Tenor saxophonists George Garzone and Jerry Bergonzi bring two of Boston's most distinctive jazz voices to Kalamazoo on Thursday, October 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall at Western Michigan University. Speaking with Cara Lieurance, the two longtime friends trade stories, praise and a few Boston-accent jokes.
The visit has a local connection. Andrew Rathbun, professor of saxophone at WMU, studied with Garzone at the New England Conservatory, and the two have stayed close ever since, sharing gigs and recordings.
Garzone recalls first hearing Bergonzi when he was nearly 30, as Bergonzi came off the road with Dave Brubeck. "I went down and this kid blew my head off and it wasn't since Joe Lovano that anyone destroyed me like that." Bergonzi, in turn, describes Garzone's playing with his trio The Fringe as something that transcends the usual language of jazz, capable of provoking a belly laugh one moment and something spiritual the next.
The two now share Monday nights at the Lily Pad, with Bergonzi playing from 8:30 to 10 and Garzone from 10 to midnight. It's a tradition rooted in The Fringe's weekly gig, which began at Michael's in 1976, and it draws droves of students from Berklee and NEC, where the two teach.
Both still practice daily. At 76, Garzone says staying healthy lets him keep pushing his music forward, adding that "it's the music that's keeping us young." Bergonzi frames it with humility: "Well, I think music's the master and we're all the students."
Thursday's program includes tunes the pair play together, a piece each with the big band, and a nod to the John Coltrane centennial. Garzone, known for his multiphonics, says he'll read the room before taking things too far out. Student and faculty ensembles will also share the stage, and tickets for the Jazz Masters concert are available through the WMU School of Music website.
The interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
