Pete Zimmer September 2019 Tour

Hello hello! Thanks for taking the time to read my new blog. I’m really excited as I’m about to embark on a tour throughout the mid part of the USA starting this Friday, September 13th. Things will be kicked off in Detroit at Cliff Bell’s! This tour will be a series of different musical configurations and I’m very excited that I’ll be playing with many amazing musicians, many of which are long time friends and musical acquaintances, and some more recent. Here’s a brief run down of the itinerary:

Sept 13th, Detroit, Cliff Bells 9pm-Midnight. Ryan Freitas (tenor sax), Corey Kendrick (piano), Jeff Pedraz (bass) | This is my second time performing at Cliff Bell’s. This is a beautiful club that has a throw-back vibe to it. Detroit has always been a huge city for jazz. So many legendary musicians of the past and also the present are from or currently live there. It’s going to be great to reconnect with bassist Jeff Pedraz as we first played together over a dozen years ago when he used to live in NYC. I played with pianist Corey Kendrick for the first time last year when I played at Cliff Bell’s, and I’m really looking forward to playing with him again, as he is a fine player and important musician on the Detroit scene. This will be my first time playing with Ryan Freitas, but he has come highly recommended and will be a night to remember!

Sept 14 Chicago, The Green Mill, 12am-5am, After Hours Jazz Party with Pat Mallinger sax, Pete Benson organ, Chris Madsen sax. This is going to be such a blast! The Green Mill is one of my absolute favorite jazz clubs, and was one of Al Capone’s favorite hangs back in the day as well. It’s going to be such a treat to join the house band with longtime friend Pat Mallinger, and also another great friend Pete Benson. Pete and I go back to Jamie Aebersold Jazz Camp of 1996 when we just so happened to be roommates for the week, and then once again our sophomore year of college at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb during 1997-98. This will be my first time playing with saxophonist Chris Madsen, but can’t wait as of heard great things about him as well. This gig will be awesome and we’ll go pretty close to 5am!

Sept 18 Des Moines, IA Drake University Clinic. I’ve heard wonderful things about this University and program. Very much looking forward to meeting Andrew Classen and working with his students from 3-4pm

Then that evening (which is also my 42nd btw :)) I’m very honored to be Special Guest with the Des Moines Big Band at their very nice venue Noce. It’s going to be great to have this opportunity to perform with the Big Band, which is directed by another longtime friend from my NEC days in Boston, trumpter Dave Rezek. We’re planning to do some classic material from Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Buddy Rich, The Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, Count Basie, and more. They are also celebrating 60 years of the DMBB. It’s going to be a great night of celebration all around!

Sept 19 Omaha, NE University of Nebraska-Omaha, looking forward to working with the Jazz students of Pete Madsen from 12-2pm.

Then performing at a new and very nice club in Omaha called The Jewell that evening. Once again I can’t wait to play with some longtime friends and musical colleagues, saxophonist Matt Otto, who I first played with in my early days of NYC around 2001/02 I believe. Also my longtime friend of 20+ years from NIU and also fellow Tippin’ Records Artist, guitarist Kyle Asche. I met Mitch Towne earlier this year and did a gig with him in Lincoln, NE in January. I’m really happy to have met Mitch as he’s a tremendous player and looking forward to continuing to work together more in the future.

Sept 20-21 Boulder, CO, Caffe Sole, 7pm-10pm. The fun continues with two nights at Caffe Sole in Boulder. I’ve played here twice before, always a great time and very appreciative audiences. Again, I’m really lucky to have the wonderful pianist Ben Markley join me here as Ben and I go back to early 2000s when he was living in NYC doing his masters at NYU. We originally met through our mutual mentor/teacher/callaborator, George Garzone. I met saxophonist John Gunther my first time I went to Boulder in 2009 with Ben Markley and also George Garzone. We performed at the University in Boulder where John is the Director of Jazz Studies. I’m very happy to have John join us on this gig, as he did this gig with me the last time I performed there, and is a fantastic player. Also, very happy to have the legendary bassist Bob Bowman on these gigs as well. I met Bob several years ago in Kansas City, but didn’t play together, until earlier this year. Having played with Thad Jones/Mel Lewis in the 70s, Carmen McRae, and many others, Bob’s a wealth of experience/knowledge, and I feel fortunate to perform with him.

Sept 23rd, Hays, KS, Fort Hays State University, I’m going to close out this tour at a terrific University I’ve been to twice previously, including my first trip out to Kansas in 2009 with Ben Markley. It will be great to be back to present a clinic to the jazz and percussion students and also a performance with Ben Markley piano, and Bob Bowman bass . Joining us on trumpet will be Brad Dawson whom is the Director of Jazz Studies there, in addition to a fine local guitarist, Luke Johnson. Hays is a small, cute town, with some nice micro breweries I may add, and really looking forward to wrapping up my trip there before heading back to New York City for some more exciting gigs that will be announced soon.

If you are in any of these areas during this time, please come out to the gigs, say hello, and enjoy the music. I really can’t tell you how excited I am to perform at these venues, with all these musicians, for some nice people, so please come join us.

I’d also like to thank my drum companies I endorse for all of their support and making such terrific products. Big shout out to Yamaha Drums, Sabian Cymbals, and Vic Firth Drumsticks.

Thanks everybody! I hope to see some of you out there!

-Pete