Dan Willis and Velvet Gentlemen

Dan Willis, a WNY native turned  Grammy Award-winning NYC Saxophonist, kicks off his North American tour at Pausa. He brings with him the Downbeat Critics pick Jazz-Fusion Quintet (Pete McCann-Guitar, Ron Oswanski-B-3/Accordion, Evan Gregor-Bass, and special guest, Buffalo’s own Joe Goretti-Drums who are touring in support of The Monk Project (Belle Ave Records), their 5th album recording. Wide-open to a variety of music influences, the group’s focus now is the music of Theolonius Monk but with a twist, filled with hard-charging, danceable grooves, and mesmerizing Sax and Guitar solo excursions.

Dan has performed with an incredibly diverse list of artists such as Michael Brecker, Don Henley, Mos Def, Yo-Yo Ma, Cyndi Lauper, Deep Purple, James Taylor, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Shaffer, and Cher, just to name a few. Now, this boy from Buffalo just can’t wait to get back to his roots to jam with a cavalcade of Buffalo Jazz legends who will be on tap to sit in for an upstate reunion to remember.