Portsmouth Jazz Weekend 2026: Ed Saindon Quartet - A Special Tribute to Les Harris, Jr.

Description

Ed Saindon (vibraphone, piano) and the Good Vibes Trio (Billy Novick, clarinet; Mark Carlsen, upright bass; and Steve Langone, drums) will perform a tribute to the late Les Harris Jr. who was a beautiful person, musician, educator, and loved by all. The concert will be a CD release party for their new recording “One For Les” and will showcase originals from the band including "Ballad For Les" by Mark and "One For Les", a solo
vibraphone piece by Ed.

(Plan to have dinner at The Press Room. Choose from apps, salads, handhelds, and entrees plus full bar.)


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This event is sponsored by the Seacoast Jazz Society as part of its Portsmouth Jazz Weekend 2026. For other jazz events that weekend go to:  https://www.seacoastjazz.org/jazzweekend2026.html

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ED SAINDON QUARTET
Ed Saindon, vibraphone

Ed Saindon is one of the country’s leading vibraphonists, having performed throughout the world. His (four mallet) “pianistic” style was influenced by artists from Fats Waller to Art Tatum to present. Trained at Berklee College of Music by seven-time Grammy winner, Gary Burton, Saindon has performed worldwide and played and/or recorded with Fred Hersch, Dave McKenna, Louie Bellson, Dave Liebman, Herb Pomeroy, Ken Peplowski, Kenny Werner, and many others. Since 1976, he also has been teaching vibes at Berklee College of Music. His CDs include “Swing on the Sunnyside” featuring trumpeter Herb Pomeroy and clarinetist Dick Johnson, "The Great American Songbook" featuring clarinetist Ken Peplowski, trumpeter Warren Vache and trombonist Dan Barrett, "Key Play" featuring pianist Kenny Werner, and "Depth of Emotion" featuring soprano saxist Dave Liebman. He is author of several articles in DownBeat, Percussive Notes, and other publications and has written several books, including the four-volume series, "The Complete Guide to Improvisation and Voicing Concepts for the Jazz Vibist."

Billy Novick, clarinet, sax
Billy Novick has had a whirlwind career in music for more than 50 years as a performer, composer, arranger and studio musician. He has impressed audiences and critics throughout the world with his soulful, lyrical jazz clarinet and sax playing. His long-time collaborations with guitar wizard Guy Van Duser and the internationally acclaimed New Black Eagle Jazz Band have resulted in countless North American and European tours, frequent appearances on the "Prairie Home Companion" radio show, a 30- minute feature interview on NPR’s "All Things Considered," and more than 40 recordings, including 17 under his own name. Mr. Novick’s musical versatility has enabled him to become a highly sought-after studio musician, appearing as a sideman on more than 300 recordings in a wide variety of genres. His compositions have appeared in more than 1,000 film and television soundtracks and his concert works have been performed on four continents. Novick’s jugband adaptation of "Peter and the Wolf" for Dave Van Ronk premiered in New York’s Lincoln Center. Utilizing his experience in performing 1920’s jazz, film scoring and composing for dance, Novick created period musical scores for the Washington Ballet’s original full-length ballets of "The Great Gatsby" and "Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises." Both ballets were premiered at the Kennedy Center to sold-out houses, and the Great Gatsby ballet score has now been performed over 60 times, most recently with the Hong Kong Ballet for ten performances in 2023.

Mark Carlsen, upright bass
Mark Carlson’s first instrument was a clarinet, but loving the sound of the bass, he switched to bass guitar in high school, performing with a top 40 band named "Melisma" after high school. During his studies at Berklee College of Music he began to play the double bass under the tutelage of John Repucci, Bruce Gertz, Bill Curtis, and John Lockwood, and master classes by Dave Holland and Richard Davis. In 1981 he was hired to play with the Tommy Dorsey Band, traveling around the U.S., Canada, South America, and Japan, backing many singers and groups including Cab Calloway, Jimmy Witherspoon, Vic Damone, Helen Forrest, Helen O’Connell, Urbie Green, and others. When he returned to Boston he jumped into gigging with various groups including Herb Pomeroy, Ray Santisi, John Laporta, Phil Wilson, George Garzone, Gray Sargent, Alan Dawson, Dick Johnson, Dave McKenna, to mention a few. He also backed numerous instrumentalists and vocalists including Jim Porcella, Carol O’Shaughnessy, Rebecca Paris, Paul Broadnax, Al Grey, Joel Grey, Joe Hunt, Greg Hopkins, Billy Novak, Dave Whitney, Richie Cole, and Ed Saindon, to name a few. In 2004 he  joined the Ryles Jazz Orchestra led by Frank Vardaros, working with Bobby Shew, Marvin Stamm, Jerry Bergonzi, Slide Hampton, Jon Faddis, and Arturo Sandoval. More recently he produced a duo CD, called "50/50" with Jon Wheatley, featuring Arnie Krakowsky, Gary Johnson, and Jeff Stout. Mark has also taught privately for many years and owns and runs The Set Up Shop providing bass services, repairs, and restorations.

Steve Langone, drums
For the past 25 years, Steve Langone has been performing in clubs, festivals and recording studios. His versatility has allowed him to work in many different genres of music. Some of the artists Steve has performed and recorded with a number of illustrious musicians including George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Greg Osby, Rufus Reid, Miguel Zenon, Donny McCaslin, Jason Palmer, The NDR Bigband, Claudio Roditi, Gray Sargent, Bill Pierce, Luis Perdomo, Antonio Sanchez, Herb Pomeroy, John Lockwood, Oscar Stagnaro, Anat Cohen, Claudio Ragazzi, Diego Urcola, Shawn Monteiro, Rebecca Paris, Dominique Eade, Mili Bermejo, Suede, Greg Piccolo (Heavy Juice and Room Full of Blues), Luciana Souza, the Boston Pops, and many, many more. He has also worked with country singer John Carter Cash, comedians Joe Piscopo and Joan Rivers, and has performed throughout world. Steve can also be found on over 50 recordings as a sideman, some include: Nando Michelin, Jinga Trio, Enclave, Gilson Schachnik, Kevin Harris, Shawnn Monteiro, New Stablemates, Mili Bermejo, to name a few. He also has three recordings as a leader "Finders Keepers," "Six," and “Steve Langone Group."  He has also recorded various soundtracks for National Geographic, Sesame Street and the Miramax film "Next Stop Wonderland." Steve also teaches at the University of Rhode Island, Wellesley College and Berklee College of Music as well as privately. He is the author of "Advanced Rhythmic Concepts for the Modern Drummer Vol. 1, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3."