guest artists such as Al Grey, Red Holloway, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Marian McPartland, Dianne Reeves, Joe Williams, and Lou Donaldson, to name a few. Now a deft bandleader in her own right, she plays a trio set of hard swinging blues-tinged modern jazz before her group hosts an exciting all-star jam session featuring locals and musicians in town for the Festival in the beautiful club atmosphere of the Spirit Bar located in the Hotel Healdsburg. Her trio will feature Peter Zak (piano), and Essiet Okon Essiet (bass).