Dear Jazz Lovers and friends,



Once again we have the pleasure of hosting Chuck Redd, vibes player. This is always a special treat! With him will be three outstanding musicians, John Opferkuch, Mike Gurrola and Kevin Kanner...call the fire department!

Thank you for supporting jazz!

September 18, 2025

7:30 pm

JAZZ AT THE MERC

presents the

Chuck Redd Quartet

featuring

John Opferkuch, Mike Gurrola,

and

Kevin Kanner

Chuck Redd is well known internationally as a performer on drums and vibraphone. Chuck began recording and touring the globe when he joined the Charlie Byrd Trio at the age of 21. He also became a member of the Great Guitars (Barney Kessel, Byrd and Herb Ellis.)

To his credit are 25 European tours and six tours of Japan, with the Barney Kessel Trio, Ken Peplowski and the Benny Goodman Tribute Orchestra, Terry Gibbs and Conte Candoli. He served as Artist-In-Residence at The Smithsonian Jazz Café in Washington, DC from 2004-2008.

Chuck was the 2019 musical director of The Oregon Festival of American Music. He is a featured soloist, annually at The W.C. Handy Music Festival, The Newport Beach Jazz Party, The West Texas Jazz Party, The North Carolina Jazz Festival and The Roswell Jazz Festival.

Chuck was featured vibraphonist with the Mel Torme All-Star Jazz Quintet from 1991 until

1996. While appearing in New York with Torme, Ira Gitler of Jazz Times said: "Redd's vibes were equally notable for vigor and melodiousness."

Jazz Times praised Redd's playing describing his vibes work as, "Exquisite! "

He has toured and performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Torme, Tommy Flanagan, Bill Mays, Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Laurindo Almeida, Tal Farlow, Rebecca Kilgore, Nicki Parrott, Scott Hamilton, Mickey Roker and Houston Person.

Redd is featured on over 80 recordings. Releases include his Arbors CD, "All This and Heaven Too", featuring Gene Bertoncini and George Mraz, Chopin Jazz with Rossano Sportiello “You’re My Everything” with Dick Hyman and Jay Leonhart and “Nice N’ Easy” with Houston Person. He can also be heard on the sound track to the popular television series, "The Great Chefs” and the NPR broadcast "Jazz Smithsonian.”

Chuck’s career highlights include a concert with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet in Africa for the Namibian Independence Celebration, a recital at the White House with the Barney Kessel Trio, four concerts at Carnegie Hall with the Mel Torme Quintet,The Great Guitars and The Charlie Byrd Trio and an appearance on The Tonight Show.

In addition to leading his own groups, Chuck was a member of the Smithsonian Jazz

Masterworks Orchestra for 15 years. He frequently performs in New York City and is touring nationally at festivals and clubs. Chuck is on the faculty at The University of Maryland School of Music and presents master classes, workshops and lectures around the country.

Watch...

Born and raised in Massachusetts, John Opferkuch studied music and composition at Yale and New England Conservatory, learning from pianists Dwike Mitchell, Anthony Davis, Harold Danko, Fred Hersch and Jaki Byard.

John has performed with a wide range of artists including Je Berlin, Kenny Rankin, Peter Sprague, Charles MacPherson, Teddy Charles and Pat Metheny.

John's solo CD "The Kennedy Files" featuring guitarist Peter Sprague, drummer Duncan Moore, bassist Dave Enos, and percussionist Tommy Aros is available on all streaming platforms.

One of the most sought after bassists in LA, Mike Gurrola's interest in jazz developed because of his desire to attend the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) where the school day was split equally between academics and the pursuit of the student's art. He auditioned successfully on upright bass and began a fruitful period of rapid development in jazz knowledge and skill, while winning group and individual awards at competitions at the Berklee College of Music and Monterey Jazz Festival annual school competitions, including a scholarship to Berklee's presitigious five-week jazz workshop led by critically acclaimed drummer Terri-Lynne Carrington and a seat two times as bassist in the Monterey Jazz Festival's Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, playing at the North Sea and Monterey Jazz Festivals and at the Kennedy Center.

Mike's professional performing career also began in his High School years when he started going to and playing at jam sessions in Los Angeles clubs at night. Eventually, he began gigging as a side man and leader making a name for himself on the Los Angeles jazz scene. By the end of High School he had become so busy as a professional jazz bassist that he opted not to accept scholarships to attend prestigious music conservatories. His professional resume includes playing with and/or recording with Eric Reed, Mary Stallings, Jeff Hamilton, Houston Person, Benny Green, Larry Goldings, Willie Jones III, Harry Allen, Jane Monheit, Kenny Burrell and many more.

Kevin Kanner has toured and performed with many artists and including John Pizzarelli, Maureen McGovern, The Gilbert Castellanos Quintet, The Bill Holman Band, The Gerald Clayton Trio, The Clayton Brothers, The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Larry Goldings, Charles McPhearson, Benny Green, Bob Hurst, Peter Washington, Terell Stafford, Russell Malone, Stefon Harris, Johnny Mandel, Larry Koonse, The Eric Reed Trio, Mary Stallings, Bill Henderson, Anat Cohen, Dominic Faranacci, Carolyn Leonhart, Larry Goldings, Anthony Wilson Nonet and Trio, Laurence Hobgood, Bob Hurst, Joe Magnarelli, Helen Sung, Monty Alexander, Houston Person, Wycliffe Gordon, Patrick Cornelius, Randy Napoleon, Walter Smith III, James Morrison and many more.

In addition to the vast amount of sideman work, Kevin has also led perhaps the most well remembered jazz jam session in recent Los Angeles history at the historic venue, the Mint.  This session, called Groove Pocket, featured prominent underground hip hop DJ stars as well as a weekly band that over the course of six years consisted of, Ambrose Akinmuserie, Tim Green, Gerald Clayton, Harish Ragahavan, Joe Sanders, Larry Fuller, James Westfall, Charles Altura, Hamilton Price, Josh Nelson and Matt Poiltano.

He has also amassed a large number of recording credits including recordings with Paul Anka, Bill Holman (including 2006 and 2007 Grammy® nominated recordings), Gilbert Castellanos, Melissa Morgan, Annie Sellick, Gail Wynters, The Bud Shank Big Band, Josh Nelson and Michael Buble.

September 25 -

Trevor Ware with Peter Smith, Scott Gilman, Lyndon Rochelle and Sidney Jacobs

October 2 -

Anthony Fung with Andrew Renfroe, Michael Ragonese and Luca Alemmano

October 9 -

2 Guitarz - Jimmy Hewitt and Josh Jurkowsky

October 16 -

Jennifer Hart with Ron Levy, Eric Messerschmidt and John Ferraro

October 23 -

Bruce Lett, Ron Stout, and Ron Eschete

October 30 -

Tomas Janzon Trio

November 6 -

Don Littleton Quartet

November 13 -

Michael Ragonese

November 20 -

Patrick Berrogain Quartet

December 4 -

Peggie Perkins

December 11 -

Dan St Marseille Quintet

December 18 -

Yve Evans