Results for "Contemporary Jazz"

Vel Lewis

Born: November 30, 1954

Vel Lewis (Velbert Lewis, Jr.) is an award-winning American contemporary jazz recording artist, Hammond organist, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist whose career spans more than six decades. Known for his distinctive Hammond organ sound, soulful melodies, and groove-driven approach to contemporary jazz, Lewis has built a career encompassing recording, international touring, television composition, production, and performance.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lewis began his musical journey in 1965 as a first soprano vocalist with the Philadelphia All-Boys Choir under the direction of Dr. Carlton J. Lake. As a featured soloist with the choir's Small Ensemble, he performed internationally, including an appearance at Expo '67 in Montreal, Canada. He studied voice and piano at Settlement Music School and later focused on organ, studying under Milton Myers and Dr. E. Woodley Kalehoff, who had served as a White House pianist under President Harry S. Truman.

Song Yi Jeon

Born: August 28, 1984

Hailing from South Korea, Song Yi Jeon is a singer and composer who deftly combines modern jazz harmony and odd time signatures with singable melodies that instantly catch the ear of the listener.

She studied classical composition at the University of Music and Fine Art in Graz, Austria, and Jazz vocals at the Music Academy in Basel, Switzerland and Berklee College of Music in Boston, in the US where she developed her unique sound. Through her background in classical composition, she uses her understanding of harmonic structure to create incomparable improvisations.

In 2013, as the inaugural Quincy Jones CJ&E fellow, she studied at the Berklee College of Music where she was also awarded the Billboard Endowed Award.

Contemporary Jazz

Label: Messidor
Released: 2009

Contemporary Jazz

By Branford Marsalis

Label: Columbia Records
Released: 2000
Track listing: In The Crease; Requiem; Elysium; Cheek To Cheek; Tain Mutiny; Ayanna; Countronious.

Branford Marsalis: Contemporary Jazz

by Mark Corroto
November 1, 2000

Although the penultimate release from Branford Marsalis was entitled Requiem, this outing for sure embodies a fitting tribute to Kenny Kirkland. The pianist died mid-recording of Branford’s last disc, shocking the young saxophonist and causing him to find a new rhythm section leader. Well actually Tain Watts is the center of any rhythm scene wherever he ...

Branford Marsalis: Contemporary Jazz

by Mark Corroto
November 1, 2000

Although the penultimate release from Branford Marsalis was entitled Requiem, this outing for sure embodies a fitting tribute to Kenny Kirkland. The pianist died mid-recording of Branford’s last disc, shocking the young saxophonist and causing him to find a new rhythm section leader. Well actually Tain Watts is the center of any rhythm scene wherever he ...

Contemporary Jazz

By Johnny Hawksworth

Label: Scandia
Released: 1968