Results for "Jacksonville"

Mica Bethea

Born: November 30, 1983

Based out of Jacksonville, Florida, Mica is a composer, arranger, and band leader in the jazz vein. He received his graduate and undergraduate degrees, both in music, from the University of North Florida. In 2012, he received the undergraduate arranger award by Downbeat Magazine. He is co-owner of the Cue Note, a billiard room and jazz venue, as well as a boardmember of the Jazz Discovery Series. Though he writes for many mediums of ensembles, most of his music is set to the big band format and is primarily written for his own amusement. He has released two albums with his own group that show his fervor for this instrumentation: the self-titled Mica Bethea Big Band and Stage n' Studio. His big band incorporates some of the highest level of performers in the North Florida region, and the occasional special guest

Ben Adkins

Born: February 19, 1986

With a musical career starting early in a family blues band, Ben’s study of jazz began in high school at The St. Johns County Center for the Arts. Having earned a music scholarship from the St. Augustine Jazz Society, Ben completed his Bachelor of Music from the University of North Florida (during which he was selected to be a member of the Disneyland All-American College band), and Master of Music from Florida State University, under the tutelage of Danny Gottlieb and Leon Anderson, respectively.

          More recently Ben has ventured into the realm of composition, releasing his first album with original material, entitled Salmagundi, to critical acclaim in 2016

Daniel Dickinson

Born: February 19, 1993

Daniel Dickinson, an up-and-coming talent from Jacksonville, FL, has been musically minded since his childhood. Having been raised in a musical family and given the blessings of a musically fruitful upbringing in Lavilla School of the Arts and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, his gifts have always pushed him forward to new, big ideas. Within the last few years, however, his advancement has taken off with unprecedented ferocity, which he will tell you is due to the tremendous teaching he has received from such world class musicians as Lynne Arriale, Todd Del Giudice, and Bunky Greene. Daniel's skills in composition, arranging, and performance on the clarinet, flute, and saxophone in both classical and jazz idioms have awarded him numerous honors from organizations at the local, state, and national level

Freddie Williams

Born: July 26, 1986

Born July 26, 1986, Freddie is a young jazz musician just emerging into the jazz music world. Since 2005, Freddie predominant career has been work with jazz groups Control Point 11 and Who Invited Shady as a songwriter,percussionist, and guitarist. Freddie's studies in music began in Jacksonville, Florida through the International Baccalaureate music program. Recently studying at the University of Florida, Freddie hit the mainstream jazz scene. With a foundation in the drums and jazz guitar, Freddie has became an innovator in Jacksonville's own Jazz movement. Freddie Williams' current project is with jazz contemporary Adam G

Brad Mehldau

Born: August 23, 1970

Pianist Brad Mehldau has recorded and performed extensively since the early 1990s. Mehldau’s most consistent output over the years has taken place in the trio format. Starting in 1996, his group released a series of five records on Warner Bros. entitled The Art of the Trio. Mehldau also has a solo piano recording entitled Elegiac Cycle, and a record called Places that includes both solo piano and trio songs. Elegiac Cycle and Places might be called “concept” albums. They are made up exclusively of original material and have central themes that hover over the compositions. Other Mehldau recordings include Largo, a collaborative effort with the innovative musician and producer Jon Brion, and Anything Goes—a trio outing with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy.

Lisa Kelly

Born: February 14

Lisa Kelly’s truly sings from the jazz tradition, classic to modern: it's great vocalists, horn players and bands, with influences that include Ella, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Carmen McCrae, Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Satchmo, Freddy Hubbard, Clark Terry, the Count Basie Band to Maria Schneider. Lisa's signature sound and seasoned style has earned her many ardent listeners, drawn to her rich vocal timbre and impeccable phrasing in a relaxed, inviting style, and sophisticated stage presence. She conveys am intimate depth of lyric with a horn-like approach to improvisation and a solid ‘in the pocket’ swing feel, artfully creating superb musical lines much noticed by the instrumentalists

Les DeMerle

Born: November 4, 1946

Long at the forefront of modern jazz drumming, drummer, clinician and band leader Les DeMerle toured and recorded with the Harry James Big Band from 1970 to 1982. One of those recordings, "King James Version" won a Grammy Award. Les toured for three years and recorded with Wayne Newton, also toured and recorded with Manhattan Transfer, and has appeared with many other musical greats, including, Lou Rawls, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, and Joe Williams. His own jazz/rock group Transfusion, produced five poll-winning albums, and his two educational drum books, Jazz/Rock Fusion, Volumes 1 and 2, published by Hal Leonard, have long been best sellers.

Cookin' At The Corner, Volume One

Les DeMerle's 4th recording for Origin is another swinging affair that further cements his reputation as one of the most dynamic drummers in jazz

Steve Lesche

Born: November 21, 1981

Ray Callender

Born: June 16

Ray Callender was born in Winfield, Illinois.  The son of Charles Callender, a Chicago trumpeter and craftsman at Schilke Music Products, his love for his instrument began at an early age.  However, his love for the music didn't develop until early high school, sparked by a double-sided tape of Kind of Blue and Jazz at Massey Hall; he was instantly hooked.  Callender began to study the masters, especially Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, and Miles Davis, and his diligence earned him numerous honors while still in high school, including “Best Soloist” at the Chicago Area Jazz Festival, “Outstanding Soloist” at the Rolling Meadows Jazz Festival, and the 1996 Louis Armstrong Jazz Award.  Callender graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Florida jazz program where he studied with the legendary Bunky Green.  He performed with and composed for the top jazz ensemble and combo and was a featured soloist on UNF's Down Beat award-winning albums, Things To Come, Second Thoughts, and Through His Eyes, as well as recording with notable pianist/educator Dr. Keith Javors on his 2004 Zoho Records release, Mo' City Jungle.

Keith Javors

Born: October 15, 1971

Never compromising a strong dedication to excellence, critically-acclaimed artist, producer, educator, and entrepreneur Dr. Keith Javors has seen success in nearly every facet of the modern music industry. From his unmatched multiple, consecutive Downbeat magazine awards as a teacher and bandleader to the cutting edge leadership behind his global imprint Inarhyme Records to his natural aptitudes as a profound and soulful player and composer, Javors does it all, and he does it all at an undisputed high level. Not by his own admittance, Jazz Times says "The degree of hard work, patience, study, blood, sweat and tears necessary to produce a band of this quality is phenomenal." Keith is President and CEO of Inarhyme Records LLC, a top-shelf Indie record label and music production company which produces critically-acclaimed and cutting-edge releases and produces concert collaborations throughout North America and abroad