ETHAN IVERSON SEXTET
Village Vanguard178 7th Avenue South, New York 10014
Ethan Iverson leads a six-piece group for the 10 p.m. set at the Village Vanguard. Iverson is on piano, joined by Skylar Tang on trumpet, Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone, Jacob Garchik on trombone, Peter Washington on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums. The sextet has been described as an all-star band playing “amusing originals and tough standards,” with Iverson particularly drawn to orchestrating for three horns. His recent sets have also included music by Mal Waldron and Thelonious Monk alongside his own compositions.
Iverson left high school in Wisconsin for New York in 1991 and has built a career as a pianist and composer. He has previously played with Finlayson, Newsome, Garchik, Washington, and Abadey at the Vanguard, and his writing for this band makes room for trumpet, soprano saxophone, and trombone as a horn section. DownBeat called Iverson “A master of melody,” while Hot House praised his “intellectual depth and adventurous musical spirit.” After a concert built around audience-chosen standards, Stereophile called him “a natural, consistent crowd-pleaser.”
A narrow basement staircase leads to a triangular room with a red curtain and a stage at the point, where musicians play for a small audience of 123. Tables open like spokes from the stage, and the walls hold portraits of jazz legends. The acoustics are excellent, and the only sound before the music begins is the hum of the room. No food is served, only drinks at a bar. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., with seating beginning at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. respectively. The atmosphere is focused entirely on the music, with silence requested before the concert begins.