Arts & Events

Around & About Jazz: Julian Pollack Trio CD Release Concert at Yoshi's: Waves of Albion

By Ken Bullock
Thursday September 26, 2013 - 01:11:00 PM

Julian Pollack is a Berkeley musician par excellence. Son of two gifted musicians, Susan Waterfall and Allan Pollack (Allan teaches music at UC Berkeley), founders of the Mendocino Music Festival, where Julian grew up around the sounds and where he has played his own. Julian's played piano since five, his mother his first teacher. Among my fondest memories of music in Berkeley is the double piano duet Julian and Susan did of John Adams' Hallelujah Junction for the Mendocino Festival at the Berkeley City Club--something of great, interlocking dynamism and compelling musicality. 

An alumnus of Crowden School, as a young jazz player, Julian appeared and played at 18 on the late Marian McPartland's long-running NPR program, Piano Jazz. "A wonderful new player on the scene," saith the Grand Old Lady of the Ivories, "Watch out for the kid!"  

Kid no more, but a maturing artist, who's garnered high praise from the likes of Tootie Heath of the Heath Brothers (who called him a genius) and tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, besides many other seasoned pros, Julian--now living in New York--will make another triumphant homecoming with his fellow Berkeley High alums Noah Garabedian (bass) and Evan Hughes (drums) this Tuesday at 8 at Yoshi's in Oakland for his Trio's latest CD release concert: Waves of Albion (Berthold Records, Germany), the title, title tune and his photos of the coast evoke Mendocino with lyricism and intensity.  

Yoshi's, 510 Embarcadero West at Jack London Square. $16. 238-9200; yoshis.com