By Jason and Alisha Hagey
On the University of Utah campus, the legendary jazz virtuoso Arturo Sandoval kicks off Utah Presents’ Jazz at Kingsbury Hall series. He and his band give us a glorious night of absolute bebop bliss.
Kingsbury Hall stands grand with its characteristic neoclassical architectural style and influences from Egyptian revival, showcasing elegant design elements and beautiful murals throughout its interior. The stage waits: piano, keyboards, upright and electric bass, a complete drum kit, congas, and a djembe. Cool blue light falls across them. The crowd hums. Those who know Sandoval pass it on to those who don’t.
The break comes fast. The lighting brightens to a vibrant salsa and gold. Musicians rush the stage: noise and movement at once. The regal space turns into a smoky jazz nightclub at once. Then a man steps forward. Small, steady, solid. Salt-and-pepper hair, loose black shirt, worn trousers, red and white shoes, sparkly and bold.
This is Arturo Sandoval.
Sandoval is playful as he interacts with the audience. He cracks jokes, wanting to evoke a response from us. Though not a big man, he is often larger than life.
Sandoval is the consummate performer; as cool a cat as they come.
While he jokes around with us, Sandoval leads his band with a deft and precise hand. He is always in communication with them. You see it in head nods, hand gestures, smiles, and unmiked exchanges. It is a delight when other band members play their solos to see the musicianship they all have as they focus on the soloist at hand. Sandoval is like a coach on the playing field, coaxing and encouraging their progress.
Having made his name with the trumpet, Sandoval plays with mythical skill and stunning sound. Suddenly, he puts his trumpet down. He turns and plays the snare drums. Later, he plays the keyboard and synthesizer. If that isn’t astonishing enough, he starts a long, diverse, incredible scat in the middle of one song: high and silly, deep and resonant, dazzling runs and chirps. Later, he sings with a soft, low croon. He tells stories and, in one of them, he says he made his living as a trumpet player, but his first love is the piano. Consequently, he sits and expressively tinkles the ivories. What can’t he do?
The show’s explosive opening leads you into toe-tapping joy. All eight ensemble members buzz with a contagious energy that has the students behind us cheer in glee. There is something so special about how they move fluidly from one piece to the next. When you think the energy has peaked or the melancholic tune will continue, they pivot. Back and forth with a call-and-response that is masterful. And the brilliance of their improvisational moments? Incredible.
Whether a nod to Chaplin’s delicate “Smile” or something from their upcoming new album “Sangu,” which seems filled with wild and hard-hitting funk, every note is vibrant and infectious. You just want more.
The ensemble just knocks your socks off. Brassy and bold, tender and longing; they do it all.
Michael Tucker (Saxophone) is the MVP of the show. His stage presence stands out second only to Sandoval. His every note is definitive, his flurry of the keys is mesmerizing.
Keeping it real, Maximilian Gerl (Bass) has a gentle and flowing rhythm to his performance. He dexterously transitions between electric bass and upright bass.
Keith Fiala (Trumpet) plays trumpet and flugelhorn and is a fantastic counterpoint to Sandoval himself. Fiala is the perfect duetist to virtually every musician on stage.
Will Brahm (Guitar) is a highlight of the ensemble, characterized by a rapid, bright, and expressive style that’s technically dazzling and musically compelling. A virtuosic command of the fretboard and a tone that cuts through the blend with brilliant clarity mark Brahm’s solos.
Samuel Torres (Percussion) and Daniel Feldman (Drums) form a formidable tandem that supports Arturo Sandoval’s impactful performance. They deliver a dynamic Latin jazz rhythm section that passionately and precisely propels each song. With beautiful Afro-Cuban sound, Torres’s virtuoso conga work adds rhythmic sophistication and percussive color layers. Feldman creates a fantastic groove with his driving and dynamic drumming. Together, Torres and Feldman produce an unstoppable musical pulse.
Nothing short of extraordinary, Lisandro Pidre‘s (Piano) piano work combines melodic genius with cadenced purpose. His virtuosity and fluidity on the keyboard and grand piano lend sophisticated flair to the band’s sound. His ability to switch gracefully between complex, lightning-fast flourishes and lyrical, intensely expressive passages proves Pidre’s proficiency with the instrument and deep musicality..
Music fills every listener and every square inch of Kingsbury Hall.. The crowd spills into the parking garage, still humming and chattering, unable to let the magic break, so the night’s excitement remains beyond those walls. These artists transport us, conjuring feelings of rapture and longing while enticing us to laugh, applaud, and even sing.. Only the finest jazz can make strangers feel like a single voice. Arturo Sandoval and his incredible ensemble are such artists.
UtahPresents, Arturo Sandoval
Kingsbury Hall, Eccles Theater, Libby Gardner Concert Hall
1395 Presidents’ Cir, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
August 22, 2025
7:30 PM
Tickets: https://www.utahpresents.org/
Coming Soon:
Ballet Hispánico;
October 15, 2025 7:30pm
Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix; October 23, 2025 7:30pm
UtahPresents, the performing arts presenter at the U of U, offers a mix of creativity and culture that is at the cutting edge of arts programming. The new season of UtahPresents, based at the iconic Kingsbury Hall on the U of U campus, showcases a total of 19 exciting performances. Whether your love is dance, theater and story telling, music, jazz, or an eclectic mix of them all, UtahPresents has shows for every taste.
Building on previous presenting seasons at Kingsbury Hall, UtahPresents launched in 2015 with a new brand and mission focused on community engagement and enrichment. Now, UtahPresents is celebrating 10 years of programming, having presented close to 2,000 artists from 37 countries and served nearly one million people, including 75,000 K-12 students. In addition to student matinees and public performances, UtahPresents offers masterclasses, community workshops, performance opportunities for young artists and more.
As UtahPresents’ programming has grown over the past 10 years, the organization is always committed to making the arts affordable. UtahPresents’ total compensation for artists more than doubled from 2015 to 2025, yet the average ticket price remains under $25. U of U students can access all UtahPresents’ performances for just $5 with their UCard (Arts Pass).
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