Jazz at the Phil

The series is opened by Mare Nostrum, a Mediterranean trio with a great sense of humour based around the accordion virtuoso Richard Galliano. The band Rymden, which is based around the keenly experimental pianist Bugge Wesseltoft, comes from Norway and Sweden. Their style lies somewhere between acoustic and electronic jazz, with a progressive rock edge.

One of the main highlights of the series is the concert by the Branford Marsalis Quartet. The ensemble was formed in 1986 and the almost telepathic communication between its members is truly impressive. Finally, the San Francisco Jazz Collective, which devotes itself to an influential modern jazz musician each year, gives a guest performance of the music of legendary Brazilian bossa nova innovator Antônio Carlos Jobim in the Grand Hall.