Young saxophonist wins chance to take stage with Cuban jazz legend

Michael Peddycoart Not many high school students get a chance to play on stage with a Grammy-winning musician.

Michael Peddycoart will get that chance.

The Simi Valley High School senior will play two songs onstage with Cuban jazz legend Paquito D'Rivera tomorrow at the Ventura Music Festival at 8 p.m. in the Ventura High School theater, 2 Catalina Drive, Ventura.

While jamming on the tenor saxophone, Peddycoart, 18, hopes he can keep up with D'Rivera.

"Well, hopefully I can impress a lot of people," he said. "There's going to be a lot of musicians. It's going to be nerveracking too."

After learning that the festival was sponsoring a contest for student musicians, Peddycoart sent in a tape of his work and was selected over other young musicians from across the region for the chance to play with D'Rivera, who has released more than 30 albums.

The young saxophonist will join D'Rivera and his Funk Tango Trio for jazz standards "Footprints" by Wayne Shorter and "Autumn Leaves" by Joseph Kosma.

Paquito D'Rivera The Simi Valley resident, who also plays baritone saxophone and flute, has been practicing the tunes for months. More than anything else, Peddycoart hopes to learn from the Latin jazz saxophone and clarinet player.

"I'll try to get the most out of what he has to teach," said Peddycoart, who said his influences include saxophone greats John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon and Hank Mobley.

D'Rivera, who will be performing for his first time on a Ventura County stage, said he's excited to hear Peddycoart's skills on the saxophone.

"He's supposed to be a very talented tenor sax player," he said. "I'm hoping he can bring something fresh to the performance."

D'Rivera, the only artist to have won Grammys in both classical and Latin jazz categories, said it won't be the first time he's invited a guest to perform onstage with his band.

"It can be risky," he said. "Sometimes not everyone has the same talent. But (Peddycoart) won a very important contest, and I'm sure he's very good."

D'Rivera said he, the band and Peddycoart will huddle up shortly before the performance.

"Then we'll go out and improvise—that's what jazz is all about," D'Rivera said.

Simi Valley High music director Daniel Sternberg has watched Peddycoart blossom.

The music director said the senior is an integral member of the jazz band, which has grown into a full big band the last four years.

"I'm very excited and proud of Michael," Sternberg said. "It's a tremendous accomplishment. He represents the program here at Simi Valley High very well.

"Michael's biggest strength is that he works hard and maintains focus on his goals," the music director added.

Peddycoart, who carries a 4.3 gradepoint average at Simi Valley, will attend Stanford in the fall. He intends to try out for the Cardinal's nationally recognized marching band.

He said his private teacher Matt Otto and Simi's jazz band leader Jerry Steinholtz have helped him with his progress.

When he's not creating music, the 18-year-old said he also enjoys reading, writing and spending time with friends.

Although he doesn't think he'll have a professional career in music, Peddycoart said he hopes to always be a serious saxophone player.

"I don't think I could ever let it go," he said. "Sometimes, when I don't play, I enter into this kind of depression. Every day I do play is better than a day when I don't play. But I don't want this to be just a hobby. I don't want to be mediocre. The tenor saxophone is more an extension of me."

Acorn editor Kyle Jorrey contributed to this story.