We're sad to report that our beloved father, Hal Stein, died on April 27th, 2008, of lung cancer. Please join us at this special event in his honor:

CELEBRATING HAL STEIN, A MUSICAL SPIRIT!

Sunday, June 1st, 2008, at 1 pm
Free of charge
(contributions welcome towards the completion of a documentary about Hal)

Yoshi's at Jack London Square
510 Embarcadero West
Oakland, California

Jazz saxophonist extraordinaire Hal Stein had an ebullient spirit that infused his life and his music. Come swing in that spirit with his colleagues, fans, friends and family, in a monster concert celebrating his legacy as a musician, an educator, and a man.

In addition to his consummate bandmates, Lee Bloom, John Wiitala & Danny Spencer, the stage will be lit by such local luminaries as Harvey Wainapel, Pete Yellin, Mark Levine, Bud Spangler, Ron Marabuto, Kim Nalley, and special guests TBA.

Sincerely,

Greg, Jennie and Naomi Stein

It's never easy to bear sad news…

On Sunday, April 27, 2008 the jazz community lost one of its great personalities and original musical voices, saxophonist Hal Stein. Hal was a charming and spirited man; a natural story-teller with an infectious sense of humor. He was also a passionate musician; a gifted improviser and a dedicated teacher who made lots of great jazz and mentored many younger players during his long career. I feel privileged to have been his friend, pianist and collaborator for the past 8 years and will miss him terribly. After a valiant struggle, Hal finally succumbed to lung cancer; he would have been 80 years young this September.
- Lee Bloom

Announcing the release of "Spirit!", the new recording from the Hal Stein Quartet. This long-awaited session features Stein on tenor sax along with Lee Bloom (piano), John Wiitala (string bass) and Danny Spencer (drums). The quartet interprets an eclectic mix of jazz standards and compositions by artists such as Billy Strayhorn and Herbie Nichols. Available now at CDBaby!

The critics are already proclaiming:
"God, it’s good to have Hal Stein back on disc! He was on the scene during the early days of bebop, and, more than a half century later, his passion is unabated. His tone on tenor saxophone is fat and his conception is mature, the product of a lifetime spent in the jazz trenches." - Lee Hildebrand, jazz writer

"Hal Stein's resplendent CD embodies his musical values of vitality, logic, clarity and impassioned sympatico. He is among the endangered species of saxophone jazz masters. Digging his spirited quartet is a mandate!" - Dr. Herb Wong, radio KJAZ alumnus
Past President, International Association of Jazz Education

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