An Afternoon of Jazz with Francis and RLA at the MGMA!

Francis Vanek and the RLA Jazz Trio will grace the Rotunda with authentic style Jazz from the 50s and 60s, during An Afternoon of Jazz at the Morris Graves Museum of Art, Sunday, April 16^th, from 3:00-5:00pm. This local and world class jazz group consists of Francis Vanek (saxophone), Tim Randles (piano), Ken Lawrence (bass) and Mike Labolle (drums). 

Jazz saxophone player Francis Vanek originally hails from Pittsburg, PA, where he attended Duquesne University. Later on he played in bands with Roger Humphries and J.C. Moses and studied with the great Carl Arter. His early influence was Stanley Turrentine. He holds a masters degree in music from University of Nevada, Reno, where he was a full time faculty member. While in Reno, Vanek shared the bandstand with such saxophone stalwarts as Ernie Watts, Tom Scott, David Leibman and Eddie Daniels.

His smooth sound was noticed by Jesse Hamlin of the SF Chronicle, who said of him, "...a superb saxophonist." He currently lives in Fort Bragg, CA, and plays all around Northern California including the Bay Area.

RLA has been the host jazz band at the Westhaven Center of the Arts for 7+ years and has hosted the best jazz musicians and singers in the area to play there. Vanek is one of their regular guests, and the RLA has developed a strong ongoing connection with him which is sure to make for an inventive and energetic Afternoon of Jazz.

Things are sure to get festive as the tunes begin to flow at the Morris Graves Museum’s monthly event, An Afternoon of Jazz, with RLA and Francis Vanek on Sunday, April 16^th at 3:00 p.m.!