SAN DIEGO — David Bowie, opera star Dawn Upshaw and jazz harmonica legend Toots Thielemans were each delighted to work with acclaimed composer, arranger and orchestra leader Maria Schneider, whose seven Grammy Award wins have come in four different musical categories.
Yet, while Schneider was similarly delighted to work with them, she had another reaction to teaming individually with Bowie, Upshaw and Thielemans. In a word: fear.
It's the same emotion this small-town Minnesota native cites as a constant throughout her 30 years as the leader of the groundbreaking Maria Schneider Orchestra, whose 2023 West Coast tour includes a San Diego concert this weekend. The group's lineup includes such standout musicians as guitarist Ben Monder, pianist Gary Versace and saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Steve Wilson.
