The Mid-Century Modern Jazz Quartet plays straight-ahead jazz from the period known in design circles as Mid-Century Modern, roughly the mid-1930’s through the 1960’s. Formerly known as the Steve Gates Quartet, Al Biles Quartet, Chuck Dye Quartet or Bruce Goldman Quartet (whoever booked the gig got top billing), we decided on this more effective branding strategy at the suggestion of our drummer a couple of years ago, just in time for COVID to hit. We’re delighted to be performing live once again, albeit tentatively, as many venues are waiting for more people to join us in getting vaccinated.
Steve Gates is the drummer, Chuck Dye plays 7-string guitar, Bruce Goldman is on upright bass, and Al Biles plays trumpet & flugelhorn. We’ve been playing together in various overlapping groups for many years, but this quartet is truly special and reflects a solid set of shared musical values.
The repertoire is a very eclectic mix of straight-up jazz: Miles, Monk, Gershwin, Golson, Porter, Shorter, Silver, Rollins, Jobim, Ellington, just to name a few. We excel in coffee houses (see image below), cafes and clubs, as well as parties and receptions. Wherever we play, we love to share our enjoyment of great music with our listeners.
- Biographies – Four of us with mid-century modern roots
- Gigs! – Upcoming and recent performances
- Repertoire – Some of our tunes and how we think about what we play
- Videos – Some from performances, some from rehearsals, all one take
- Photos – From various gigs
- Promo Materials – A one sheet, some flyers, and our card
- Stage Setup – We just need power and a little room
- Contact Al Biles – He manages this site, so he’s the point of contact
Mid-Century Modern Jazz Quartet 