Lew Tabackin

Longtime virtuoso saxophonist & flutust Lou Tabackin, sponsored and accompanied on bass by Obasi Akoto, with Eric Kennedy on drums.

• Doors open: 6:30 pm
• Show 7 pm
• All tickets: $25
• Parties of 4 or more can reserve a table for an additional $25. Send a request to [email protected]
• Minors are welcome but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.
• Free street parking, no food or drink minimum, no charge to stay for second set.

Lew Tabackin is a master flutist and tenor saxophonist, is an artist of astonishing vision. His distinctive tenor sax style includes the use of wide intervals and abrupt changes of mood and tempo. Without copying or emulating jazz greats of the past, Lew has absorbed elements into his style, ultimately creating his own sound and aura.

In the 60’s Lew played with Tal Farlow, Don Friedman and in big bands led by Cab Calloway, Les and Larry Elgart, Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson, Chuck Israels, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Clark Terry, and Duke Pearson.

During the late 1960's, Lew led a trio at a club called La Boheme in Philadelphia, in addition to playing in smaller groups with Donald Byrd, Roland Hanna, Elvin Jones, and Attila Zoller.

A significant change in his life was meeting pianist and composerToshiko Akiyoshi in 1968. They would marry and form the distinctive, award-winning Toshiko Akyoshi – Lew Tabackin Jazz Orchestra.

During this time in the sixties and seventies, Lew also played with Shelley Manne and with various trios of his own with Billy Higgins, John Heard, and Charlie Haden. He also toured Japan frequently with Toshiko and her orchestra as well as with his own trio, which included drummer Joey Baron and bassist Michael Moore.

During the 1980's Lew began to get some long overdue recognition as a flutist, winning many DownBeat critic's and reader's polls. In 1990 Lew released his first disc for Concord, “Desert Lady,” featuring Hank Jones, Dave Holland, and Victor Lewis, followed by the acclaimed “I'll Be Seeing You” with Benny Green, Peter Washington, and Lewis Nash. In 1994 the same group recorded “What a Little Moonlight Can Do.” Lew has also been associated with several all-star bands, including George Wein's Newport All-Star Band, the New York Jazz Giants, and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band.

Lew continues to tour the world as a soloist, playing clubs and jazz festivals with his own groups and as featured soloist with the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra.