Zack Albetta: News

I have made good on my frequent and persistent threats to move to L.A.  Thanks to my friend Brandon Draper, I hit the ground running taking over the drum chair for "Venice", a new hip-hop musical at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.  I have been here less than two months and have already met and played with a good many wonderful musicians and performers and am looking forward to more.  As my great friend and mentor Bobby Watson would say, onward and upward!

Plane tickets have been purchased, tunes have been selected, it's real.  Pianist Josh Nelson and bassist Ryan McGillicuddy will be making their way to Kansas City from Los Angeles for quartet mayhem with myself and sax man Matt Otto.  We'll be at Jardine's on Thursday and Friday, 9/9 and 9/10 and also at UMKC on 9/10 for a masterclass.

September 24th brings the CD release concert for the highly anticipated new offering by the Barclay Martin Ensemble, "Pools That Swell with the Rain".  I am excited and honored that BME has invited me to play some percussion and drums for what is sure to be a magical event at the historic Folly Theatre.

More visitors from the west on Friday October 1st, when I will be joined by guitarist Sean Martin and bassist Jason Littlefield for another go 'round with Skirt^Alert at Jardine's.

A couple weeks after that, I will be on a highway somewhere en route to L.A. where I will begin the next chapter of my life, getting to spend every day with my beautiful amazing girlfriend and learning to swim in the big pond.

It's shaping up to be a very happenin' late spring/summer!  May 8th brings a gig at the Gem Theatre with Bobby Watson & The 18th & Vine Big Band, with special guest, the legendary Count Basie vocalist Ernie Andrew's.  The next week on the 13th, Shay Estes and Trio ALL hit for the first time at one of the country's premiere clubs, The Blue Room.

A month ago, I was in San Diego and played with Skirt^Alert for the first time in seven years.  Guitarist Sean Martin and bassist Jason Littlefield were classmates of mine at Ball State in Indiana where we were the perpetrators of funky fusion until 2003, when I moved to KC and they moved to San Diego.  We had a great reunion gig last month and they will be visiting KC in June for back-to-back late sets at Jardine's, Friday June 11th and Saturday June 12th.  

On Sunday July 11th, we say farewell to Ben Leifer, who will soon after be moving to New York.  We're putting Ben to WORK that night, he'll be featured with Trio ALL, Diverse, and Shay Estes.   Heartfelt well-wishes will no doubt be ruined by inappropriate jokes.

In August, I'll be revisiting my original hood, Santa Fe, NM.  Skirt Alert will be playing the Music Under the Mesa Festival in Rowe, NM, about an hour north of Santa Fe.  Hippies unite.

As promised, the critically acclaimed debut album is now available for purchase at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ShayEstesTrioALL

The site is up and 2010 is underway! The latest and most important news to share with you is that "Despite Your Destination" the much-talked-about debut album by Shay Estes & Trio ALL is out and available at various Kansas City locations including Streetside Records, The Kansas City Store and area Barnes & Noble Stores. For those of you outside the KC area, it will be available via the web soon, we promise!