The Claudia Quintet

Picture some of the most in-demand NYC-based musicians with a bent toward jazz forming a band. Now, imagine that the group stays together for more than a decade without rotating guest musicians (not atypical for, say, a rock outfit, but quite unusual in jazz). Think of how awesome the music would sound after multiple album releases and hundreds of tour dates. Well, there's an ensemble out there like that, thanks to composer, bandleader, and drummer John Hollenbeck, whose dream team of bassist Drew Gress, Matt Moran on vibes, accordion player Ted Reichman, and Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone make up The Claudia Quintet. The 11-year-strong group performs music that dips into rock and groove-oriented elements, and its sound meanders through multiple mood territories with a focus on subtlety, repetition, and whimsical colorings. For their Phoenix gig, the group is bringing an engineer along to record the show for possible commercial release, so expect the band to be extra-tight. Not that we would expect anything less from this badass band.