Robin Eubanks Joins SF Jazz Collective

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SFJAZZ, the leading non-profit jazz institution on the West Coast and the presenter of the San Francisco Jazz Festival, has announced the Spring 2008 touring line-up of its all-star octet, the SFJAZZ Collective. Named “Rising Star Jazz Band of the Year" in Down Beat's 2006 International Critics Poll, the Collective returns in 2008 with the recent addition of trombonist Robin Eubanks, replacing Andre Hayward. The Collective includes tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano; trumpeter Dave Douglas; vibraphonist Stefon Harris; alto saxophonist Miguel Zenn; pianist Renee Rosnes; bassist Matt Penman; and drummer Eric Harland.

In its repertoire, the Collective is devoted to exploring jazz's modern expressions--from roughly the mid-20th century to the present day. For the 2008 season, the group will divide its repertoire between all-new compositions by the band members themselves (commissioned by SFJAZZ) and the works of one of jazz's quintessential modernists: the iconic saxophonist, composer, and pioneer Wayne Shorter.

Grammy-winner Robin Eubanks is the premier jazz trombonist of his generation. Whether leading his own groups EB3 or Mental Images, or with the critically acclaimed Dave Holland Quintet and Big Band, with whom he was an original member, Robin is an artist whose impact on audiences has proven powerful and lasting. Robin has recorded seven albums as a leader featuring his original music.

Alto saxophonist (and founding Collective member) Miguel Zenn looks forward to the creative challenge of interpreting Shorter's work. “As has been the case with all the composers we've worked on with the band," Zenn said, “the biggest challenge is to try keep the spirit of the original versions of the compositions, while at the same time reflecting the personality of the Collective. I really feel we get better and better at doing this every time we get together."

Launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ, the Collective features some of the finest performer/composers at work in jazz today, including DownBeat Critics Poll “Artist of the Year" honorees Dave Douglas (2006) and Joe Lovano (2001). The group has quickly become one of the most exciting and acclaimed groups on the American and international jazz scenes. As The New York Times hailed the Collective upon its debut: “A serious jazz band rises in San Francisco."

In addition to its stellar line-up, the SFJAZZ Collective has been praised for its innovative approach to repertoire. (In The New York Times' words, “Modernity is the mantra of the SFJAZZ Collective.") Each year, the ensemble performs an entirely new list of works, consisting of compositions by a modern jazz master (in new arrangements commissioned by SFJAZZ) and new pieces by members of the Collective (also commissioned by SFJAZZ). Through this pioneering approach, simultaneously honoring jazz's recent history while championing the music's up-to-the-minute directions, the Collective embodies SFJAZZ's organizational commitment to jazz as a living, ever-changing, and ever-relevant art form.

To cultivate its distinctive sound, the SFJAZZ Collective convenes for an extended rehearsal period--a rarity in today's jazz--to workshop the season's new repertoire. The Collective then takes to the performance stage, including a national and international tour, with stops in a number of the world's most prominent concert halls.

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