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The Ensemble
Given the extraordinary talent assembled in the SFJAZZ Collective—eight of the most accomplished and acclaimed performer/composers in jazz today—it is tempting, on first glance, to think of this ensemble as an “all-star band,” pure and simple. But as the “Collective” portion of the group’s name suggests, these exceptional artists have come together in pursuit of a larger purpose—namely, the celebration of jazz not only as a great art form, but as a constantly evolving, ever-relevant, quintessentially modern art form. In The New York Times’ emphatic words: “Modernity is the mantra of the SFJAZZ Collective.”

This conception of the music is shared by SFJAZZ, the San Francisco–based non-profit institution that is the group’s namesake and producer. The idea for the Collective arose from turn-of-the-millennium discussions between SFJAZZ’s founder and executive director, Randall Kline, and saxophonist and founding Collective member Joshua Redman. While deeply respectful of jazz’s origins and early traditions, SFJAZZ, as a concert presenter (of the internationally renowned San Francisco Jazz Festival, among other year-round programs), was concerned that the modern side of jazz, from roughly the mid-20th-century to the present day, was often overlooked in the public eye in comparison with the music of jazz’s so-called “Golden Age.” Both Kline and Redman were eager to showcase, in a manner that would resonate with jazz aficionados and newcomers alike, the artistic continuum from modern masters like John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Herbie Hancock to today’s new generation of touring and recording artists.

And so, with an inaugural line-up of modern jazz luminaries and the institutional support of SFJAZZ, the SFJAZZ Collective was unveiled in 2004, with an approach that was (and is) unique in the jazz world. For multiple weeks each year, eight of the most in-demand artists in jazz would set aside their numerous other high-profile projects and devote all their time and energy to the Collective. The group would annually divide its repertoire between new works written by and for the Collective’s members (and commissioned by SFJAZZ) and new octet arrangements of compositions by a modern jazz master—to date, Ornette Coleman (2004), John Coltrane (2005), Herbie Hancock (2006), Thelonious Monk (2007), and now Wayne Shorter (see “2008 Repertoire” below). The ensemble would be an octet, enjoying both the flexibility of a small group and some of the expanded palette of a big band. In keeping with the “Collective” name, the group’s members would take turns sharing the spotlight as “leader” from song to song. And crucially, in order to give this work its full artistic due, the group would rehearse its annual repertoire in a multi-week San Francisco residency before going on tour—a rare opportunity in today’s jazz world, and one that would arguably be impossible without institutional backing. During the residency, in the interest of jazz’s ongoing development, the Collective members would also mentor promising young musicians, including the 20-strong SFJAZZ High School All-Stars ensemble.

The Ensemble
The Collective is distinguished not just by degree, but diversity of talent: each member is not only a celebrated instrumentalist, but also an outstanding composer and arranger, and most are among today’s most lauded band leaders. The Collective’s current line-up also strikes a perfect balance among founding members, other multi-year veterans, and exciting newcomers. The front line of horns includes two past DownBeat “Artist of the Year” honorees, saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas, both members since 2007; three-time DownBeat “#1 Rising Star Alto Saxophonist” and founding member Miguel Zenón; and 2008 newcomer trombonist Robin Eubanks, a two-time DownBeat “Trombonist of the Year.” On vibraphone since 2007, Stefon Harris has earned top DownBeat “Rising Star” honors on his instrument and is widely considered the finest vibist of his generation. The incendiary Collective rhythm section boasts founding member and acclaimed Blue Note recording artist Renee Rosnes on piano plus two four-year Collective veterans: bassist Matt Penman, one of the most in-demand sidemen on the international scene; and drummer Eric Harland, famed for his work with Charles Lloyd, McCoy Tyner, and other jazz legends.

Now in its fifth season, the Collective has become one of the leading ensembles on today’s international jazz scene, appearing in prestigious concert halls and festivals throughout the U.S. and in Europe and Asia, earning “#1 Rising Star Jazz Group” honors in DownBeat’s 2006 Critics Poll, and placing high in 2007’s year-end “best albums” lists from the likes of National Public Radio (#3 album) and JazzTimes (#14). To date, the group has released four limited-edition CD sets documenting its complete annual repertoire in concert plus a newly released concert DVD recorded at 2007’s Jazz à Vienne festival in France (all available exclusively from sfjazz.org), plus two concert highlights discs in wide distribution on the Nonesuch label.

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  "The eight-member combo played...a well-conceived and often inspired 95-minute set marked by flashes of brilliance." -Andrew Gilbert, San Jose Mercury News (March 19, 2008)
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  "Rosnes considers her time playing with Shorter a revelation. 'It was such an impactful experience,' Rosnes explains. 'The intensity and passion that he played with literally took my breath away.'-Marcus Crowder, San Francisco Bay Guardian (March 12, 2008)
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  "The SFJAZZ Collective is an octet comprising a jazz festival's worth of names, each an acclaimed bandleader in his or her own right." -Kevin Lowenthal, Boston Globe Review (March 11, 2008)
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  "Of the original pieces, the trumpeter Dave Douglas’s “Secrets of the Code” was obsessively referential, obscurely embedding tiny lines and chord modulations from old songs by Mr. Shorter." -Ben Ratliff, The New York Times (March 7, 2008)