Concert in Marlboro Honors Jazz Great Ed Xiqes

Saxophonist and composer Ed Xiqes is one of those veteran Hudson Valley figures who’s well-known to others in his field—a musician’s musician, to use a hackneyed term—but remains underrecognized to the average local listener. Hopefully, though, a concert on Sunday at the Falcon will help change that.

Xiqes, who’s also a Vassar College educator, has been a consistent presence on the New York jazz scene for decades and is probably best known for his tenure with the crucial Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. He’s also worked with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Tony Bennet, Sammy Davis, Jr., Woody Herman, Liza Minnelli, McCoy Tyner, Frank Foster, Jaki Byard, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin, Duke Pearson, Mario Bauza, Maria Schneider; even such pop and rock luminaries as the Jackson Five, Aerosmith, and Gladys Knight.

For last couple of decades, Xiqes has been a resident composer with the Composer’s Big Band. The New Jersey-based orchestra is led by Diane Moser and will perform original compositions by the saxman and pieces dating from his early years with Jaki Byard for Sunday’s Xiqes tribute concert.

Here’s the man himself, performing a sliver of “Remembering Greg” with the band:

Diane Moser’s Composers Big Band will presents “A Tribute to Ed Xiques” at the Falcon in Marlboro, New York, on June 3 at 8pm. A donation is suggested. For more information, call (845) 236-7970 or visit https://www.liveatthefalcon.com/.

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