Caleb Wheeler Curtis and Marta Sanchez will be at Merriman’s for spectacular duo performance of original compositions, improvisations and jazz standards showcasing their dynamic and highly developed approaches to saxophone and piano.

"The music Marta Sanchez writes gets intricate, but she also gets memorable effects using simple means. That's part of what she gets from pop or medieval music. She can make a melody out of one note and the right rhythm. Jelly Roll Morton called that kind of spark the Spanish tinge" - NPR Fresh Air

"A sonic architect on the alto saxophone, Caleb Curtis builds melodic and methodical structures that are compelling and immediately recognizable." - Jazz Speaks

Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cscxQZImAjQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s4PG4Po1yw

www.calebcurtis.com www.martasanchezmusic.com

Caleb Wheeler Curtis:

Brooklyn, NY based (Ann Arbor) saxophonist Caleb Curtis “lives at the junction of rigorous preparation and willingness to explore.” (Jazz Speaks) His playing and compositions are informed by a constantly searching, at times introspective, brash and melodic. In addition to band-leading, Caleb is a core member of Walking Distance (Sunnyside Records), Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band (Smoke Sessions Records), Josh Lawrence & Color Theory (Posi-Tone Records), the Curtis/Garabedian/Sperrazza Trio (Outside In Music), and the Fat Cat Big Band.

Legendary pianist Mulgrew Miller said “Caleb has a wonderful, singing, projecting sound. To me, that’s the ultimate for a horn player.”His new album Brothers (produced by Orrin Evans and featuring Josh Lawrence, Eric Revis, Luques Curtis, Mark Whitfield Jr. and Seamus Blake) was recently released on Imani Records. All About Jazz said the music was “sharp-witted, bracing, and, at times, wonderfully brash.” Neighborhood (Ropeadope Records), the 2015 debut album from the Brooklyn based collective quartet Walking Distance, for which Caleb composes and plays alto saxophone, was met with critical acclaim. Their new album Freebird feat. Jason Moran(Sunnyside Records) has been widely praised by The New York Times, DownBeat Magazine, Bandcamp (best of September 2018), JazzTimes and others. The New York Times wrote that “[Walking Distance] tears into the new stuff it has created, sounding ageless”, that the music is “utterly fresh”, and selected it as one of the 20 best jazz recordings of 2018.

Caleb holds a Bachelor’s of Music (Jazz Studies) from Michigan State University, and a Master’s in Music (Jazz Performance) from William Paterson University. Caleb frequently travels for international performances and also performs regularly at the Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Smalls, Smoke, Zinc Bar, Dizzy’s and other NYC clubs. Caleb’s individualistic approach to improvisation and sound has led to being hailed as “one of the most interesting altoists in a long time.”(Jazzwise)

In addition, Caleb has played with many extraordinary musicians including Jason Moran, Mulgrew Miller, Orrin Evans, Gerald Cleaver, Duane Eubanks, Houston Person, Eric Revis, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kevin Eubanks, Buster Williams, Lenny White, Gene Jackson, Jack Walrath, Kevin Hays, Saul Rubin, David Gibson, Lafayette Harris, Ralph Bowen, Ben Williams, Justin Brown, Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Gregorio Uribe, Ben Wolfe, Luques Curtis, Seamus Blake, Marquis Hill, Marta Sánchez, Stacy Dillard, Jon Irabagon, EJ Strickland, Matt Clohesy, Vinnie Sperrazza, Jeremy Siskind, Glenn Zaleski and many others.

Caleb is a D’Addario Woodwinds Artist

Marta Sanchez:

Born and raised in Madrid, Spain, pianist and composer Marta Sánchez is actively working in the contemporary creative music scene in New York City and around the globe. Charting a significant path through her innovative and original music, she has reached an international audience, gaining significant global recognition.

After finishing her classical training at the Conservatory, she began her academic training in jazz and contemporary music at School of Music Populart, earning a grant from A.I.E. (Spanish Association of Musicians) for being one of the best students there. The first band she created, Zafari Project,was selected by the Spanish agency for youth (INJUVE) as one of the most promising on the Spanish scene, giving them the opportunity to tour around Spain playing in different Jazz Festivals. This band also won the first price at the international jazz contest Debajazz, which is not the only jazz contest Ms. Sánchez won, since she also obtained the first prize at the Jazzargia International Jazz Contest with Javier Moreno Trio and the first prize at San Martin de la Vega Jazz contest with Natalia Calderon Quartet. She is the only musician in Spain who has been selected on three occasions by AECID (government agency for international development cooperation) to represent Spain at jazz festivals in different countries around South America, Central America and Europe; with her own band on two occasions (2009, 2012) and with Natalia Calderon Quartet (2009). In 2010, she received the “A.I.E en Ruta” Touring Grant from the Spanish Association of Musicians. In 2011, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, which allowed her to continue her studies at New York University (M.M.). During her time there, she to an international tour in Costa Rica, where her group represented NYU at the famed Costa Rica Jazz Festival.

As a bandleader, she is currently working with her New York-based Quintet with respected saxophonists Jerome Sabbagh and Roman Filiu, her band Room Tales, featuring singer Camila Meza, and with the collaborative band “Snackasaurus Flex”, featuring Michael Attias. She is involved in many other music projects as a collaborator, performer, and/or studio musician, in the United States and abroad.

Her most recent release for Fresh Sound Records, Danza Imposible (2017) got incredible reviews by the New York Times, the NYC Jazz Record, or Downbeat among others. It was also featured at the WBGO by Nate Chinen and in the public radio in the program “Fresh Air”. Kevin Whitehead said in that program : “The music Marta Sanchez writes gets intricate, but she also gets memorable effects using simple means. That’s part of what she gets from pop or medieval music. She can make a melody out of one note and the right rhythm. Jelly Roll Morton called that kind of spark the Spanish tinge.” Her previous album, Partenika (2015), was reviewed by Ben Ratliff it for the NY Times stating that -“It’s an ambitious record by a strong new group” and included it as one of his top 10 recordings of the year, including all genres- Downbeat gave the recording 4 starts and included it on their list of the best recordings of 2015. Dan Bilawsky wrote for All About Jazz that the album”it’s like waking up to a whole new and wondrous world.” and Peter Margasak for Chicago Reader: “Spanish pianist Marta Sánchez finds a new voice in New York”. All Music and the Jazz Journalist Association also listed Partenika as one of the best jazz Recordings of 2015.

She also released for Errabal Records: La Espiral Amarilla (2011) and Lunas, Soles y Elefantes (2008) and the work 49 Riiiing with D’Free Qi thanks to a grant by “Caja de Burgos”. As a sideman she has collaborated in many other Cds like Mediterraciones and Satierismos, both with the Afrodisian Orchestra, Lineas Paralelas with the Talento Big Band, Songs from my heart, with Doris Cales, Matterhorn with John Blevins, or Flor Azul with Natalia Calderon Quartet among others.

She has toured the United States, Europe, South America and Central America, performing as a leader or as a sideman at prestigious venues and prominent festivals such as North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, Eurojazz in Mexico City, Eurojazz in Athens, Jazz Festival Vitoria Gasteiz, and Madrid Jazz Festival. She also was awarded with a MacDowell Fellowship in 2017.