BAFF: Concert and Screening:  Rico Jones and Bill McCrossen in concert followed by screening of Buster Williams: From Bass to Infinity

2024 BAFF All-Access Pass  ($65) Tickets

Rico Jones is a rising star and one of the most accomplished saxophonists of his generation. His dedication and talent were recognized when he and his ensembles received four Downbeat awards in 2020, including accolades for “Jazz Soloist,” “Small Jazz Ensemble,” and two awards in the “Latin Jazz” category. In 2021, Rico Jones continued to garner accolades, receiving two more awards from Downbeat Magazine for “Jazz Soloist” and “Jazz Arrangement.” Rico’s remarkable talent, unwavering dedication, and cultural resonance make him a true force to be reckoned with in the world of music.

Bill McCrossen
Bill McCrossen over the past thirty years has been in demand in the New York tristate area, recording and performing in orchestras, Broadway musicals, commercials and television productions. Bill has also been a professor of Jazz History studies at the Hartford Conservatory of Music. Bill has had the pleasure of performing and/or recording with such world class musicians as Michael and Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Ray Anderson, Gene Bertoncini, Harold Mabern, Kenny Werner, Eliot Zigmund, Adam Nussbaum, Jerry Granelli, Marguerite Juenemann and Art Lande to name a few.

Imagine hanging out with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, hearing them jam together, trading riffs, then riffing with words and trading stories. Bird and Diz are gone, but giants still walk among us. One of those giants is Buster Williams. Buster has played with everyone – Miles, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Art Blakey, and on. In this intimate portrait, Buster trades stories, and plays, with some of the world’s greatest musicians – Benny Golson, Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride and others, and takes us on a journey through his life, legacy, and America’s greatest art form – the truly universal music called Jazz.