New Metheny Quartet Added to DC JazzFest Lineup

News, Pat Metheny, Robert Glasper, Ron Carter, Roy Haynes

By DownBeat I Feb. 28, 2017

Pat Metheny will appear at the Kennedy Center as part of the DC JazzFest on June 12.
(Photo: Courtesy of the artist)

The DC Jazz Festival has announced the addition of Pat Metheny to its illustrious lineup of headliners.

The guitarist, who was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame in 2013, will appear at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall on June 12 for An Evening with Pat Metheny, a program featuring his new quartet with drummer Antonio Sanchez, bassist Linda Oh and pianist Gwilym Simcock. Tickets for the event go on sale March 2 at 10 a.m.

The performance marks Metheny’s debut at the DC Jazz Festival, which is scheduled for June 9–18 and will feature more than 125 performances in over 40 venues.

Metheny has won 20 Grammy awards in 12 different categories, including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo and Best Instrumental Composition. Additionally, his Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive Grammys for seven consecutive albums.

“Pat has always been a master architect of guitar language,” said pianist Jason Moran, the Kennedy Center’s artistic advisor for jazz. “His devotion has been at the meeting point between history and innovation. In recent years, he has had a string of bands that focused on younger players, which showcases the very brightest musicians on the scene today.”

Earlier this month, the festival released its initial lineup of headliners, a diverse selection of renowned artists that includes vocalist Gregory Porter, keyboardist Robert Glasper, string duo Black Violin, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, drummer Roy Haynes, bassist Ron Carter, guitarist Russell Malone, pianist Hiromi and harpist Edmar Castañeda. The ensembles Jane Bunnett & Maqueque, Mbowie and the Blast and the Odean Pope Saxophone Choir are also scheduled to perform.

The DC Jazz Festival also returns to the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage with the Bass-ically Yours Series, focusing on Washington, D.C.’s incredible wealth of bass-playing bandleaders, including the James King Band, Tommy Cecil/Billy Hart/Emmet Cohen, Herman Burney’s Ministerial Alliance, Kris Funn’s CornerStore, Amy Shook and the SR5tet and Trio Vera with Victor Dvoskin.

As the largest festival in the U.S. capital, the annual DC JazzFest reaches more than 65,000 visitors through their curated programming at Yards Park, The Kennedy Center, The Howard Theatre, Sixth & I, UDC Jazz Alive and area clubs and restaurants.

“This [year’s] remarkable lineup exemplifies the richness and soulfulness of the genre, boasting a plethora of brilliant vocalists, and a bevy of strong strings as well,” said DC JazzFest Artistic Director Willard Jenkins. “We also continue our international collaborations and may have the largest number of women performing as band leaders and band members.”

For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit dcjazzfest.org. DB