Ben LaTorraca Quartet plays at the Jazz Station - Eugene
Playing Favorites with the Ben LaTorraca Quartet
A night of hard swing featuring the music of The Jazz Messengers, Duke Ellington & More!
- Ben LaTorraca piano
- Jon Brex bass
- Kameron Tyler drums
- Adam Harris tenor sax
An old soul in a young body, New Jersey born pianist Ben LaTorraca’s Hard swinging joyful sound draws deeply from his many heroes: Duke Ellington, Bobby Timmons, Erroll Garner, Jacki Byard, Wynton Kelly and Oscar Peterson. Beginning classical piano lessons at 5 , a copy of the LP “Louis Armstrong meets Duke Ellington” given to him for his 11th Birthday led him on his lifelong
Pursuit of jazz. Growing up adjacent to both New York and Philadelphia provided Benjamin with countless opportunities to hear live jazz weekly and to study with such greats as Clark terry Mulgrew Miller and Jim McNeely. He began playing professionally at 14 , performing with local big bands as well as with his own trio and quintet around the New Jersey/New York area. In 2016 Benjamin completed his MA in jazz studies at the University of Oregon in Eugene where he currently resides and continues to perform regularly as an in demand sideman and bandleader.
Jon Brex graduated Idyllwild Arts Academy in 2000. Where he studied Classical Bass with Fred Tinsley and Jazz Bass with Marshall Hawkins. In 2006 graduated Loyola New Orleans with a Minor in Music. He lived and performed in New Orleans from 2000- 2009. In 2009 he relocated to Santa Fe, Argentina and began studying and performing Argentine Folklore until moving to Eugene in 2018. currently performing with Basin St. Band jazz trio and KT and the Love Notes. Notable performances include Alice Tully Hall Lincoln Center NY, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest, Festival de Agricultura, Eperanza, Festival de San Martin de las Escobas, and the Festival de Parana in 2018.
Over the last decade, saxophonist Adam Harris has established a reputation as a powerful voice in the Pacific Northwest music scene. He has performed professionally with some of the world's most accomplished jazz musicians, including Wynton Marsalis, Dave Holland, Randy Brecker and Joshua Redman. Harris is also a composer and teacher who holds a Bachelor's of Music from Cornish College (Seattle), a Masters of Music from the New England Conservatory (Boston), where he studied with numerous critically acclaimed musicians including Donny McCaslin, Miguel Zenon, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Billy Hart and Cecil McBee. Adam is director of Jazz Studies at Western Oregon University, and has been pursuing his doctorate in saxophone performance through the University of Washington. His first album as a leader, “The Adam Harris Quintet: Live at the Jazz Station,” was released in 2014 and features the internationally celebrated jazz pianist George Colligan.
