Steven Banks and Xak Bjerken

It is not every day you get to hear a saxophone virtuoso reimagine seminal works composed for bassoon, cello, and voice on his deeply expressive instrument of choice. In his Cal Performances debut, Steven Banks, “the saxophone’s best friend, fiercest advocate, and primary virtuoso in the classical realm” (Washington Post) and the first saxophonist to win the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant, offers a whirlwind musical tour on the mighty baritone saxophone.

Here, his recital features works by two celebrated American composers—a duet commissioned from Carlos Simon and a blues-inflected song cycle by John Musto—and cello showpieces by Beethoven and Barber. Banks reveals the dramatic layers in these works in his inspired interpretations, fueled by a burnished, glimmering tone.