At our next concert (June 4, 2023):

The Terry Gordon Quintet

Trumpeter/composer Terry Gordon is active in a wide variety of musical styles from jazz, Latin, and big band, to rock, classical, and contemporary Christian worship music. He performs regularly throughout the northeast and beyond with several groups, including Alex Torres y su Orquesta, the Terry Gordon Quintet, the Arch Stanton Quartet, the Joyful Noise Jazz Project, and Brass-O-Mania, and has appeared on numerous recordings including four adventurous collections of original music with the Terry Gordon Quintet: Wakeup Call (Buttonhooks 1997), Contemplations (Flying Gurnard 2002), Homeward Bound (WEPA 2006), and Tomorrow Calling (WEPA 2013), and three with the Arch Stanton Quartet: Along for the Ride (WEPA 2012), Live a the Cairo Jazz Festival (Swordpaw 2013), and Blues For Soli (WEPA 2014). He has appeared at major venues such as the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Cairo International Jazz Festival (Egypt), Lincoln Center, the Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival, Jazz in the Square (Syracuse, NY), Musikfest (Bethlehem, PA), and several other festivals around the country, and has also appeared in programs with Bobby Rydell, Leslie Gore, and The Temptations. With the award-winning salsa band Alex Torres y su Orquesta, whose music can be heard in several television shows and motion pictures including Walt Disney’s Old Dogs, he has recorded several acclaimed CDs on WEPA Records, and with the Empire Jazz Orchestra he has backed up such jazz luminaries as Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Randy Brecker, Slide Hampton, Rufus Reid, Lew Soloff, Wycliffe Gordon, The Four Freshmen, and David “Fathead” Newman.

Matthew Steckler, aka Matty Stecks, performs and composes in several musical settings internationally. Primarily a saxophonist/woodwind specialist, he also performs on vocals, keyboards, percussion and electronic media, bringing a dynamic, holistic approach to the live musical experience. As an artist, Matthew has appeared at prominent festivals and concert series, including: The Blue Note and Lincoln Center (NYC), the Kennedy Center (DC), Winnipeg Art Gallery, Operetta Teatrul (Bucharest), House of Blues & Jazz (Shanghai), and the Tri-C, Key Maine, New Haven, Discover and Flint Jazz Festivals. He has received commissions from Chamber Music America, Meet the Composer, American Music Center and American Composers Forum; has recordings on Ropeadope, Cuneiform and Innova labels; and has made Best CD lists in Downbeat and Jazz Times. Matthew has written for concert music, theatre, film and game audio settings, and continues his own foundational work in electroacoustics and multimedia that began with his 2013 research-based, extended work Eco Beat Heresy. Matthew holds a Ph.D. in Composition (NYU), M.M. in Jazz Performance (New England Conservatory), and a B.A. in Music (Wesleyan University).

Joe Finn is a jazz guitarist in the mainstream tradition. He plays in a variety of settings from solo guitar to big band, and from organ trio to various combo settings. His critically acclaimed quartet won the BET network’s Jazz Discovery Showcase award in the jazz instrumental category in 1998. His seven CDs as a leader on JFP records have gotten rave reviews and extensive national airplay. His 2021 CD release As Luck Would Have It has helped to establish Joe’s reputation as one of today’s top players. 

Lou Smaldone is a seasoned bassist and in-demand sideman in the Albany area and beyond. His formal education included time at Schenectady County Community College and The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Inspired by the bass stylings of greats Paul Chambers and Charles Mingus, Smaldone relishes the opportunity to provide the foundation for the group’s forays into musical storytelling. His effortless time-keeping and always-in-the-pocket propulsion are hallmarks of this active listener and inspired sideman.

Pete Sweeney is a drummer, author, and educator who performs in every genre of music. Pete studied with Dave Calarco and Joe Morello. He has performed, recorded, and toured with many outstanding artists such as Pat Metheny, Lee Ritenour, Robben Ford, Frank Gambale, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, “Dangerous” Dan Toler, Ed Mann (Frank Zappa), Andy Summers (The Police), Mick Goodrick, Dan Faulk, Laurel Massé, Scottie Pippen (Chicago Bulls), Steve Bailey, John Abercrombie, Malcolm Cecil, producer Joel Moss, Jay and the Americans, Larry Coryell, Murali Coryell, Johnny “Clyde” Copeland, Lorne Lofsky, and Ray Vega. In addition to his performing, Pete has written 20 instructional books for Alfred Music, as well as 3 DVDs. He has numerous instructional lessons online with Workshoplive. He is also a faculty member of the National Guitar Workshop, The Berkshire Music School, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Troy Music Academy, Union College, and the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation. He is a member of the Latin jazz group Sensemaya, as well as the leader of his own groups.