Thursday, March 27, Pete Whitman’s X-Tet (9 pm, $8)
Saxophone maestro Pete Whitman gathers nine of his most talented friends for a monthly Thursday performance at the AQ. This month, the “little big band” digs in with dazzling charts and musical telepathy. Even with ten members performing, you find yourself pondering where all those perfectly-placed, sonorous pearls are coming from. When you review the roster of first-call pros on stand, you answer your own question. Their 2002 release Where’s When? received a 4-star salute from Downbeat. The all-star cast includes Laura Caviani on piano, Phil Hey on drums,Gordy Johnson on bass, Dave Hagedorn on vibes, a horn section roll call of Dave Karr, Dave Milne & Pete Whitman (saxes), Dave Jensen & Kelly Rossum (trumpets), and Jeff Rinear (trombone).