Capital District Jazz, Ltd. continues its Spring Jazz at the Arts Center series Wednesday, May 30th at 7:30 PM when it presents the Brian Patneaude Quartet in concert. Tenor saxophonist Patneaude, perennial winner of “Best Local Jazz Artist” in area polls, will be joined by guitarist George Muscatello, bassist Otto Gardner and drummer Danny Whelchel.

This line up, with Muscatello and Whelchel, reunites three quarters of Brian’s quartet that was in residence Sunday nights at the late Albany jazz club Justins from 2002 through 2010. Since then they have rarely played together as a quartet. In what promises to be a special night of music, the program will feature mostly Patneaude’s compositions. Brian is looking forward to revisiting some of the old favorites from Justins and also to hearing his bandmate’s interpretation of his newer compositions.

Repeatedly cited as “Best Jazz” by Metroland magazine, Brian Patneaude is busy musicians in New York's Capital District. In addition to leading his own quartet, the saxophonist maintains an active performance schedule with the award winning Empire Jazz Orchestra, the seventeen piece juggernaut Big Soul Ensemble and drummer Michael Benedict's hard-bop quintet Bopitude. He has performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Kingston International Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival Saratoga, the Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival and countless clubs and concert halls throughout the Northeast including an eight and a half year weekly residency at Albany's premiere jazz club - Justin's. Over the years he has performed with saxophonists Jimmy Heath, Lee Konitz, David "Fathead Newman", Gary Smulyan, trombonists Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton & Wycliffe Gordon, trumpeters Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Claudio Roditi & Byron Stripling, guitarist Mike Moreno, pianists Bruce Barth, Armen Donelian, Pete Levin, bassists Dave Holland & Rufus Reid, and vocal sensations The Four Freshmen.

Guitarist George Muscatello demonstrates an extraordinary ability to tell the story of a song through improvisation and his technical mastery of the guitar. Muscatello, a Manhattan School of Music alumnus, has been an active performer for 25 years and has played with world renowned musicians such as Nick Brignola, Wayne Krantz and Adam Rogers. Additionally, as an adjunct lecturer at Skidmore College for the past 11 years he has hosted master classes with musicians who are in the jazz vanguard, like Kurt Rosenwinkle, Julian Lage, Eric Harland, Chris Potter and Robert Glasper.

Otto Gardner has played the bass in and around the Capital District for over thirty years, with scores of fine local and regional musicians. He is a founding member of Schenectady’s Empire Jazz Orchestra, with which he has played for over twenty years, with such jazz master guests as Jimmy Heath, Lou Soloff, Curtis Fuller, and Benny Golson. He has also played with James Spalding, J. R. Montrose, Arthur Rhames, Buddy Greco, Margaret Whiting, Hal Galper, and Nick Brignola. He lives in Chatham, NY, where he plays most Wednesday evenings with pianist Lincoln Mayorga at the Blue Plate.

Drummer Danny Whelchel spent the majority of his life in Lafayette, Louisiana before moving to upstate New York in the fall of 1997. Since then he has performed with a variety of musicians including Charles Neville, John Mengon, Teri Roiger, Tessa Souter, Evita Cobo, Ray Alexander, Brian Patneaude, George Muscatello, Adrian Cohen, Carl Landa, Amy Abdou, Jeff Gonzales, Nicole Peyrafitte, Bob Warren, Michael Jerling, Jocamo, Pangaea, Out Of Control, and the Refrigerators. Danny is currently playing with Soul Session and dance accompanist at the Emma Willard School.

Capital District Jazz, Ltd. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization formed by practitioners and fans who love jazz music. Its mission is to build and serve a wider audience for jazz through education; to create performance opportunities for jazz musicians; and to develop venues for these pursuits. CDJ supports All Ears: Jazz and Improvised Music Workshop, which is a fun hands-on way for students of all ages to learn about jazz.

A limited number of free tickets for youth age 17 and under are available. Please inquire via email at info@cdjazz.org.