Results for "Contemporary Jazz"

Julian Siegel

Born: May 13

Julian Siegel is an in-demand saxophonist on the UK and European Jazz scene who has worked with many of the top figures in the music. He was awarded the 2007 BBC Jazz Award for Best Instrumentalist. He is currently touring with the Julian Siegel Quartet featuring pianist Liam Noble, bassist Oli Hayhurst and drummer Gene Calderazzo. The Quartet's first CD ‘Urban Theme Park’ was awarded the 2011 London Jazz Award and in February 2018 the Quartet released their new album 'VISTA' on Whirlwind Recordings. Since the release of ‘VISTA’, the band has performed internationally at Jazz Festivals including Inntöne Jazz Festival in Austria, Made in The UK at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, NY, Jazz Standard NYC, JazzFestival Göttingen, Germany, Limerick Jazz Festival Ireland, UK’s Love Supreme Festival, Bristol and Manchester International Jazz Festivals and an extensive 2018 – 2019 Arts Council England UK Tour. The Quartet was featured on the cover of UK’s Jazzwise Magazine in February 2018 and VISTA was included in Jazzwise’s Top 20 Jazz Albums of the year.

Robin Porter

ROBIN PORTER is an award-winning saxophonist and composer based in London, renowned for his versatility, musicality and expressive sound. A sought-after instrumentalist, he has performed at many of the UK’s most prestigious venues, captivating audiences with his artistry and individuality.

Robin’s primary creative outler is his contemporary jazz trio ‘Aspyrian’, a dynamic project blending original compositions and improvisation with the sincerity of soulful songwriters and grit of alternative bands. Under his leadership, Aspyrian has released two acclaimed albums, earned two Help Musicians awards, and toured the UK twice, bringing their distinctive sound to stages nationwide.

Maria Kaushansky

Maria Kaushansky is a pianist residing in New York City. Born in Russia, she immigrated with her family to Israel, then to Canada in her childhood. Maria holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Toronto. 

Maria has been residing in NYC since 2015. As a bandleader, she has established and held long-term residencies at venues including Back Bar at Eventi Hotel, Gotham Restaurant, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Adalya Restaurant, and Le Petit Parisien Supper Club. She has also performed at Knickerbocker Bar and Grill, Django Jazz Club, Sweet Afton, IVY Room, The Last Word, Flatiron Room, Zero Bond, Parker's NYC, The Players NYC, Campbell Bar, Nublu, Yale Club and Harmonie Club, among others.

Anton Mikhailov

Born: November 7, 1999

Anton Mikhailov is a composer, pianist, and arranger based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Born in Horlivka, Ukraine, he studied classical and jazz piano at the Murmansk College of Arts and went on to develop a versatile voice in contemporary instrumental music—ranging from modern jazz and improvisation to scoring for film and games.

Rooted in classical tradition and driven by a strong improvisational instinct, his music blends rhythmic energy, cinematic harmony, and experimental textures. His influences span hip-hop, indie rock, and electronic music as well as twentieth-century orchestral writing and avant-garde improvisation.

Harben Kay

Award-winning tenor saxophonist Harben Kay is quickly becoming renowned as one of the UK’s most creative and virtuosic jazz artists, with two critically acclaimed albums, four UK tours and performances at the UK’s most esteemed jazz venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, The Royal Albert Hall and The Vortex.

Their latest album, Golden Sands (2022), was released on Kay’s own label, Sulis Records, in October 2022. The album received high praise from the jazz media, showcasing original compositions that are reflective of Kay’s experiences in their homeland of Scotland, and their time spent living in London and New York City.

Luca Crispino

Born: July 3

Chitarrista e compositore, Luca Crispino si avvicina al jazz nel 1997 provenendo da esperienze rock, blues e progressive. In questo periodo ha l’opportunità di partecipare ad interessanti progetti di fusione tra i generi coltivando sempre più la sua attenzione verso lo studio, la pratica e la natura dell’improvvisazione musicale. Dal 2000 esercita la professione artistica esibendosi dal vivo in varie formazioni e partecipando ad importanti rassegne musicali e festival nazionali. Sempre dallo stesso anno inizia a dedicarsi all’insegnamento e allo studio della musica sperimentale. Nel 2013 si trasferisce a Verona dove è tra i creatori del Centro di Formazione Musicale Moderna Artingegno. Collabora attivamente con diversi artisti ed ensemble, operando in produzioni discografiche ed esibizioni live. Ad oggi Luca Crispino alterna la sua attività di musicista, sia sul palco che in studio, alla didattica ed alla ricerca musicale. 

Dré Matsumoto

Born: June 21, 1972

Dré Matsumoto (aka André Marcel Ajamu Akinyele) is an American-Canadian residing in Yokohama. The bassist and multi-instrumentalist is known for his jazz-fusion-funk. His inspirations include Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, and Ron Carter, to name a few. He was born in San Pablo, California as André Marcel Wilson, and changed his name to André Marcel Ajamu Akinyele in 2004. Why the name Dré Matsumoto? He stated that “Dré is half my name André, and Matsumoto is a Japanese name that I love the sound of.” A native of the San Francisco bay area, he currently resides in Toronto, Ontario Canada and Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan

Alex Pertout

Joshua Banks

Born: April 20, 1999

Joshua Banks (he/him) is an Asian-Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ pianist and music educator from Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton), Alberta.

He began his musical journey in classical piano, achieving a Level 10 certification with the Royal Conservatory of Music, and has since graduated with distinction from MacEwan University’s BMus in Piano Performance, with an additional diploma in Recording & Production. He has taken lessons with local piano luminaries as Chris Andrew, Stephanie Urquhart, Mboya Nicholson, and Bianca Baciu.

Joshua has studied piano for over a decade, and has experience performing in a variety of genre contexts, most notably jazz. He has played with the Edmonton Jazz Orchestra (EJO), performed at JazzYYC’s “Tune In - Tune Up” conference celebrating gender justice in jazz, and performed his original contemporary jazz compositions at the Edmonton International Jazz Festival. Joshua can be found freelancing and recording around Edmonton, and has performed in such venues such as the Yardbird Suite and Winspear Centre.

Felipe Arce

Born: May 5, 1995

Felipe Arce is an Argentinian-born, New York-based bass player, composer, arranger, band leader and educator.

After finishing high school, Arce embarked on a professional career in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while attending Escuela de Música Contemporánea (EMC) – Berklee International Network (BIN), where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music. Toward the end of his studies at EMC – BIN, Felipe Arce won a highly competitive national competition to study in the prestigious Jazz Degree Program at the Manuel de Falla Conservatory, an institution known for shaping the music stars of the future. He also had the honor of being the principal double bassist for the Manuel de Falla Big Band, an orchestra comprising the conservatory’s most talented musicians.