Darrell Grant's MJ New takes audiences on a journey from the heart of the HarlemRenaissance to Vienna, Brazil, and back again. Skillfully marrying classical counterpoint and the blues with refined swing inspired by their namesake, the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet, the group illuminates the diverse traditions of Black American Music.

Formed by Darrell Grant in 2013, MJ New brings together four storied West Coast scene-makers. Portland-based pianist/bandleader Darrell Grant is a veteran of the bands of Betty Carter, Tony Williams, and Roy Haynes. Since the release of his debut album Black Art, one of the New York Times'top ten jazz CDs, Grant has built an international reputation as a pianist, composer, and educator who channels the power of music to make change. He is the recipient of a Northwest Regional Emmy,Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship, MAP Fund grant, and the Governor’s Arts Award, his state’s highest arts honor. He is a Professor of Music at Portland State University, where he directs the Artist as Citizen Initiative.

Bassist, composer, arranger, educator, and bandleader Marcus Shelby is a figure synonymous with Bay Area jazz and the spirit of collaboration. A recipient of the Charles Mingus Scholarship, Shelby attended Cal Arts and studied with Charlie Haden and James Newton while working simultaneously with the all-star jazz ensemble Black/Note, who released a series of highly regarded albums in the1990s. Since moving to the Bay Area, he has led a highly regarded jazz orchestra and many smallgroups, with large-scale commissions focused on the history,present, and future of the African-American experience.

Vibraphonist Mike Horsfall has performed with Chuck Redd and Leroy Vinegar. He has recorded with Pink Martini, Nu Shooz Orchestra, and Tall Jazz, a trio he co-founded in 1989 which was voted into the Jazz Society of Oregon’s 2010 Hall ofFame. He serves on the music faculty at Willamette University.

Drummer Cecil Brooks III has recorded and toured with Stanley Turrentine, John Hicks, Geri Allen, and Pharoah Sanders. In addition to several albums as a leader and session work in both hard bop and bebop settings, Brooks is an award-winning producer of over 50 albums on the Savoy, Muse, & 32 Jazz labels and is the founder and proprietor of the celebrated New Jersey jazz club Cecil’s. He relocated to LosAngeles in 2010 a frequent performer at West Coast venues and festivals

Tickets at MJ New Quartet