This is the last of our 2019 series of intimate “Concerts with Conversation” in Riffe’s Meeting House next to the Hotel.  In a “house concert” setting for a maximum of 40 people, world class musicians let their hair down and play for the fun of it before an appreciative audience.  Coffee and cookies are served.  Admission is $25 + tax and tickets may be purchased at the Hotel front desk or by calling (707) 275-2244 ext. 0.

Today’s concert features the highly innovative young jazz violinist MADS TOLLING together with guitarist extraordinaire JEFF MASSANARI.

Mads Tolling is a Danish-American violinist, violist, composer and two-time Grammy Award-Winner.  Born and raised in Copenhagen, Tolling relocated to the United States to study at Berklee College of Music where he graduated Summa Cumme Laude in 2003.  A former member of the Turtle Island Quartet, Tolling currently focuses on his solo projects, Mads Tolling & The Mads Men^, and the Mads Tolling Quartet, and he has recorded five albums as a bandleader. He has also received commissions to write and solo with symphony orchestras. He has performed with Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron and many others.

Jeff Massanari was born in Goshen, Indiana but grew up in Washington D. C..  Exposed to the vibrant music scene there, Jeff took up the guitar and was performing and teaching jazz and blues as a teenager before studying at Boston’s Berklee School of Music.  Jeff then moved to the San Francisco and quickly became one of the area’s most in-demand guitarists.  He wears many stylistic hats including straight-ahead jazz, fusion, blues, rock and country. He is often called on to accompany visiting artists such as Seth MacFarlane, Mark Inouye and the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Hall and Stern Grove.  A chance meeting with John Mattern, the talented Ukiah-based musician and music director and at Redwood High, led Jeff to a long term commitment to bringing jazz to high school students. Jeff has begun his 8th year teaching at Redwood High this year.