Saturday, September 14, 2024
7:30 PM

Jeremy Cohen’s electrifying violin performances have earned him nationwide accolades. Classically-trained and a student of Itzhak Perlman and Anne Crowden, Cohen’s eclectic style reflects his respect for a wide range of violinists from Perlman and Fritz Kreisler to Joe Venuti and Eddie South. Cohen’s Violinjazz Band has performed with numerous orchestras including the Virginia Symphony, the California Symphony, the Oakland East Bay Symphony, and the Reno Philharmonic. The band has been together for 35 years and features Pacifica-favorites Larry Dunlap on piano and Jim Kerwin on bass. Joining them is drummer David Rokeach, the newest member of Violinjazz. Their energetic show features jazz violin highlights and ballads from the American songbook and swing era.

Larry Dunlap is a pianist, arranger, composer and teacher living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been praised as a “remarkable and versatile accompanist” and “one of the best jazz pianists around – anywhere” (San Francisco Examiner). Besides his ongoing career with his wife, vocalist Bobbe Norris, Larry has toured extensively with British diva Dame Cleo Laine and has performed and/or recorded with such luminaries as vocalists Mark Murphy, Joe Williams and Sheila Jordan and instrumentalists Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Bud Shank and Ernie Watts, to name a few.

Jim Kerwin enjoys a broad spectrum career in music as a string bass player. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jim took the opportunity to immerse himself in the many musical genres available here: Rock, Jazz, Classical and Bluegrass. After graduating from SF State in 1980 with a degree in classical performance he switched gears and toured Europe with The Larry Blackshere Trio for five years.

Jim returned to the States where he met David Grisman and joined his Quintet (1985-present). Playing with Grisman opened up opportunities to perform and record with a world of string artists like Martin Taylor, Stephane Grappelli, Red Allen, Andy Statman, Svend Assmussen, Yo Yo Ma, Bonnie Raitt and Jerry Garcia.

Of the many recordings Jim has played on, five have been nominated for Grammys. The Garcia/Grisman recording project (1990-1995) was a highlight of Jim’s career.

A long time Bay Area resident, drummer David Rokeach has been working primarily in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas for more than 20 years. David toured nationally and internationally with Ray Charles from 1990-91.

Since 1998 David has had the honor of playing with the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. In addition to live concerts, this has included television appearances on the Rosie O’Donnell Show, The View, Good Morning America, and VH1’s Divas Live 1998, where he also performed with Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Shania Twain, and Carole King for the show’s finale.

David currently teaches at Stanford University, and has also been a regular faculty member at the Stanford Jazz Workshop ,Rhythmic Concepts Jazz Camp West,The Jazzschool in Berkeley, and at the Lafayette Summer Music Workshop.