A Concert for Peace
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When:
| Saturday, August 6, 1-3 pm
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Where:
| Yerba Buena Gardens (Mission Street between 3rd & 4th St.) map
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In collaboration with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, AfroSolo presents its 10th free concert in the Gardens. This year's offering features Jerome Clay and the Jerome Clay Ensemble with special guest, vocalist Gaylyn Arnold, and Bay Area musical prodigy Ranzel Merritt Jr. of The Ranzel Merritt Quartet.
Jerome Clay
A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, Jerome Clay has performed throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond as a jazz pianist, vocalist, producer, arranger, and songwriter; he has four CDs of original material to his credit. In addition to performing with a wide range of artists, Clay is an accomplished gospel organist and can be seen playing weekly at New Liberation Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. Clay will be accompanied by Carlton Carey on drums, Ralph Nelson on guitar, Phil Oregano on bass, and Nick Rous on saxophone.
Gaylyn Arnold
Born and raised in San Francisco, Gaylyn Arnold's musical journey has been influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, and Carmen McRae. She has graced venues from San Francisco to Boston with her unique sound, style, and stage presence, channeling the great ladies of jazz.
Ranzel Merritt Jr.
18-year-old saxophonist Ranzel Merritt Jr. is a recent graduate of Oakland's School of the Arts.
Merritt first performed for AfroSolo when he was just 15 years old, where he exhibited the musicality, poise and maturity of a seasoned professional; he returns to AfroSolo to give his final concert before leaving the Bay Area to study music in Boston. A former member of the SF JAZZ High School All-Stars, Merritt attended the Terri Lyne Carrington Jazz Workshop at Berklee College of Music and was a member of the Oaktown Jazz Workshops. Although young in age, he has garnered a reputation for his tonal quality and has performed with such artists as Kenny Garrett, Roy Hargrove, Bennie Maupin, Frank Foster, Ndugu Chancler, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, D'Wayne Wiggins, and Raphael Saadiq. Merritt will be accompanied by Omree Gal-Oz on piano, Chris Jefferies on standing bass, and Malachi Whitson on drums.