Results for "Chicago"

Orbert Davis

Born: March 8, 1960

Trumpeter, composer Orbert Davis is co-founder, conductor and artistic director of CHICAGO JAZZ PHILHARMONIC, a 55+ piece jazz-symphonic orchestra dedicated to multi-genre projects. Orbert is also clinical associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Winner of the 1995 Cognac Hennessy National Jazz Search, Orbert was chosen one of Chicago Tribune's "1995 Arts People of the Year". Chicago Magazine named him "Y2k Best Trumpeter in Chicago" and "Chicagoan of the Year for 2002". Along with his business partner Mark Ingram, Orbert owns and operates ORBARK PRODUCTIONS. Their credits include projects for Atlantic, Capitol, CBS, Epic, MCA, the Warner Brothers record labels and several feature films

Michele Thomas

Born: March 8

Jazz singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and educator Michele Thomas is a suave innovator. With silken grace she eases in her formative background in gospel, and her love of R&B, soul, and neo-soul, into a musical language that shows a dedication and a passion for jazz, spanning all of its defining eras. Michele’s restless creativity reflects jazz’s improvisatory spirit—for jazz, like life, is a journey and not a destination. “Art should be something that is life-affirming for the artist and help them reach their highest potential through expressing themselves freely,” Michele shares

Thad Franklin

Born: October 29, 1975

Thaddus Jacob Franklin is regarded as one of the most prominent young trumpet players in Chicago. He began formal music studies at the age of 10. At this time, Thad exhibited a serious aptitude for music and a desire to draw upon his creative side. In his first year of playing, he was principal trumpet in the school band and began working with a wide variety of people in the Central Illinois music community. During high school, Franklin auditioned for a position in the Central Illinois Youth Symphony and played a major role in its trumpet section throughout the early ‘90s. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Music Department at Illinois State University

Dan Peterson

Kansas City guitar prodigy, Dan Peterson opened for national acts such as Steve Miller Band, Strawberry Alarm Clock, etc at age 13. Peterson toured the midwest in a blues band in the early 70's. He later opened for Tom Petty, Journey etc, before pursuing the modern cool jazz school of guitar. As a member of a university jazz band he toured Europe in 1976. During this two year stint, Peterson participated in college jazz band clinics and/or performances with Rufus Reid, Gary Burton, Bob Hope, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, etc, which furthered his interest in the pursuit of esoteric modern jazz guitar explorations. Peterson's first solo LP' Voice of the Trees" was released in 1979 to critical acclaim by national magazines, Guitar Player, Stereo Review, Audio Magazine, etc

Amanda Kyle

Born: September 7, 1978

Jimmy Bennington

Born: May 22, 1970

Jimmy Bennington (born May 22, 1970; Columbus, Ohio) is a self-taught artist who began playing professionally in Texas, 1990. Mentored by late John Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones during the last decade of his life, Bennington was eventually hired as Jones' band manager/drum tech, touring the world as part of the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine (2000-2002). Since then, Bennington lived on the West Coast for several years (1997-2006), and has made Chicago his home base (2006-Present). Jimmy has performed and recorded with artists such as Julian Priester, Perry Robinson, John Stowell, Ed Schuller, Bert Wilson, Ken Filiano, Steve Cohn, John Blum, John Gross, Daniel Carter, and French bassist Benjamin Duboc

Stephen Frost

...a graduate of DePaul University's School of Music, with a Bachelor of Music Performance. From Classical to Jazz, he has proven himself as a versatile player, with a broad range of performance experience. Steve performs regularly with The Mike Frost Project at some of Chicago's most well known venues, including a regular stay at Andy's Jazz Club. He has performed with blues legend Otis Rush, including opening for Robert Plant and Jimmy Page at Chicago's United Center during their world tour. Steve has also performed on recording sessions for a number of local artists as well as national artists like blues man Eddie Clearwater, and Chicago's own #1 hit legends, "The Buckinghams"

Darrell Looney

Born: April 8, 1963

Playing the violin since the age of nine, Darrell "D-Funk" Looney creates funky/jazzy tracks with a prominent violin voice to elevate the mood of the everyday groove experience.

Kathy Kelly

Born: November, 1954

Kathy Kelly has been a regular on the Chicago Jazz scene for many years, usually performing in groups dedicated to original jazz. Her vibes playing and compositions have graced many different groups, including her current quartet. Kelly uses her eclectic style, World music sensibility and sense of humor to bring to life the varied compositions on her new CD “Owls Calling" (Kanani Music). The result of a 2015 Individual Arts Program Creative Projects Grant from the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs, "Owls Calling" features Kelly’s compositions and vibes, with John Kregor on guitar, Dan DeLorenzo on bass and Andre Beasley on drums. Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicago Jazz Composers Collective, Kelly can often be heard premiering new works for the monthly CJCC Sunday afternoon concerts at the Green Mill. In addition to "Owls Calling" Kelly can be heard on her CD "A Different Vibe" (Kanani Music), and with Asian Fusion group Mothra on "Tradewind" (Chicago Sessions).

Dave Flippo

Born: March 1, 1958

FLIPPOMUSIC formed in 1992 by Dave Flippo, with the plan of bringing his "globaljazz" pieces to life and sharing it with the Chicago community. What started as a mad experiment of fusing jazz with different world music grooves and styles(CDs: "Tendrils of Light" and "Ganesh") has expanded to include Flippo's original vocal works (CD: When the Heart is Strong")—many in the contemporary jazz venue. The band's latest recording project -"Tao Tune" returns a bit to the original global fusion theme—this time with the written content. Flippo's love of the ancient and very cool Tao Te Ching inspired him to make some of the text into lyrics and set them in a variety of styles.

Also jazz piano teacher at the College of Lake County, Dr