Elé Howell Quartet
Thursday, September 10th, 7pm • The Red Door, Emeryville
The Red Door is pleased to present an all-star quartet featuring renowned musicians Elé Howell (drums), Kazemde George (saxophone), Vinicius Gomes (guitar) and Jayla Chee (bass) — the performance will feature original works by George, Gomes and Howell.
Tickets $35/pp - Address given upon ticket purchase
ELÉ SALIF HOWELL - Percussion
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Elé Salif credits his inspiration and influence from a variety of teachers, including his father, Richard Howell whom he has recorded several albums with as well as Babatunde Lea, E.W. Wainwright, Khalil Shaheed, Larry Van, James Henry, Jack Dorsey, Sly Randolph and Angela Wellman.
At six years old, Elé first met Chief Adjuah (FKA Christian Scott) at Yoshi's in Oakland, Ca, where he sat in with the band. Today, Elé is on tour with Chief Adjuah, with upcoming shows across the world.
The Coltrane name has always been a part of Elé’s musical journey, and that remains relevant today, as he joins Ravi Coltrane’s (son of jazz legend and saxophonist, John Coltrane), band.
As a young drummer, Elé continues to write and compose, creating with inspirations from his immersive cultural experiences, travels and people who he meets along the way.
Kazemde George - Saxophone
Kazemde George is an Jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Oakland, California. Raised in Berkeley by Caribbean parents, Kaz attended college in Boston where he completed the Harvard/New England Conservatory (NEC) Joint program, receiving his Bachelors in Neurobiology (Harvard) and his Masters in Jazz Composition (NEC).
He received Harvard’s George Peabody Gardener Fellowship to study traditional music in La Habana, Cuba for ten months. Through his travels, Kaz has expanded his focus from Hip-Hop and Jazz to include the full spectrum of musical styles which blossomed from the African Diaspora, including Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian, and African-American traditions.
As he sees it, the study of these musical styles serves as a way to regain cultural histories that were lost through the processes of African-American Slavery.
After graduating, Kazemde moved to Brooklyn, NY, where he lived for over a decade, establishing himself as a prominent player in the New York City improvised music scene, and an experienced educator. In October 2021, Kazemde released his debut album, I Insist, on Greenleaf Music by Dave Douglas. His sophomore release, Ocean Passage, is now available on La Reserve Records.
Vinicius Gomes - Guitar
São Paulo born and New York based guitarist/composer, Vinicius Gomes explores the dialogue between modern jazz and Brazilian music, as registered on "Resiliência" (2017- Blackstream), "Changes" (2020-FreshSound - in collaboration with saxophonist Santi De la Rubia featuring drummer Jorge Rossy and bassist Doug Weiss), "Home" (2022- Greenleaf - in duo with singer Song Yi Jeon), and the most recent “Boundless Species” (2026-La Reserve - in collaboration with singer Jamile and bassist Joe Martin). His next solo album is scheduled for 2026 with special guest Toninho Horta, plus John Patitucci, Julian Shore, Rogerio Boccato and others.
The project "Home" has been critically acclaimed by publications such as Downbeat magazine (4.5 stars - "Home glows from within and impresses on multiple levels. A powerful empathetic link binds SongYi Jeon and Vinicius Gomes as they explore a near perfect example of a duet project" - Josef Woodard). The album was picked "Jazz album of the year 22" by Star Revue magazine. Vinicius is featured as a collaborator in more than 40 records by artists from all over the world.
Jayla Chee - bass
Jayla Chee is a jazz bassist and composer originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, now based in New York. She began studying upright bass at age 15 after initially playing trumpet, and earned her bachelor's degree at Juilliard School under Gerald Cannon. She has performed at prestigious venues including Monterey Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra, and regularly appears at NYC jazz clubs.
Chee's approach combines solid foundational jazz technique with contemporary sensibilities. Her playing is characterized by melodic awareness and emotional depth, drawing inspiration from nature and jazz legends like Herbie Hancock and Elis Regina.