This weekend, The Jazz Gallery is pleased to welcome guitarist Charles Altura and his quintet back to our stage for two evenings of performances. A year ago at the Gallery, Altura presented the fruits of his 2017-18 Residency Commission, entitled Portraits of Resonance. In an interview about the project with Jazz Speaks, Altura talked about how he approached writing for a band with both piano and guitar:

I’ve always been fascinated by the combination of guitar and piano together—and actually trumpet, too. So a lot of the texture is just dealing with that combination. I tend to think of the guitar and the piano as extensions of each other when you have both in the same band. It’s always an interesting thing, the way people deal with guitar and piano together because they cover the same register.I think it’s because my first instrument was piano and I still see the guitar from the perspective of being a piano player. I’ve written all of the music for [the commission] on piano. So then when I get to the guitar, I’m kind of seeing it as one instrument. Having that perspective helps me to have an idea of what space needs to be filled—or not filled.

For this performance at the Gallery, Altura will be revisiting music from his Portraits project with some new personalities in the mix, including trumpeter Philip Dizack, pianist Eden Ladin, and bassist Matt Brewer (Kendrick Scott reprises his roll on drums).  The Charles Altura Quintet plays The Jazz Gallery on Friday, August 23, and Saturday, August 24, 2019. The group features Mr. Altura on guitar, Philip Dizack on trumpet, Eden Ladin on piano, Matt Brewer on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums. Sets are at 7:30 and 9:30 P.M. each night. $25 general admission ($10 for members), $35 reserved table seating ($20 for members) for each set. FREE for SummerPass holders. Purchase tickets here.