Music Houston Person with the Matthew Parrish Trio + Special Guest Michelle Lordi

Amherst College and The Drake continue their collaboration with legendary Soul Jazz master Houston Person, together with the Matthew Parrish Trio and special guest vocalist Michelle Lordi, who delve deeply into the essence of each song.

With his robust sound and swinging style, tenor saxophonist Houston Person has kept the hard bop and organ-soaked soul-jazz traditions alive. Emerging from organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, Person established his reputation as one of the Big Boss tenors in the Gene Ammons style with albums like 1968's Blue Odyssey, 1969's Goodness! and 1970's Person to Person! He further embraced a funky, soulful vibe in the '70s with albums like 1972's Broken Windows, Empty Hallways and 1976's Stolen Sweets. From the '80s onward, he balanced his love of groove-based R&B with more hard-swinging acoustic sessions, joining contemporaries like Ron Carter and Teddy Edwards, as well as younger players like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. He recorded extensively with singer Etta Jones and has remained a torchbearer for the big tenor sound, releasing warmly attenuated standards and soul-jazz dates like 2015's Something Personal and 2021's Live in Paris.

As Ron Carter aptly puts it, "A good bassist determines the direction of any band," and Matthew Parrish embodies this notion perfectly. With three decades of experience as a sought-after sideman for esteemed jazz figures like Al Grey, Clark Terry, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Etta Jones, Regina Carter, Stefon Harris, Orrin Evans, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Wynton Marsalis, Paquito D’Rivera, Houston Person, and Freddy Cole, Matthew has assimilated the wealth of his global travels into his latest venture. This new project showcases a trio format, where he collaborates with his long-standing friend and mentor, the legendary saxophonist Houston Person, alongside the accomplished vocalist and composer Michelle Lordi.

Michelle Lordi's musical creations and compositions have earned her high praise, described as "flawless" by DownBeat magazine and "mesmerizing" by JazzTimes. As a cohesive unit, this ensemble masterfully captures the emotive swing of their music, radiating boundless energy while embracing the subtle elegance inherent in Lordi and Parrish's ethereal compositions.

$20 advanced, $25 day of show
General admission (seated)
Doors open at 7 p.m.