Dayna Stephens Quartet
Dayna Stephens, saxophone; Geoffrey Keezer, piano; Harish Raghavan, bass; Albert “Tootie” Heath, drums

Tuesday, July 22 | 7:30 pm | Campbell Recital Hall
Tickets: $20 general | $10 students

Online:
By phone: 650.725.ARTS (2787); In Person: Stanford Ticket Office
For more information, go to our Ticketing Information Page

Program Notes

“Just when the brilliant young jazz musician seems to come into focus, he reveals another facet of his already improbably expansive musical gift.” – San Diego Union-Tribune

Brooklyn-born and Bay Area-raised, Dayna Stephens is a young saxophonist with something to say—and some of the biggest names in jazz are listening. Described by Tom Harrell as “a total genius,” Dayna has performed with an impressive list of artists, including Kenny Barron, Carlos Santana, Roy Hargrove, and Stevie Wonder. His tone on the tenor saxophone is warm and rich and he can build the energy in an improvisation to dizzying heights with terse, urgent phrasing rather than technical bombast. After attending the Berklee College of Music, Dayna was accepted to the prestigious Thelonious Monk institute in southern California. The institute’s intensive two-year program offered him the chance to study and play with, among others, Dave Holland, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and John Scofield (who also appears on Dayna’s 2007 album The Timeless Now). A multifaceted musician, Dayna is also an accomplished bassist and a prolific composer with a distinctive style.

Supported by Joan Talbert & David Lyon

Dayna Stephens web site

Q&A with Dayna Stephens

What is the first recording you remember hearing as a child?
“Thriller” by Michael Jackson.

Who is your favorite jazz musician under the age of 30?
Justin Brown.

What job would you have if you weren’t a jazz musician?
Car designer.

What’s the strangest experience you’ve ever had on the bandstand?
A wedding with a guitarist, a singer, and a computer.

What’s your favorite food?
Hummus.

What’s the most exotic place you’ve traveled to as a musician?
St. Lucia.

What’s the last book you’ve read?
The autobiography of Jimmy Scott.

If you could play with any other musician, living or dead (with whom you have not played), who would it be and why?
Keith Jarrett, because you rarely hear him out of his world.

What’s your favorite tune?
“Falling Grace”

What’s your favorite jazz venue?
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, in NYC (the view and vibes are awesome).

What’s your favorite thing about being a Stanford Jazz Workshop faculty member?
Hearing the next generation quickly grow and evolve over the week or weeks.

Who is your greatest musical influence?
Brad Mehldau.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have three recordings with you, what would they be?
“The Bridge” by Sonny Rollins, “Enemies of Energy” by Kurt Rosenwinkel, and “Hail to the Thief” by Radiohead.

How much do you practice each week?
2–20 hours per week.

What hobbies do you have?
Biking, cooking, and Youtube.

If you could be any other type of artist other than a jazz musician, what would you be and why?
Actor, because I fear it the most.

When did you become interested in music, and what circumstances or events led to your becoming a professional musician?
I’ve always liked music and tried piano at 8, but I saw Joshua Redman live at the old Yoshi’s when I first started the sax at age 13. I knew then it was something I would always want to be a part of.

If you were to describe your music as a color, what color would it be and why?
Different songs and musicians give off different colors, but I am hearing a lot of blues and yellows lately.