Results for "Chicago"

Kahil El'Zabar

Born: November 11, 1953

Internationally renowned percussionist and composer Kahil El'Zabar is considered one of the most prolific jazz innovators of his generation. Indeed El'Zabar is a true "Renaissance Man," with a musical style and content that flows from ancient Africa to the modern world. In his own words, "The spirit of one's approach comes first before the technical. All the facility in the world with nothing that comes from the heart doesn't make good music. The basis of the strength of any artistic evolution has come from ethnicity."

Even though he is fully grounded in the history and music of his African American community, he has taken his studies deeper, ingeniously incorporating African music and instrumentation, producing a unique and wonderfully engaging sound. He credits his community with providing some direction towards African sensibility. "I grew up in a period when African Americans, as a large body, finally started addressing our roots. With African drums there was such an appeal in the way of playing with the hands and the sense of the entire body being involved in the playing of the instrument." El'Zabar is an accomplished musician with mastery of a variety of instruments, from the elementary - congas, bongos, African drums, shekere, gongs, and trap drums - to the esoteric - balaphon, marimba, sanza, kalimba and berimbau.

Ernest Dawkins

Born: November 2, 1953

One of the life goals of Ernest Dawkins is to represent the African American cultural experience through his music. His musical art form reflects the rich background and cultural distinctions of African American life. He is one of Chicago's premier jazz saxophonist whose music reflects his extraordinary talent not just as a musician but a composer as well. He has recorded eleven CD's and is the founder and leader of his own group, New Horizons Ensemble. Dawkins started his musical career at the tender age of twelve when he learned how to play the bass and conga drams. At nineteen he became mesmerized by the sound of the saxophone while listening to his father's jazz recordings of Lester Young

Bob Cranshaw

Born: December 10, 1932

Bob Cranshaw has been the bassist of choice for Sonny Rollins since 1959. Their forty-seven-year collaboration is the subject of a new video on Sonny's website, “Bob Cranshaw and Sonny Rollins, The First Gig." Created by Bret Primack, it features interviews with both Rollins and Cranshaw . Exclusive performance footage includes excerpts from The Sonny Rollins Group in Concert back in April in California. The content is also available as an MP3 download. Born December 10, 1932, the Evanston, Illinois native started on drums and piano before switching to the tuba and bass in high school. He was a founding member of Walter Perkins' MJT +3 band in 1957 and it was Perkins who recommended Bob to Sonny as a replacement bassist for a gig at the first Playboy Jazz Festival in Chicago in 1959. Bob Cranshaw's discography is nothing short of amazing

Billy Branch

Born: October 3, 1951

Billy Branch was discovered by Willie Dixon, the "father of modern Chicago Blues," while Billy was still in college. Willie encouraged Billy to finish his college education, which he did, but instead of going to law school after receiving his political science degree, Billy began touring with the Willie Dixon Chicago All-Stars. This gave Billy the unique opportunity to travel and work as an under study for the legendary Carey Bell who was planning to leave the All-Stars and form his own band. When Carey took his leave, the young Billy Branch took his place, touring with Willie Dixon for 6 years

Bradley Parker-Sparrow

Patricia Barber

Born: November 8, 1955

In 2011 Patricia Barber has just finished a new 'live' album of the Patricia Barber Quartet recorded ' by Chris Grabowski at the wildly popular Green Mill residency. “Monday Night, vol2” is available through her website: patriciabarber.com She is also putting the finishing touches on other Floyd Records projects, one a DVD entitled Patricia Barber & Kenny Werner— 'Live' in Concert . This chronicles a resplendent evening with Patricia and Kenny and two 9' Steinway pianos at the sold-out 1000 seat Pick- Staiger Auditorium—this DVD will be available in the spring

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

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

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