Results for "Philadelphia"

Mike Boone

It is well known in Philly that some of the city’s most ardent boosters were never native sons or daughters, but usually transplants from smaller cities seeking to make their mark before moving on to the Big Apple. But bassist Mike Boone, a New Yorker and Eastman School of Music grad, bounced into Philadelphia fresh off a second stint with drummer Buddy Rich in 1985 and stayed put. New York City didn’t really interest him (although he plays there a lot), and lucky for us, the green roots he put down here then have grown barnacled, brown, and rich with history.

Bassist Nicholas Krolak, a rising star based in Philadelphia, calls Boone, “The patriarch of the Philly jazz scene, mentor to all…and the torch-bearer of the Philly jazz tradition.” That encapsulates everything Boone is about. Above his own individual accolades as an instrumentalist, which are numerous and deserved, he’s the consummate steward of this music, in this place—a protector of the realm.

Dirk Quinn

Born: August 24, 1974

Dirk Quinn ...is the guitarist for a high energy funk/jazz band based out of Philadelphia that travels extensively throughout the US and Canada. Utilizing over a decade of steady performing, Quinn has developed a unique and progressive style - one that appeals to a wide variety of music listeners with fans ranging from the jam band hippies to the jazz snobs. Initially attracted to the guitar as a teenager after being introduced to classic rock giants such as Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, Quinn’s thirst for the unique and bizarre soon had him jamming along to the more radical and daring Mahavishnu Orchestra and the humorous, bass-laden noise of Primus

Randy Sutin

I was born in Great Falls, Montana. Both my parents taught music privately in the home. I studied piano starting at age 4 and guitar starting at age 8. At age 10 I began my study of the drums. By that time, I had moved to Rouses Point, New York which is a small border town on Lake Champlain about 40 miles from Montreal, Quebec. I began playing music professionally (mostly rock and some country) with local groups at age 13. When I became of age to go to college, I decided to study music, thus I had to broaden my knowledge of the rest of the instruments of the percussion family. At age 20, I began to study mallet percussion, in particular the vibraphone, which has now become the main staple of my professional life as a musician

Tom Moon

Born: November 3, 1960

A tenor saxophonist who played with the late Canadian bandleader Maynard Ferguson, Moon assembled a variety of Philadelphia musicians for what he calls the Moon Hotel Lounge Project, an all-instrumental collection that touches on elements of jazz, bossa nova and atmospheric fusion.

Inspired by Moon’s stays in snazzy hotel lounges while on the book tour for “1,000 Recordings,” the album is a cool and breezy listen, but the scraping guitar of Kevin Hanson on “Scaffolding, How to Dismantle” and a moody rearrangement of “Rock of Ages” (complete with a synthetic backdrop of vinyl “static”) are among the factors keeping things from drifting too far into the background.

Jaguar Wright

Barry Wahrhaftig

The Hot Club of Philadelphia was started in 2001 by guitarist Barry Wahrhaftig. They are an acoustic ensemble, dedicated to playing 'Gypsy Jazz.' That's the term used to describe the music pioneered by the legendary original 'Hot Club of France Quintet,' which was led by guitarist Django Reinhardt and Violinist Stephane Grappelli. Django and Grappelli were attempting to do their own version of American 'Hot Jazz,' as played by stars like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. They used acoustic guitars, bass and violin, rather than horns and drums. Grappelli and Django added some French and Gypsy flavor and created a blend of music that is quite popular and accessible

Lee Smith

Lee W. Smith is an American-born bassist. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Leopold and Anne Smith, the younger of two children. He has an older sister, Leanne. Lee has three sons: Lee W Smith, Jr., Tommy Pinkett, and celebrated bass great Christian McBride. Lee studied trumpet from 5th grade through his freshman year at West Chester University. He played with the school orchestra and band, and with the all city concert band. While in Overbrook High School, Lee got his first bass guitar, and started learning songs from the radio by ear. He became interested in the bass guitar after hearing James Jamerson on numerous Motown recordings

Michelle Lordi

Born: April 15

On her critically hailed 2015 album Drive, Michelle Lordi joined forces with pianist/arranger Orrin Evans, who produced the project and accompanied her on a program of emotionally taut ballads featuring an all star Philadelphia band. With her new album Dream a Little Dream, she delivers an intoxicating set of beloved standards with an illustrious cast of Philadelphia jazz veterans, including the storied tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna and guitarist Sonny Troy (who have played together since they met in South Philadelphia in Frankie Avalon's band in the late 1950s). A singer blessed with a sumptuous voice, Michelle Lordi turns each musical encounter into an emotionally charged communion, creating an exhilarating circuit between her voice, her collaborators and the audience

George Weldon

Charming and elegant, George Weldon performs the music from The Great American Songbook. Known for his interpretation and song selection from the composers Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart and George Gershwin. A measure of high-society, The George Weldon Quartet is often requested to perform at the residence in the affluent neighborhoods of Philadelphia for private cocktail party events. Through the years George Weldon and his band have performed at the Prime Rib inside the Radission Warwick Hotel located in the Rittenhouse Square section of Philadelphia, The Westminster Kennel Club Opening Cocktail reception on the Piers in New York City, Scoogi's Classic Italian Restaurant in Flourtown, PA., August Moon Restaurant in Norristown, PA., Menzfit Events in Philadelphia and Washington, DC., the Comcast Center in Philadelphia, PA

Peter Gregory

Born: April 18

My name is Peter Gregory and I am the owner of Gregory Tech Drum Center, a state- of-the-art drum teaching and recording studio in Lower Makefield Township. I offer private drum instruction on professional drum sets. I bring over forty-five years’ experience playing and recording in many different styles, and have been teaching for over thirty of those years. I am well-versed in contemporary and traditional styles of music, and have performed with various jazz, rock, R&B and fusion bands. I help my students explore the possibilities of the drum kit, encouraging experimentation while emphasizing the use of proper technique. I trained at The Berklee College of Music in Boston before moving to New York City in 1985