The Matt Smiley Quartet plays Porter, Kern, and Gershwin

Join us for a special series by the Matt Smiley Quartet as they celebrate the legacy of some of the most prolific and impactful songwriters of the last century. Composers and lyricists Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, and George & Ira Gershwin forever changed the landscape of American popular music with their extensive catalogs; songs such as Night & Day, I've Got You Under My Skin, The Way You Look Tonight, Summertime, and so many more not only enjoyed widespread popularity with audiences worldwide, but also became intertwined with the tradition of jazz and improvisatory music. Matt and his quartet - featuring Briana Harris on saxophone, Ben Parrish on guitar, and Dru Heller on drums - will perform a wide-ranging program of well-loved classics and some lesser-known gems, honoring the impact of these giants of American music. 

Bassist, composer, and educator Matt Smiley navigates his broad sonic world with imagination, openness, and artistic vision. Smiley merges his deep roots in the jazz bass tradition with modern explorations of sound, texture, and improvisation from the world of contemporary composition, making him a favorite and frequent collaborator of creative musicians across a variety of musical genres. As a performer, Smiley has toured nationally and internationally, appearing on stages, festival performances, and university residencies in the United States, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands. He has performed with bandleaders and composers including David Murray, Terrell Stafford, Christian Wolff, Greg Osby, Vinny Golia, Tony Malaby, Walter Thompson, and Sam Newsome. Matt recently completed a doctorate at the University of Colorado at Boulder and currently serves as a lecturer in the jazz studies department at Boulder. 

Show 1: 6:30-7:45 pm |  Show 2: 8:45-10:00 pm

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