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John Swana

John Swana is one of the most exciting trumpeters to arrive for a decade," declares Mark Gardner, co-author of Blackwell's Guide to Recorded Jazz.

Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, Swana took up Trumpet at the age of 11. He was drawn to jazz at the age of 17 after hearing Dizzy Gillespie, and the interest developed into a passion while he was in college. There he began transcribing the solos of Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, and Tom Harrell.

Swana has performed and toured with the Mingus Big Band. He has also played with well known jazz names such as Don Patterson, Shirley Scott, Mickey Roker, Stanley Turrentine, Harold Mabern, Cecil Payne, Johnny Coles, Ralph Peterson, Charles Fambrough, Bobby Watson, Trudy Pitts, Bootsie Barnes, Craig Handy, Chris Potter, Stephen Scott, Tim Warfield, Eric Alexander, Sam Newsome, Brad Mehldau,Vincent Herring, Uri Caine, Tim Armacost, Peter Leitch, Peter Bernstein, Ravi Coltrane, Ralph Bowen, Terrel Stafford, Seamus Blake, and Robin Eubanks. He has also been heard with Freddie Hubbard, Phil Woods, Ronnie Cuber, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Clark Terry, Frank Foster, John Faddis, Slide Hampton, J.J. Johnson, Bob Minzer, and Charlie Persip.

John Swana can be heard on recordings with: Benny Golson, Grover Washington Jr., Charles Fambrough, Craig Handy, Tito Puente, Bill O'Connell, Lenny White, Ricky Sabastian, Marlon Simon, Ed Simon, Dave Valentin, Cafe', Art Webb, Adam Holtzman, Ralph Bowen, Ron Blake, Peter Bernstein, Carl Allen, Mulgrew Miller, Benny Green, Kenny Barron, Tim Warfield, Lewis Nash, Clarence Penn, Kevin Hays, Chris McBride, Uri Caine, Peter Leitch, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Ralph Peterson, Bobby Zankel, and Tom Harrell.

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Liner Notes

Joel Weiskopf: New Beginning

Read "Joel Weiskopf: New Beginning" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


For better or worse, it seems that any artistic endeavor that involves the true expression of raw human experience and emotion is destined to have appeal to only a small and select audience. This dilemma becomes even more daunting for the artist in today's technology-laden society where electronic communication has taken the place of face-to-face conversation. Where the musician or painter seeks to express himself by exposing passion in its natural form, so many in today's society function at a ...

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Liner Notes

John Swana: Philly Gumbo Vol.2

Read "John Swana: Philly Gumbo Vol.2" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


It seems like a lot of up and coming trumpeters these days go for the bop stylings of Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw as their main influence. Far fewer look to players like Art Farmer or Kenny Wheeler for inspiration. That's what has made watching the development of Philadelphia trumpet man John Swana so fascinating over the years. While he has the chops needed to communicate in the high-octane language of be-bop, his tone and use of space suggest that ...

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Liner Notes

John Swana: Philly Gumbo

Read "John Swana: Philly Gumbo" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


It seems like a case of the big fish swimming in a small pond. So while Philadelphia native John Swana currently chooses to make his home in the city of Brotherly Love, it's clearly evident that this world-class musician could succeed easily in the Big Apple, the undisputed center of jazz activity in America. Taking up the trumpet at the age of 11, Swana was hooked on jazz after one spin of a Dizzy Gillespie record. Lucky enough to get ...

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Album Review

JD Walter: What the World Needs Now

Read "What the World Needs Now" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


JD Walter beckons listeners into a soulful and captivating journey through modern jazz interpretations of non-jazz material. With his unique vocal stylings and innovative arrangements, he brings a fresh perspective to familiar popular tunes, and several jazz standards, while delivering thought-provoking original compositions. From the very first track--Stevie Wonder's “Golden Lady"--it is evident that Walter's vocal prowess is a force to be reckoned with. He dashes along in full flight and then effortlessly shifts into intricate ...

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Album Review

The Witherbees: Love Letter

Read "Love Letter" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


The Witherbees are a band from Philadelphia that mix folk, country, rock and jazz together into a stew of dreamy music that flows together easily into a distinctive sound. Instrumental tracks like “Mirage," “Cold Spell" and “Tribute Valley" are the most overtly jazzy ones on their album. On these, Mike Lorenz's guitar and Jacqui Armbruster's viola play against each other in a low-key swinging mode over the tumbling undercarriage of Justin Sekelewski's solid bass and Kyle Andrews' strutting ...

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Album Review

Susie Meissner: I Wish I Knew

Read "I Wish I Knew" reviewed by Jack Bowers


I wish I knew why the talented Philadelphia-based singer Susie Meissner chose to open her salute to the Great American Songbook with the only tune on the album that doesn't really qualify: Curtis Lewis' “The Great City." It's not a bad song but Cole Porter or Johnny Mandel it ain't. On the bright side, Meissner recovers quickly on the fourth album under her name with a burnished rendition of the title theme, a memorable composition by the legendary Hollywood songwriting ...

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Album Review

Susie Meissner: I Wish I Knew

Read "I Wish I Knew" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Over the past decade and three previous recordings, Philadelphia-based vocalist Susie Meissner has crafted an intelligently conceived and thoughtfully paced survey of the Great American Songbook. Meissner's considerations of the standard jazz repertoire, in concert with pianist John Shaddy's sturdy arrangements and educated performance manner, have emerged, evolving from chaste and reverent beginnings, into rich and supple layerings of stylistic and technical outreach with each subsequent recording. Meissner's debut, I'll Remember April (Lydian Jazz, 2009), emerged as a ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz Bridge Presents Trumpeter John Swana In Cheltenham On Wednesday, May 2nd!

Jazz Bridge Presents Trumpeter John Swana In Cheltenham On Wednesday, May 2nd!

Source: Jim Miller

Appearing at the Cheltenham Center for the Arts, 439 Ashbourne Rd, Cheltenham, PA for this series' last concert of the season will be trumpeter John Swana and his band, featuring guitarist Steve Giordano, Lucas Brown on organ, and drummer Wayne Smith Jr. on May 2nd. One show: 7:30-9PM. $10/$5 for students. No advance sales. Free Buffet. For info: 215-517-8337. This Jazz Bridge Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Jazz Bridge, a 501C3 nonprofit that assists local jazz and blues musicians ...

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Performance / Tour

Electric Miles at Ortlieb's Jazzhaus in Philadelphia

Electric Miles at Ortlieb's Jazzhaus in Philadelphia

Source: All About Jazz


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Recording

New Release from Criss Cross Jazz: "Bright Moments" by John Swana

New Release from Criss Cross Jazz: "Bright Moments"  by John Swana

Source: All About Jazz

For his tenth Criss Cross date as a leader, trumpeter John Swana presents his first twin-tenor sextet.

Swana, tenor saxophonists Eric Alexander and Grant Stewart, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington have intersected on many occasions, but never together in a group. The result is an effortless blend of ingrained chemistry with the sound of surprise inherent in first encounters.

Like 2005's Philly Gumbo Vol. 2, Bright Moments focuses largely on original material with a couple ...

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Performance / Tour

Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet featuring John Swana @ Chris' Jazz Cafe on Feb 23, 2008

Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet featuring John Swana @ Chris' Jazz Cafe on Feb 23, 2008

Source: All About Jazz

Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg comes to Chirs' Jazz Cafe on February 23, 2008. Kreisberg is touring in support of his new release The South Of Everywhere, which features all original compositions.

JONATHAN KREISBERG QUARTET Jonathan Kreisberg - guitar John Swana - trumpet Gary Versace - organ Obed Calvaire - drums

February 23, 2008 Sets @ 8 & 10 PM Chris' Jazz Cafe 1421 Sansom ...

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Performance / Tour

John Swana / Bootsie Barnes Quintet Featuring Uri Caine on December 28 & 29, 2007

John Swana / Bootsie Barnes Quintet Featuring  Uri Caine on December 28 & 29, 2007

Source: All About Jazz

The John Swana / Bootsie Barnes Organ Quintet featuring Uri Caine will be performing at Chris' Jazz Cafe on December 28 and 29, 2007.

JOHN SWANA / BOOTSIE BARNES QUINTET John Swana - trumpet Bootsie Barnes - saxophone Uri Caine - pinao Matt Parrish - bass Chris Beck - drums

Sets @ 8 & 10 PM Chris' Jazz Cafe 1421 Sansom Street ...

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Performance / Tour

Donny McCaslin Trio, with Special Guest John Swana, at Chris' Jazz Cafe on November 16, 2007

Donny McCaslin Trio, with Special Guest John Swana, at Chris' Jazz Cafe on November 16, 2007

Source: All About Jazz

Chris' Jazz Cafe hosts the CD release party for tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin's CD In Pursuit.

DONNY MCCASLIN TRIO, PLUS JOHN SWANA Donny McCaslin - saxophone Jonathan Blake - drums Hans Glawisching - bass John Swana - trumpet

November 16, 2007 Sets @ 8 & 10 Chris' Jazz Cafe 1421 Sansom St Philadelphia PA Info: 215-568-3131 www.chrisjazzcafe.com

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Performance / Tour

John Swana & Bootsie Barnes Organ Quartet with Special Guest Jim Rotondi

John Swana & Bootsie Barnes Organ Quartet with Special Guest Jim Rotondi

Source: All About Jazz

The John Swana / Bootsie Barnes Organ Quartet will be joined by special guest trumpeter Jim Rotondi at Chris' Jazz Cafe on September 28, 2007.

JOHN SWANA / BOOTSIE BARNES ORGAN QUARTET WITH SPECIAL GUEST JIM ROTONDI

Jim Rotondi - trumpet John Swana - trumpet Bootsie Barnes - saxophone Lucas Brown - organ Wayne Smith - drums

Sets starting @ 8 & 10 Chris' Jazz Cafe ...

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Performance / Tour

Seamus Blake & the John Swana Quartet @ Chris' Jazz Cafe on March 23 & 24, 2007

Seamus Blake & the John Swana Quartet @ Chris' Jazz Cafe on March 23 & 24, 2007

Source: All About Jazz

Tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake joins the John Swana Quartet for two nights at Chris Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia.

SEAMUS BLAKE & THE JOHN SWANA QUARTET Seamus Blake - saxophone John Swana - trumpet Doug Hirlinger - drums Mike Boone - bass Neil Podgurski - piano

March 23 & 24, 2007 Sets @ 8 & 10 Chris' Jazz Cafe 1421 Sansom St

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

What the World Needs...

Arkadia Records
2023

buy

Love Letter

Recent Music
2021

buy

I Wish I Knew

Lydian Jazz
2020

buy

Channels

1K Recordings
2019

buy

Conspiracy

Wise Cat Records
2019

buy

The Nook

Self Produced
2018

buy

Linger

From: Love Letter
By John Swana

Eleanor Rigby / Norweigian Wood Medley

From: Angel Blue: A Tour of Jazz
By John Swana

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