We invite you to Wertico-Haque-Gray, as this genre-bending trio performs at BOP STOP for one night only! Tickets to attend this show are $25 each. This concert will not be livestreamed.

Wertico-Haque-Gray represents both a return to roots and the natural evolution of Haque’s musical voice. Featuring Haque on new hybrid nylon string classical guitars, Haque expands the tonal and contrapuntal possibilities of the guitar trio from the mystical to the mathematical, from the visceral to the virtuosic. The incredible colors and percussive mastery of Paul Wertico and magical virtuosity of bassist/cellist multi instrumentalist Larry Gray open the doors to a new rich sound in the guitar trio format.

We invite you to open your hearts and minds to a new music neither jazz nor classical, not mind or body, but pure spirit.

PAUL WERTICO

Paul Wertico is hailed in the press as “One of the most versatile and musical drummers in music today.” Paul Wertico was born January 5, 1953 in Chicago. He gained worldwide recognition as a member of the Pat Metheny Group from 1983 to 2001. During his tenure with Metheny, Wertico played on ten recordings and four videos, appeared on numerous television shows, and frequently toured around the world. He also won seven Grammy Awards (for “Best Jazz Fusion Performance,” “Best Contemporary Jazz Performance,” and “Best Rock Instrumental Performance”), magazine polls, and received several gold records. Wertico is also an Associate Professor of Jazz at Chicago College of Performing Arts: Jazz & Contemporary Music Studies.

LARRY GRAY

Bassist, multi-instrumentalist and composer Larry Gray has enjoyed a career spanning some four decades in which he has collaborated with a long list of many of the world’s most important jazz artists, including Jack DeJohnette, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Williams, McCoy Tyner, Benny Golson, James Moody, Sonny Stitt, Larry Coryell, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, Clark Terry, J.J. Johnson, Steve Turre, George Coleman, Lee Konitz, Benny Green, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, and Gary Bartz among many others. He has five solo recordings to his credit beginning with Solo + Quartet and most recently, Three Equals One. Among many projects as a collaborator or sideman, he appeared on five CDs during his twelve years as a member of the Ramsey Lewis Trio. Through the years, he toured with many artists including Joe Williams, Clark Terry, Frank Wess, James Moody, Marian McPartland, and Ramsey Lewis, appearing at many important festivals and concert venues worldwide.

FAREED HAQUE

A modern guitar virtuoso, Fareed Haque, is steeped in classical and jazz traditions. His unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation. In 2009, Haque was voted ‘Best World Guitarist’ by Guitar Player Magazine’s Readers’ poll. His acclaimed 2009 release, Flat Planet, was twice #1 on the World Jazz Radio charts. After 10 years of over 2000 dates with Garaj Mahal, Haque’s interests have diversified into a myriad of world, jazz, classical, and modern directions.