Eugene Uman’s Convergence Project

The leader of the Convergence Project, Eugene Uman, is a composer, pianist, and educator. He has been the Director of the Vermont Jazz Center since 1997, has worked tirelessly to connect music and the local community and has written over 200 jazz compositions, including three that appeared on Latin Jazz star Sammy Figueroa’s 2005 Grammy Nominated CD, In Walked Sammy. NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath has called Uman’s compositions “music of substance and integrity.” Another saxophone legend, Jerry Bergonzi, says “I always love listening to Eugene’s compositions; they make so much musical sense and bring you on a journey with a very healing, uplifting feel.”

Tonight, the Convergence Project will be playing material from their first two albums as well as debuting new compositions. The arrangements intentionally travel far afield from traditional structures by incorporating odd meters and musical language from the worlds of jazz and rock. But the pieces based on the Colombian rhythms still retain their original folkloric essence. These rhythmical grooves provide an immutable finger-print that enhance Uman’s compositions.

Everyone in the Convergence Project is encouraged to add their own voice to the big picture. The band concept is founded on the collective energy created by the combination of each musician’s personal style and fueled by the compositions’ propelling rhythms and quirky harmonies. Uman says “these musicians add depth, soul, sophistication and perspective. I so value the way that they insert their own experiences and knowledge, surprising me and exponentially enhancing the creative result.”

Drummer Satoshi Takeishi has appeared on over 200 recordings including those by Latin giants Nestor Torres, Ray Barretto, Hector Martignon, Francisco Zumaqué, and Eliane Elias. His roots are deep in jazz and experimental music as well. Takeishi’s creative input can be heard on recordings by Joshua Redman, Marc Johnson, Eddie Gomez, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Mark Murphy, Herbie Mann, Lalo Schifrin, Giora Fiedman, Laszlo Gardony, Badal Roy, Erik Friedlander, Colombian saxophonist Antonio Arnedo, Paul Winter, Anthony Braxton, Theo Bleckmann/Ben Monder, Joel Harrison and Rob Brown, and the Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band.  His unique style incorporates percussion and electronics along with the traditional drum set.

Stomu Takeishi is no ordinary bassist, his unique approach is at once percussive, melodic and focused on the quality of sound for its own sake. Takeishi plays a 5-string, fretless electric instrument which he uses with pedals and effects to generate his own vocabulary. Takeishi has performed in jazz festivals and major venues throughout the world. In Downbeat’s 57th Critics Poll, he was the winner in the category of Electric Bass, Rising Star. He has appeared on over 120 recordings including those with Cuong Vu and Pat Metheny, Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band, Dave Tronzo, Henry Threadgill, Badal Roy, Myra Melford’s Crush, Steve Gorn, John Zorn, Colombian vocalist Lucia Pulido, and many others.

Saxophonist Michael Zsoldos has performed with Paquito D’Rivera, Sheila Jordan, Kevin Mahogany, Houston Person, Luis Perdomo, Matt Wilson, Carole King, the Temptations, and many others.  Since 2005, Michael has been the instrumental arranger for the Dartmouth College Gospel Choir and Dartmouth Idol. With these two gospel groups he has made two European tours and performed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Chicago House of Blues, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and President Obama’s inauguration. Michael is a lecturer in classical saxophone and music theory at Dartmouth College, and was saxophone instructor at the University of Vermont from 2009-2017.  He is also on the teaching faculties of the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro, and Interplay Jazz and Arts.

Trombonist Jeff Galindo has toured the world with Phil Woods, Makoto Ozone, the Artie Shaw Orchestra, Irving Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. He was trombonist and musical director for Esperanza Spalding and played on her Grammy-award winning CD, Radio Music Society. Galindo has performed with Chick Corea, Clark Terry, Joe Lovano, George Russell, Slide Hampton, and Johnny Griffin, Gunther Schuller, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Bergonzi, Bobby Shew, The Boston Pops Orchestra, Frank Sinatra Jr. and the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra among many others. Galindo has two albums out as a leader and appears as a sideman on recordings with Angélique Kidjo, Esperanza Spalding, Cheryl Wheeler, Amanda Carr, Danilo Pérez, Greg Hopkins, Toni Ballard, Rebecca Parris, Bob Moses, Bob Nieske and others.