Jazz at Boston Court

Jazz, Classical and more – discover the array of musicians coming to Boston Court Pasadena. More info here.

BOX OFFICE – 626.683.6801
EMAIL: BOXOFFICE@
70 N MENTOR AVE
PASADENA, CA 91106

Coming soon are two superb jazz artists:

GILBERT CASTELLANOS

MAR 9, 8PM

Jazz innovation at its spectacular best.

This concert will be performed in the Branson, at Boston Court in Pasadena.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Considered one of the nation’s top-call jazz trumpeters, Gilbert Castellanos is a renowned  musician, composer, educator and arranger. Skilled with impressive dexterity and control, his  clarity of expression and improvisational fluency moves audiences with a seemingly profound effortlessness and complexly emotive affect. 

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Fresno, California, Gilbert’s musical career was  preordained; the only son to his eponym father, a touring Cumbia band leader, singer and  arranger, Gilbert was strongly influenced by his predecessor’s deep appreciation for classical  composers and big band jazz ensembles, broadening young Gilbert’s horizons from an early  age. Gilbert Sr. strongly encouraged Gilbert toward the Jazz genre when at first he showed an  interest in trumpet at age 6. By age 11, Gilbert’s intensive training and education provided the  context to begin playing professionally, and at age 15 he preformed with mentor and icon Dizzy  Gillespie at the Monterrey Jazz Festival. 

After completing his formal music education at two of the nation’s most renowned music  conservatories, Berklee College of Music in Boston and Cal Arts in Los Angeles, Castellanos  quickly gained international acclaim as a member of the celebrated band Black/Note, with whom  he recorded three albums: L.A. Underground (Red Records), Jungle Music (Columbia Records)  and Nothin’ But the Swing (Impulse Records). His solo recording career since Black/Note has  seen Castellanos thrive as a player, bandleader, composer and arranger on three acclaimed  albums: 1999’s self-titled debut release The Gilbert Castellanos Hammond B3 Quartet, followed  by 2006’s Underground (Seedling Records) and 2013’s The Federal Jazz Project (Dobie Music). Castellanos is currently in post-production for his next album, Espérame en el Cielo, an homage  to both his Mexican heritage and his championing over adversity. 

In 2009, Castellanos was highlighted on internationally acclaimed DownBeat Magazine’s “25  For The Future” list, firmly establishing him as one of the nation’s most inventive Jazz trumpeters. With a proven reputation for improvisation, Gilbert has toured extensively as a  former member of the Tom Scott Quintet, the Anthony Wilson Nonet, Charles McPherson  Quintet and Willie Jones III Quintet; he remains a recording member of the Clayton Hamilton  Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, and of course as a headliner  under his own name. As a proponent for West Coast Jazz, Gilbert works tirelessly to build San  Diego as an internationally recognized hub for Jazz. Partnering with several San Diego  institutions, Castellanos has been a dynamic force in establishing a committed fan-base served  by a growing number of dedicated venues, all of which defer to his artistic curation. Through it  all, recording, studio work, touring, curating, performing, Gilbert has maintained his dedication to  “keeping Jazz alive” and continues his work promoting and growing the potentials of his  creativity, the genre and his peers as a respected Godfather of sorts across the West Coast. 

A fierce advocate of formal jazz education, Gilbert held the position of Adjunct Professor of Jazz  Studies at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music from 2001 to 2013.  Thereafter, he served as the Artistic Director of the International Academy of Jazz San Diego  from 2014-2016, during which time he began conducting high school workshops and developing  a more proactive role in mentorship. During his time visiting Title I schools, he recognized a  need for increased accessibility to formal education, noting that many truly gifted students were deprived the opportunities to further their education due to monetary constraints. Thusly, in  2016 Castellanos founded the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory based in San Diego, California.  Using his influence in a burgeoning Jazz community, one he is credited in large with  establishing, Gilbert began successfully soliciting donations for and supporting thousands of  dollars of scholarship to finance Conservatory Education Equity for economically disadvantaged students of promise. To date, the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory has graduated hundreds of  bright musicians of diverse backgrounds with Gilbert serving as personal mentor and advocate  for each, often writing college recommendation letters and offering every one of his students  “real world” experience each Wednesday evening at ensemble performances through a  partnership with San Diego Museum of Art and affiliate venue Panama 66. 

NOLAN SHAHEED

APR 6, 8PM

Local Jazz legend Nolan Shaheed joins his brilliant trumpet stylings with his dedicated band of great musicians to share a program of hot Jazz on the Boston Court stage for the first time.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Nolan Shaheed has achieved his world class standing in two varied genres. He holds a world record in running and has musical talent that has taken him all over the world playing trumpet to back-up remarkable performers notably Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and Phil Collins. He has also performed and toured with: Eddie Harris, Teddy Edwards, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Jeannie & Jimmy Cheatham and Francisco Aquabea. Notwithstanding, Shaheed is in demand as a studio musician and has recently released the album, Lamentations From The Middle Passage.

Born in 1949, this California native knew he had athletic talent at an early age. Before entering competitive track as a high school sophomore, Shaheed enjoyed beating all-comers in around-the-block races. He was also involved in basketball, baseball and football during his formative years as a member of the Pasadena Boys Club. During the time that Shaheed excelled as a high school track star, he was also making a name for himself as an outstanding trumpeter. He was named to the All-City-Band and All-State-Band. Thankfully, his passion for the trumpet was recognized by his mother, who permitted him to relinquish the violin at age 12 and begin his remarkable dedication to the trumpet. He credits his musical shift to listening to recordings of Louie Armstrong, the great jazz trumpeter.

Shaheed had the speed to qualify for the Olympic trials as a runner but did not pursue this path. He recognized there was not the money in track that his musical talent would garnish. Therefore, running became an avocation and a supplement to his musical career.

Running made my trumpet playing better, which gave me an incentive to run.

Nolan Shaheed

While touring with phenomenal musicians, Shaheed honed his running skills and built the conviction to become an Ageless/Timeless Athlete.

When I was on the road, I always jogged ten miles. I did my best work writing music when on a nice long run.

Nolan Shaheed