Results for "Contemporary Jazz"

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

Luca Crispino è un chitarrista e compositore musicalmente versatile ma strettamente ancorato alla tradizione jazz di cui ha esteso i confini seguendo il suo istinto di improvvisatore creativo ed originale. Dagli inizi della sua carriera ad oggi ha avuto modo 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.

Jaromir Rusnak

Born: November 24, 1996

Jaromir Rusnak is a Polish double bassist, electric bassist, and composer born on November 24, 1996, in Krakow. Currently based in Milan, he is an artist whose work blends the lyricism of Slavic traditions with the expressive depth of jazz and contemporary music. 

He began his musical journey with piano at the age of eight and soon entered music school for accordion in Krakow. After a brief pause during his teenage years, he returned to music through classical double bass, which eventually led him to explore electric bass as well. This shift opened the door to Krakow’s vibrant rock and jazz scenes.

Darryl Alexander Sr.

Chances are that if you have listened to Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America, The Weather Channel, E Entertainment, Lifetime, Fox Business, Maury Povich, or listened to music while flying, you have heard music by jazz artist/producer Darryl Alexander. His dream growing up was to be a professional baseball player and would lead to scholarship offers from numerous universities, including Boston and Capital University.

At Kent State University, Darryl dropped his pursuit of baseball and became a member of a band which featured “In Living Color” and “Comedy.TV” comedian AJ Jamal on keys.

Connor Young

Born: September 26, 1995

Connor Young is a Vermont-born trumpeter, composer, songwriter, and educator. Music became a central part of his life at a young age, leading him to study Jazz Performance at McGill University in Montréal. Since graduating in 2018, he has been an active performer and collaborator, playing across Vermont in a variety of genres.

Connor has recorded two albums: Flight of the Starlings, a contemporary jazz record, and From Me to You, a self-recorded, folk-inspired album that reflects his growth as a songwriter and producer. Seven Days described From Me to You as "a masterful mélange of late-night musings and early-morning affirmations," blending folk, early blues, and hot club-style jazz. Meanwhile, Flight of the Starlings was praised for its "thoughtful and ambitious arrangements," capturing both modern and classic jazz influences.