Portsmouth Jazz Weekend 2026: Artie Bakopolus Quintet Jazz Brunch

Description

ARTIE BAKOPOLUS QUINTET

"Ballads, Bebop, and More!"

Enjoy a mix of straight-ahead jazz, plus the Great American Songbook, bebop, ballads, Latin jazz, and more with Artie Bakopolus (sax), Jon Wheatley (guiitar), Russ Hoffmann (piano), Bruce Gertz (bass), and Jerzy Glod (drums).

(Plan to enjoy brunch or lunch during the show. A varied menu offerings will be available for optional purchase.)

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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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ARTIE BAKOPOLUS QUINTET
Artie Bakopolus, sax
Artie Bakopolus is an in-demand sax player for all types of music but especially sought after for jazz. Known as a "hot alto sax player" he favors the styles of Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley and the like, while adding his own personal touch to his solos. He is a long-time veteran of the "Big Bands." He has toured with or performed locally with such groups as the Artie Shaw Band, the Benny Goodman Tribute Band, the Jimmy Dorsey Band, the Guy Lombardo Band, Johnny Mathis, the Shirelles, Bobby Rydell, Barnum and Bailey’s circus in the Boston Garden, Liza Minelli, and many others.

These days he can be seen and heard playing with renowned jazz groups of all sizes all around Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Jon Wheatley, guitar
Jon Wheatley is a favorite guitar player of Artie's, having met while they both were playing with the Artie Shaw Band in the 1990s. As the leader of "Jon Wheatley and His Famous Associates," he recorded "Guitar on the Loose in London." He also has notable recordings and/or performances with his 50/50 Quintet and with Ruby Braff, George Masso, Daryl Sherman, Gordon Brisker, the Dick Johnson Orchestra, Donna Byrne, Herb Pomeroy, Billy Novick, Dave Whitney, Jim Porcella, and Debbie Larkin, and. more.

He has also performed at jazz festivals in the U.S. and U.K.

Russell Hoffman, piano
Russell Hoffmann is a pianist, recording artist, composer, and arranger in many styles of contemporary music, including jazz, Latin, and pop. He has served as musical director for Concord recording artist Marlena Shaw and the University of Minnesota's "Twelve Moods for Jazz" Langston Hughes project. He has performed with jazz luminaries such as Jack McDuff, James Moody, Billy Hart, Donald Harrison, Bobby McFerrin, Peter Leitch, and many of Boston's finest jazz artists. Russ is also assistant professor of piano at Berklee College of Music.

Bruce Gertz, bass
Bruce Gertz is a highly respected jazz bassist, composer, bandleader, author, and educator whose career spans more than five decades. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Gertz is known for his mastery of both upright and electric bass and has been a cornerstone of the Boston jazz community and beyond. He has recorded over 20 albums as a leader and performed and recorded with jazz greats including Jerry Bergonzi, Gary Burton, John Abercrombie, Joey Calderazzo, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, and many others. In addition to his performance work, Bruce is an accomplished composer and author of multiple instructional books for bass, and he has received numerous awards including multiple Boston Music Awards and a National Endowment for the Arts jazz performance grant. A longtime Professor of Bass at Berklee College of Music since 1976, Gertz has shaped generations of bassists while maintaining an active performing and recording career.

Jerzy Glod, drums
Jerzy (Jurek) Glod, born in Poland, began playing guitar (his first instrument) when he was 10 years old. Four years later, he switched to playing drums and just a year later, at the age of 15 Jurek started playing professionally at local clubs and events in Poland. In the next few years he formed a jazz trio with Jacek and Wojtek Niedziela. Together, they won numerous awards and competitions including the 1st Prize in the prestigious European Jazz Competition in Leverkusen Germany, where they received the European Young Jazz Artist of 1985 title. As a trio, they formed a rhythm section behind legendary Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski performing around Poland and making several recordings and many radio and TV appearances.