Results for "Composer"

Ian Carey

Born: July 24, 1974

Ian Carey is a San Francisco Bay Area–based jazz trumpeter, composer, and educator who “asks deep musical questions and comes up with compelling answers” (Bill Kirchner, editor, The Oxford Companion to Jazz).

His musical projects include the IAN CAREY QUINTET+1 (“a highly skilled band of improvisers” –DownBeat), which has been performing his original compositions for over a decade and has been featured on five albums including the 2020 release Fire in My Head; WOOD METAL PLASTIC, a 7-piece group which “combines the delicately calibrated dynamics of a chamber ensemble with alternating sections of close voicings and free improvisation” (Andrew Gilbert, Berkeleyside); TAKOYAKI 4, a pared-down, street-food–style organ/horns quartet which performs original music and jazz rarities; and DUOCRACY, a duo with pianist Ben Stolorow which explores rare American standards with intimacy and interplay.

Perry Thoorsell

Born: January 14, 1959

Performances and/or recordings with top jazz musicians including Smith Dobson, Jessica Williams, Larry Vuckovich, Donald Bailey, Eddie Henderson, Sonny Simmons, Mark Levine, Joe Henderson, Jamie Davis, Marvin Stamm, Kurt Elling, and Tootie Heath. Live shows backing traveling headliners including Bobby Rydell, Dick Contino, Julius LaRosa, Rita Moreno, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Pete Barbutti, Jim Bailey, Jerry Vale, Diahann Carroll, and Frankie Laine. Musical Theater credits include "Stardust," "By George," "Godspell," "In the Heights," and "Camelot." Festival performances include Biamp Portland Jazz Festival, Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Fillmore Jazz Festival, Aarhus Jazz Festival (Denmark), and Stanford Jazz Festival.

Rex Richardson

Hailed in classical circles as “among the very best trumpet soloists in the world today,” (Journal of the ITG, 2011) and “One of the finest virtuosos of our time” (Brass Herald, 2018) and in jazz as “a standout soloist with the power, range and flexibility to rival Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw,” (DownBeat Magazine, 2014) Yamaha Performing Artist Rex Richardson was named the 2008 Brass Herald International Personality of the Year.

A veteran of the acclaimed chamber ensemble Rhythm & Brass, jazz legend Joe Henderson’s Quintet and Sextet, William Russo’s Chicago Jazz Ensemble, and the Brass Band of Battle Creek, known as the world’s “Rolls Royce of Brass Bands” (Brass Band World), he stays busy as a headline artist at international brass and jazz festivals and as a soloist with orchestras, concert bands, brass bands and jazz ensembles on six continents. These include Phoenix Symphony and Thailand Philharmonic Orchestras, the U.S. Army Field Band and Tokyo Symphonic Winds, England's Fodens Brass Band, and the U.S. Air Force's Airmen of Note Jazz Ensemble.

Sopio

Born: November 29

Sopio Murusidze is a New York-based vocalist, composer, and lyricist from the charming city Tbilisi, Georgia. She has been singing since she could speak and started training in classical piano from the age of five. Having a musically immersive childhood led Sopio to be influenced by jazz, classical, Georgian folk, R&B and soul. While attending Tbilisi State Conservatorium she had performed in the city’s major concert halls, jazz clubs and was featured in the most-watched daytime TV shows such as “Our Morning” on Georgian Broadcaster and “Afternoon” on GDS TV. In 2015 Sopio was awarded for participating in Young Musicians Contents at Movement Theatre in Tbilisi, Georgia. Sopio moved to New York City to expand her musical horizon and earned her Bachelor's Degree at The New School of Jazz & Contemporary Music

Dion Kerr

Born: January 8, 1988

Dion Kerr is a forward-thinking multi-dimensional artist (multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, songwriter, photographer, and videographer) born and raised in South Florida.  Kerr’s work reflects a broad range of influences and mediums.  He has toured and recorded worldwide as a leader and a sideman to various groups spanning multiple genres.

Dion can be seen at some of the most renowned festivals, venues, studios, and galleries with many great young and upcoming artists of all art forms.  Kerr has shared the stage with Ignacio Berroa, Nicholas Payton, Marcus Strickland, Etienne Charles, Lillias White, Godwin Louis, Jean Caze, Immanuel Wilkins, Justin Brown, and Tivon Pennicott.  Dion is the co-founder of the band ‘The Smoogies.’ They released their debut album ‘Planet Smoogies’ with trumpeter Nicholas Payton and just released their second full-length album ‘People Music’ alongside completing a national tour funded by South Arts for their grant-winning proposal.  Dion was the engineer and co-producer of Seafoam Walls record ‘XVI’; he also played guitar in the live incarnation, released on Thurston Moore’s label ‘Ecstatic Peace Library,’ which was recorded and produced all in his home studio.  Dion is also credited as a songwriter and arranger for Jessica Tonder’s ‘A Rise Of Peace’ feature with Nowness. He is also a key member in many other highly sought-after bands in South Florida and New York art scenes.  

Cian Boylan

Cian has over twenty years experience as a professional session pianist and keyboardist. He has performed and recorded with many leading Irish and International pop, rock and jazz artists, including: VAN MORRISON • SINEAD O CONNOR • BONO • RUFUS WAINWRIGHT • GREGORY PORTER • JAMIE LAWSON • DAVID GRAY • GARY LIGHTBODY • ELLA HENDERSON • ANNE MARIE • IMELDA MAY • DUKE SPECIAL • THE VILLAGERS • THE BLIZZARDS • GEORGE MICHAEL • THE BLADES • SISTER SLEDGE • CAMILLE O'SULLIVAN • WENDY JAMES • DAVE STEWART • BRIAN ENO • BRONAGH GALLAGHER • MARIA MCKEE • JERRY FISH • MARTHA WAINWRIGHT • ELEANOR MCEVOY • MUNDY • DECLAN O’ROURKE • RICCARDO COCCIANTE • THE FOUR OF US • GABRIELLE APLIN • HUDSON TAYLOR • RUTH ANNE • LUCY WAINWRIGHT • SAM PALLADIO • LOAH • CATHY DAVEY • GLEN HANSARD • AN EMOTIONAL FISH • MARY COUGHLAN • ASLAN • HOTHOUSE FLOWERS • NEIL HANNON • SOMETHING HAPPENS • PADDY CASEY • PAUL BRADY • UNA HEALY • ANDREW STRONG • CIARAN LAVERY • ROISIN O • BRESSIE • JULIET TURNER • RTE CONCERT ORCHESTRA • ULSTER ORCHESTRA • IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA • DR LINLEY HAMILTON • ADAM NUSSBAUM • MARK EGAN • NEW ORLEANS SWAMP DONKEYS • BEN CASTLE • CORMAC KENEVEY • DARREN BECKETT • GEORGIA MANCIO • POLLY GIBBONS • DANA MASTERS His arrangements have been performed by the RTE Concert Orchestra, The Sofia National Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Dublin City Jazz Orchestra, Camden Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra, The Liberty Orchestra, San Diego Brass Ensemble amongst many others. Recently he was Musical Director and Arranger for Sinead O Connor for Feile 2019 and her stunning performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U” and “Rainy Night In Soho” on the Late Late Show alongside the Irish Chamber Orchestra which received over 2M views on Youtube within it’s first three days. Cian also recently produced and arranged “Homeward Bound” for the Street Lights Album which also reached number 1 in the Top 100 Irish Single Charts in 2018

Greg Cordez

UK-born, New Zealand raised, Cordez has lived and worked in London, Madrid, and New York City. A busy bassist, composer and educator now settled in the vibrant Bristol music scene. As a jazz performer, Cordez has performed and recorded with Tony Malaby, Jon Cowherd, Steve Cardenas, Kenny Wollesen, Allison Miller, Kirk Knuffke, Micheal Blake, Iain Ballamy, Jason Rebello, Tim Garland, Huw Warren, Martin France, Chris Biscoe, Andy Sheppard, Sam Crockatt, Gareth Lochrane, John Law amongst others. In 2013 Cordez started work on his project involving the talents of Jake McMurchie, Nick Malcolm, Jim Blomfield, and Mark Whitlam

JD Walter

Born: July 2, 1967

A native of eastern Pennsylvania, JD Walter’s past, present, and future has always embodied music. From church Boy choirs at the age of six to the American Boy choir school in Princeton to the University of North Texas on a vocal jazz scholarship, Walter has become a pioneer of improvisation and electronic innovations in the world of jazz. His recording career spans 20 years and his purist progressive approach to jazz music has been recognized worldwide.

After extended studies in Amsterdam with Jazz vocal Icon, Deborah Brown, Walter returned to the U.S. and embedded himself in the New York Jazz scene. It was in New York, surrounded by visionaries of jazz, where he began to organically develop his liberated, vibrant style that turned him from straight-ahead to progressive jazz singing. Walter’s recordings include, "Dressed in a Song", “Sirens in the C-House,” “Clear Day,” “Dedicated to You,” “2Bass, a Face and a Little Skin,” “Live in Portugal,” “Live at the 55 Bar,” “One Step Away,” and Guest appearances on over 100 recordings.

Migiwa Miyajima

Born: June 17, 1974

Hailing from Japan, composer, producer, pianist, and bandleader of the 17-piece Miggy Augmented Orchestra, Migiwa “Miggy” Miyajima creates large-scale works manifesting her distinct life experiences. Birdland Jazz Club says, “Miyajima’s music reflects her journey as a musician and humanitarian.” Formerly editor-in-chief of a magazine in Japan, Miyajima trusted the power of music and became a full-time musician at the age of 30. In four years, the Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra found her and brought her two Grammy nominations as its associate producer for “Forever Lasting- Live in Tokyo” and “Over Time: Music of Bob Brookmeyer.” After surviving the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Miyajima received a Japanese government grant and a Japan-U.S

Blanche Calloway

Born: February 9, 1902

Blanche Calloway was a popular singer and bandleader during the 1930s. She studied music at Morgan State College before dropping out to pursue a career in show business. Her big break came in 1923 when offered a part in a musical touring company. Her vocal talents quickly made her a spotlight entertainer, and she began working nightclubs across the country. In the mid- and late 1920s she recorded for Okeh and Vocalion, including a 1925 session with Louis Armstrong. She also worked with her brother bandleader Cab Calloway. In 1931, while performing at the Pearl Theatre in Philadelphia, Blanche was heard by bandleader Andy Kirk