Jamie Saft (Photo courtesy Michael Bloom Photography)
Midcoast Conservancy is delighted to offer a jazz concert at Hidden Valley Nature Center featuring the internationally-renown Jamie Saft Quartet on Aug. 28, from 4-6 p.m. In addition to Saft on keyboards, the quartet includes Bill McHenry on tenor saxophone, Jim Lyden on acoustic bass and Gary Gemmiti on drums. This fundraiser is a return visit after last summer’s sold-out show.
The Jamie Saft Quartet will perform a special concert of Saft’s original compositions as well as music drawn from the Great American Songbook including compositions by Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Jimi Hendrix, Burt Bacharach, Bob Dylan, John and Alice Coltrane, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, and beyond. Attendees should look forward to a night of transcendent spiritual jazz meets Soul and R&B. Feel free to dance and enjoy.
Jamie Saft is a virtuoso pianist, keyboardist, producer, and composer originally from New York now living in Maine. His stylistic versatility, multi-instrumentalist capabilities, and production skills have been featured with Iggy Pop, Beastie Boys, Bad Brains, The B-52’s, John Zorn, John Adams, Laurie Anderson, Donovan, and Antony and the Johnsons. Saft leads the New Zion Trio, Jamie Saft Trio, and Jamie Saft Quartet.
Saft has collaborated with legends of music including Wadada Leo Smith, Roswell Rudd, Marshall Allen, Danny Ray Thompson, Dave Liebman, Joe Morris, Hamid Drake, Bobby Previte, Steve Swallow, Darryl Jenifer, Adam Yauch, HR, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Chuck Hammer, and Cyro Baptista.
Saft has composed a number of original film scores including the Oscar nominated “Murderball” and Sundance winner “God Grew Tired Of Us.” Saft has also scored extensively for Nickelodeon, MTV, VH1, Vice TV, NFL Football, CBS, and A&E. He currently runs the independent record label Veal Records.
The fundraiser benefits Midcoast Conservancy, an innovative conservation organization working to protect and restore vital lands on a scale that matters. With three watersheds in its care that include over 14,000 conserved acres, 55 preserves and over 100 miles of trails, Midcoast Conservancy is working to support the beauty, natural communities and climate resilience of the heart of the midcoast.
Tickets to the event are $75, with all proceeds going to support the work of Midcoast Conservancy. To learn more about Saft and to buy tickets, go to midcoastconservancy.org/events-list/jazz-in-the-woods.
