Results for "Contemporary Jazz Fusion"

Michael Friedinger

Born: April 7, 1976

MICHAEL FRIEDINGER | Detailed biography

• First piano lessons at the age of 15
• Studied at the music academies in Trossingen, Nuremberg and Stuttgart in the subjects of school music, jazz and composition/arrangement with piano as his main subject under Paul Schwarz, Bernd Hufnagel, Frank Sikora, Klaus König and Prof. Martin Schrack, among others.
• Already working as a répétiteur for jazz singing and tutor for jazz piano during his studies
• Pianist in the Baden-Württemberg State Youth Jazz Orchestra, conducted by Prof. Bernd Konrad
• Pianist and keyboardist for the Baden-Württemberg State Youth Gospel Choir
• Keyboardist for the Stage Entertainment musicals 42nd Street and Mamma Mia
• Workshops and masterclasses with renowned musicians, including Michel Camilo, Marcus Miller, BobMintzer, Christian Jacob, Dave Taylor, Bobby Shew, Peter Herbolzheimer
• as a pianist and keyboarder in countless bands and projects between jazz, funk & soul, gospel, pop/rock, Cuban and Brazilian music as well as concerts and festivals in Italy, Holland, France, Switzerland, Poland and elsewhere with artists as diverse as Roberto Blanco, Randy Brecker, Max Mutzke, Sir Waldo Weathers (James Brown Band), Julia Neigel, Stefan Gwildis, Cecile Verny, Roberto Santamaria, Alexander Klaws, Giovanni Costello, Henni Nachtsheim (Badesalz), Olvido Ruiz, Ron Williams, David Hanselmann and many more.
• Support for Joss Stone, Maceo Parker, Earth Wind & Fire Experience
• TV recordings for ZDF, SWR, RAI3
• as pianist and keyboarder for numerous CD productions, including Baden-Württemberg State Youth Jazz Orchestra, Baden-Württemberg State Youth Gospel Choir, Arno Haas, Dodokay, SBO

Paul Tafoya

Born: June 3, 1990

Award winning trumpeter, composer, band-leader, and arranger.

Paul Tafoya is a talented trumpeter, composer, and bandleader with a decade of professional experience in the music industry. He developed a passion for music in his pre-teen years, later being awarded "Marine Musician of The Year" in the MARFORPAC band in the Marine Corps, where he honed his skills while travelling abroad performing. After his time in the military, Paul attended college and studied with some of the most renowned musicians in the industry, including Lew Soloff, Jeremy Pelt, Ralph Alessi, Ingrid Jensen, Jon-Erik Kellso, and more. 

Last Ark Out

Active since: 2015

Last Out Ark is a genre blending instrumental music project based in Vancouver (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ lands) and Montréal (Tiohtià:ke), Canada. Its members can be found performing regularly in the Montréal, Calgary, and Vancouver music scenes and have variously attended the Banff Centre for the Arts, received nominations for the Western Canadian Music Awards, and toured across Canada, USA and Europe.

Following up on their 2017 debut LP “Wake”, which featured lush textures and warm analog sounds, Last Ark Out’s upcoming video album project entitled “Lift” is a 7 song LP and video album featuring music written with a host of incredible guest artists in mind

Slow the Band

Born: December 12, 1969

Slow the Band was founded in 2010 by guitarist Tomasz Kaczmarczyk and pianist Krzysztof Wermiński. In 2011 they recorded a remarkable debut album ART OF SILENCE which received great welcome from listeners, radio and press worldwide. In 2015 a new album SONGS FOR EVERYONE has been released with V-Records boutique label. Both recordings were done with outstanding musicians on bass, drums and saxophones. You'll find here some electronic flavors as well as the chamber string quartet and very cool female vocals.

Jeff Miley

Always a willing collaborator, guitarist Jeff Miley has partnered up with a slew of talented artists over the past few decades - resulting in a steady stream of original music releases from the likes of The Odd Dogs, bug, Suburban Alphabet, Code 3, The Three Jazzmen, Inga Swearingen, and Altered. Reviews of his music and his guitar playing have appeared in JazzWise Magazine (U.K.), Guitar Player Magazine (in which he was a Spotlight Award Winner), Gendai Guitar (Japan), and The Himalayan Times (Nepal), among others. He has performed all over the United States, as well as Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia.  Jeff received his Bachelor of Music Degree from California State University, Northridge, where he was a recipient of the Andres Segovia Performance Award from the American Guitar Society. During this time he was also a member of the first guitar ensemble to ever perform at the Tokyo International Chamber Music Festival.  In addition to his original projects, he has enjoyed performing with a wide-array of other artists, including Ron Miles, Tim Ries, Jon Anderson (Yes), Ernie Watts, Bob Sheppard, Bobby Shew, Andy Martin, Diane Schur, Adam Benjamin, Mitch Forman, Bob Reynolds, and many others.  

Andy Rothstein

Blend the energy of rock with the complexity of jazz and the dynamics of blues and you just might end up with a unique style. New Jersey based guitarist Andy Rothstein’s unique musical voice can be attributed partly to his diverse musical influences, and party to the various electronic modifications that he has developed for guitars. 

Andy first began playing guitar at age 14. He graduated from Rutgers University, majoring in music and computer science, and he studied privately with Kevin Eubanks, Ted Dunbar, Steve Khan and Vinnie Zummo.

Andy has released three highly acclaimed recordings as a leader. His most recent release Truth Against the World (2022) spent over a year on the Roots Music Report Jazz charts, finishing #1 in the Top Fusion Album Chart for 2022. 

J. Kimo Williams

Born: January 8

On June 1, 1969, J. Kimo Williams was captivated as he witnessed Jimi Hendrix's spellbinding performance of "Spanish Castle Magic" at a Waikiki Shell concert in Hawaii. This transformative experience solidified his unwavering commitment to a life devoted to music. Subsequently, on July 4, 1969, he enlisted in the Army and was deployed to Vietnam. His service in Vietnam and departure from Sunset Beach, Hawaii, led J. Kimo to embark on a journey that saw him pursuing his musical aspirations at Berklee College of Music in Boston. 

While at Berklee, his inspiration expanded as he encountered the music of the Jazz-Fusion ensemble Mahavishnu Orchestra. This encounter steered him toward honing his skills in music composition. 
An educational milestone came in the form of a pivotal class titled "Styles and Analysis," where the classical compositions of Mussorgsky and Messiaen entranced him. This encounter introduced him to yet another avenue for musical expression.

Noshir Mody

Born: October 9, 1972

Noshir Mody, an esteemed composer, guitarist, and producer, continues to make significant contributions to the world of music. Born in Bombay, India, Mody's passion for music was evident from an early age. He immersed himself in the rich tapestry of Indian classical music and was heavily influenced by his cultural roots. As he grew older, his love for jazz, progressive rock, and other genres led him to explore new horizons and develop his own unique style.

Mody moved to the United States at the age of twenty-two and successfully sustained a career in both music and technology. As a self-taught musician, he refined his skills on the guitar and immersed himself in the vibrant New York City jazz scene. Over the years, Noshir Mody has crafted a distinctive sound that melds the intricate textures of Indian classical music with the improvisational elements of jazz and the emotive power of progressive rock. This eclectic fusion of genres reflects not only Mody's personal journey but also the universal language of music that transcends cultural boundaries. His innovative approach has earned him a loyal following and critical acclaim from industry experts and peers alike.

Andrew Vogt

Born: July 17, 1990

Andrew Vogt is an accomplished musician and composer from Chicago who, in addition to writing, producing and performing his own original music, collaborates and performs regularly with singers and songwriters from all genres of music. He has written and arranged over 200 pieces of music and has recorded over 300 songs (60 albums) as a performer.

Awarded the Luminarts' 2020 "People's Choice" award for Solo Jazz performance at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago, he has also been found recently collaborating in the writing and arranging of music for the ATLYS string quartet. Since 2018, Vogt and ATLYS have released numerous singles including wildly successful covers of “A Day in the Life” and “Imagine.” Through this partnership, he also had the opportunity to arrange the music of hit-machine songwriter Tom Kelly (Cyndi Lauper, Phil Collins, Madonna, The Pretenders, The Bangles) for a performance with Kelly in Lafayette, Indiana.

Angelo Della Valle