Led by extraordinary drummer/composer Alan Jones, who built his own drums and plays barefoot, this sextet has continually packed clubs wherever they have performed. While firmly rooted in tradition, their music is so fresh and exciting that it has managed to catch the attention of purists as well as a whole generation of younger fans who usually ignore anything resembling mainstream jazz. And where many other bands are content to rework the standards of previous eras, the Alan Jones Sextet is not.

The arrangements are unpredictable, the voicings unique, and the three-horn frontline uses a sophisticated harmony to explore the melodies of the leader's progressive post-bop compositions, setting the group well ahead of it's peers. Only rarely since the mid-sixties - when the new Miles Davis Quintet and a few others took jazz to its next level - has a group inspired such praise (see Reviews).

Just attend one of their performances, and the faces of both the audience and the musicians themselves will tell you why. Once heard, they will leave you wanting only one thing: more. They are that good.

The trio of Phil Dwyer, Alan Jones, and Rodney Whitaker brings together three wonderfully gifted musicians from varied backgrounds through a mutual love of hard-swinging and joyous acoustic jazz. This saxophone/bass/drums trio draws it’s inspiration from the greats of the music, and they infuse everything they play with a huge dose of creative energy. Their performance at Toronto’s Top O’ the Senator in Sept.’03 earned them a spot on the “Top Ten Moments in Canadian Jazz” for 2003, as picked by the national Globe and Mail newspaper. They are pleased to have recently released their debut album, Let me tell you about my day, which has been receiving huge press and heavy airplay. It contains a coherent blend of original tunes by all the members, and great standards like Afternoon in Paris, and Airegin.

Individually the members of the trio have enjoyed successful and interesting careers in a huge variety of musical situations. Saxophonist Phil Dwyer received early training from Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman while living in New York in the early eighties. During this period he was able to play with many of the greats, including Kenny Barron, Lenny White, Teri-Lyne Carrington, Rashid Ali, and the Jazz Messengers. Since moving to Toronto in 1989 he has become a first call studio musician, playing on over a thousand sessions for cds, television and radio, and commercials. He has also performed with many out of town guests, including Red Rodney, Renee Rosnes, Tom Harrell, Kenny Wheeler, and Marcus Belgrave. Phil has three times received the Juno Award (Canadian Grammy) for Best Jazz Album.

Internationally renowned Rodney Whitaker is not only one the world’s outstanding bassists, but is also an exceptional composer, and one of the leading figures in music education. He is an Associate Professor and Director of Jazz Studies and Michigan State University, and has presented classes at Duke, Howard, and the University of Iowa. Rodney has become well-known to jazz audiences through his work with many of the top groups in jazz today. He performed as a member of both the Terence Blanchard, and Roy Hargrove bands. He spent six years with Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Wynton Marsalis, recording and touring with this prestigious musical organization. He has appeared on over a hundred recordings, and has performed with many of the legends of music like Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, and Benny Golson, as well as with the cream of the younger musical crop of the last twenty years.

Drummer Alan Jones is a product of the fabulous Portland, Oregon music scene. He spent his early years listening to local legends Jim Pepper and Count Dutch, and went on to work with them while he was still in his teens. Alan also studied with drum legend Mel Brown while in Portland. He went on to become a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, as well as studying for two summers at the prestigious Banff Centre of Fine Arts, in Canada. Alan lived in New York for several years during the eighties, and through his relationship with Jim Pepper met a played with many of his heroes including Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman and the late Elvin Jones. After, he toured with the great bassist David Friesen for 4 years, before moving to Europe. He has performed and recorded extensively with his own groups and as a sideman with the likes of Dave Holland, Leroy Vinnegar, Randy Brecker, and Andrew Hill. He is now living back in Portland, where he writes for film, dance, and theatre, as well as leading the Alan Jones Sextet.

François Théberge - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones

Francois Theberge has performed throughout the world with such artists as Frank Sinatra, Red Rodney, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Archie Shepp, Johnny Griffin, Rosemary Clooney, Tom Harrell, Michel Legrande, Phil Woods, Toots Thielemans, Kenny Wheeler and many others. His CD release “Asteur” (Lazer Prod. 1997) featuring Horace Parlan was nominated in France for “Best Jazz Album 1997” and Francois was nominated “Best New Talent” in 1998. His recording credits also include work with Mike Zwerin, Carlos Baretto, and Jean-Michel Pilc. Francois studied at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Miami, and is Professor of Jazz Arranging and Composing at the Paris Conservatory. Mr. Theberge lives in Paris.

Andy Middleton- Tenor & Soprano Saxophones

Andy Middleton has performed with Lionel Hampton, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Maria Schneider, and Barbara Dennerlein among others. In addition to his credits recording as a sideman with artists such as Lionel Hampton, John Abercrombie, Adam Nussbaum and Danny Gottlieb, Middleton’s 3 solo CDs (“Nomad’s Notebook” Intuition Records, 1999; “Terra Infirma”, Owl Records/EMI France, 1995; “Acid Rain”, Owl Records 1991) have featured Dave Holland, Ralph Towner, Renee Rosnes, and Joey Calderazzo. Middleton won the First Prize and Best Soloist Awards at the 13th Europ’ Jazz Contest in 1991, and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Performance Grant (USA) in 1996. He studied jazz at the University of Miami, the Banff Centre of Fine Arts, and privately with David Liebman, Richie Beirach, Joe Lovano and Michael Brecker. Mr. Middleton lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Alan Jones- Drums

Alan Jones has performed extensively throughout Europe and North America with Charlie Mariano, David Liebman, Jim Pepper, Bennie Wallace, Don Thompson, Glen Moore, Kenny Wheeler, Mose Allison, and David Friesen among others. He has recorded with Dave Holland, Ralph Towner, Jim Pepper, David Friesen, Renee Rosnes, Wayne Darling, Airto Moriera, and The Alan Jones Sextet (produced by Gino Vannelli). Mr. Jones studied jazz at the Berklee School of Music as well as the Banff Centre for Fine Arts, and currently resides in Portland, Oregon.

Paul Imm - Bass

Paul Imm has performed throughout the world with jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Charlie Rouse, Eddie Harris, Steve Lacy, Lee Konitz, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Tom Harrell, Kenny Werner, Wolfgang Engstfeld and Jim Pepper, among others. Paul is very active as a sideman in Europe on many projects and performances and he has recorded with Kenny Werner, Tom Harrell, Markus Becker, and Peter Bolte. He studied with David Baker at the University of Indiana and currently resides in Hamburg, Germany.

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