A Pleasanton native will grace the Firehouse Arts Center stage next week. Along with his trio band, the headliner is set to bring "hot-style" and contemporary jazz to the venue.
The Solomon Alber Trio will present "My Stunning Romance" next Saturday (March 4) at 8 p.m. on the Firehouse Arts stage in downtown Pleasanton.
Solomon Alber, a saxophonist and alumnus of Amador Valley High School, serves as the front man for the band.
"I'm looking forward to coming back and showing my hometown what I've learned and how I've grown as an artist and a musician," Alber said. "I hope the audience can take away the idea that jazz doesn't necessarily need to sound like one thing. It is such a diverse and unique art form that has so many different influences."
The trio is known for their "hot-style" music, similar to the likes of John Coltrane or Louis Armstrong. This style incorporates a blend of blues and is typically performed in an upbeat fast tempo. Their March 4 performance is set to include gripping and contemporary jazz pieces from composers such as George Gershwin and Vincent Youmans.
When reflecting on his time within Pleasanton Unified School District and the music education he received, Alber expressed gratitude.
"I was very fortunate to have some very exceptional teachers during my time at Amador," Alber said. "It was a very valuable time for me; it gave me the chance to delve into music in a lot of different ways. I got to meet local musicians and that was incredibly valuable for me as a young, up and coming artist and musician."
After graduating high school, Alber went on to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.
"In my time at Berklee, I had the chance to really experiment with a lot of different styles," Alber said. "I had some experience playing big band jazz styles as well as small combos. Also, it was really a time where I started to write my own music."
Since branching out of Pleasanton, Alber has continued to grow his musical career. He has amassed over 60,000 regular listeners on the streaming platform Spotify to date.
"I'm very excited for the show. We're able as musicians to bring this music and enjoyment to people. And in this way, it makes us happy and we hope that it makes the audience happy," Alber said.
As part of its 2022-23 season, the Firehouse Arts Center expressed its commitment to showcasing local and Bay Area acts in its scheduled performances such as the Solomon Alber Trio. Tickets and additional venue information can be found at www.firehousearts.org.
