Titus Abbott Collective featuring Luther Gray – Drums and Nate McBride – Bass

Titus Abbott, PCM director of jazz studies, presents a concert of improvised music in collaboration with drummer Luther Gray and bassist Nate McBride. Titus is joined by two stellar musicians who have been performing improvised music in Boston, nationally and internationally for many years. This is the first time this ensemble will perform together presenting their version of instant composition, another name for improvised music, to the Dimensions in Jazz audience.

Titus Abbott

Over the past 25 years Titus has presented music that although steeped in the history of jazz pushes the limits and finds a place of unique expression. Titus was born in Canada in 1960 studying jazz saxophone and jazz and classical composition in Ottawa, Toronto and London, UK. His groups Delawareness, The Titus Abbott Collective and the Happenstance Quintet have performed at venues and festivals in the US, Canada and Europe. Notable collaborations include performing with pianists Frank Carlberg, Curtis Clark, Mary Anne Driscoll, Mike Effenberger – drummers Luther Gray, Noel Brennan, RJ Miller, Michael Sarin – bassists George Koller, Jim Lyden, Pascal Niggenkemper, Ross Gallagher and the late Oud master Al Gardner. Apart from his role at PCM, Titus teaches saxophone at Bates, Bowdoin and composition at UMaine Augusta.

Luther Gray

Drummer Luther Gray, though largely self-taught, his musical training involved drum lessons from Kim Martin, Larry Bright, Steve Bagby, and Mickey Newman. In 1995 he graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Music, after which he taught privately and performed in the Washington , D.C. area with, among others, Butch Warren, Cecil Payne, Webster Young, Tsunami, Liquorice, Peter Edelman, Jenny Toomey, Bob Butta, and Buck Hill. Since moving to Boston, he has resumed teaching private drum lessons and has played with Joe Morris, Jay Hoggard, Joe McPhee, Timo Shanko, Cameron Brown, Allan Chase, Joseph Daley, Sabir Mateen, Roy Campbell, Ida, Geoff Farina, Andrew White, Rob Brown, Bill Lowe, Greg Abate, Raqib Hassan, Bill Pierce, Mitch Seidman, Steve Swell, Joe Beck, Fred Anderson, Ken Vandermark and many others. In addition to his performing schedule Luther teaches art and music at an after-school program for elementary school children.

Nate McBride

Nate McBride, who was born in 1971, is a very versatile double-bassist and electric bassist, and has performed with such important musicians as Dennis Gonzalez, Pandelis Karayorgis, and Ken Vandermark. A mainstay of the Boston improvised music scene performing most regularly at the Lilypad, Inman Square in Cambridge in the company of the most prominent ensembles and musicians of our time.

Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St. Portland, ME 04102

Tickets: $5 Student, $15 Senior, $20 Advance, $25 Door

Doors at 7PM, Show at 7:30PM

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