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ZADELL: ZoÃ« and Dave Ellis - Buoyant Jazz Sax Meets Funky R&B Vocals

Jazz at Pearl's
San Francisco, CA

ZADELL is the brother and sister team of jazz saxophonist Dave Ellis and R&B singer ZoÃ« Ellis, and a joyful collaboration it is!

Critic Lee Hildebrand of the SF Bay Guardian said, âZADELL mixes Dave's jazz perspective with ZoÃ«'s grounding in R&B. . . . In Dave and ZoÃ«'s hands, the blend proved plenty powerful. . . . As Dave blew with abandon, ZoÃ« joined in wordlessly, leaping registers with ease . . . achieving a rarefied form of musical interaction in which common blood is surely a major factor.â

ZoÃ« Ellis is a bold, soulful vocalist who has polished her star singing in the R&B group the MoâFessionals. She scored a chart hit as a member of the rap duo the Braids when their hip hop version of Queenâs âBohemian Rhapsodyâ was used on the soundtrack of the movie, High School High, and has more recently swung with the a capella SoVoSo and the âall-body-music band,â Slammin.

Dave Ellis is a jazz saxophonist who broke barriers as a member of Charlie Hunterâs trio and has toured widely with Ratdog and the Other Ones. His third CD, State of Mind (2004), produced by jazz legend Orrin Keepnews, won him a fourth California Music Award. Reviewing the CD for the Bay Guardian, Lee Hildebrand said â[State of Mind] should go a long way toward gaining [Ellis] an international rep as one of the tenor titans of his generation.â

Despite their different paths, Dave and ZoÃ« Ellis share much - great joy in music, an affinity for a funky beat and, above all, a compelling soulfulness. And both are wonderfully engaging entertainers. For their Pearlâs performances, Dave and ZoÃ« will be joined by longtime collaborators Cedricke Dennis (guitar), Nate Pitts (bass), Tommie Bradford (drums), Maya Kronfeld (keyboards) and vocalist Brian Dyer. Just to add to the excitement, ZoÃ« will take advantage of ZADELL's three nights at Pearl's to celebrate the release of her brand new live CD!

ZoÃ« and Dave Ellis: Two gifted musicians from the same family; different musical paths but similar musical tastes. A quick look at their family history will tell you why. Growing up in Berkeley, children of an African-American father and English Jewish mother, their home was filled with music. âWe listened to everything,â laughs ZoÃ«, âfrom Vivaldi to Stevie Wonder to the Songs of the Humpback Whale.â âNot much jazz, reallyâ muses Dave. âFor that Iâll have to credit Mr. Rogers and Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang.â

The Berkeley Public Schools played their part. Dave fell in love with the saxophone when the Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble visited his 5th grade class. He later became part of that award-winning group. ZoÃ« was an enthusiastic participant in the Gilbert and Sullivan productions in her middle school, experimented with piano, flute, cello, and trumpet but, by her mid-teens, recognized that her true instrument was her voice.

Dave loves âformalâ jazz but also likes to push the envelope. He values having freedom and spa

Note: TICKET TIERS FOR THIS SHOW Show Ticket: Sold in advance online and by phone. Includes guaranteed seating AND show ticket for our first or second show for arrival before curtain. 2 beverage minimum. Cash only. ATM on premises. VIP Ticket: Sold in advance online and by phone. Includes tickets to both shows, front of line access, instant seating, chilled bottle of champagne waiting at your table (included in price), reserved VIP table for both shows (stay at your table), CD of act with autograph. No beverage minimum.

Kid Friendly: No

Dog Friendly: No

Non-Smoking: No

Wheelchair Accessible: No

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