Results for "straight ahead jazz"

Gabe Katell

Hailing from upstate New York, Gabe started performing after high school with the Albany State Big Band. Upon moving to California, he performed in Glendale’s Jazz Society Big Band, the Sonny Phillips Ensemble, the Kevin Hiatt Big Band, Gabe’s own quartet, the Jack Lantz Big Band, the Harry Selvin Big Band, the Conejo Jazz Orchestra, “Saxtravaganza,” the Late Nite Big Band, the Groovin’ Easy Big Band, Soul Expressions and the Jazz Express Sextet. He has studied with jazz notables Nick Brignola, Bobby Shew and Dan Higgins.

Ron Gonzalez

Ron Gonzalez is a seasoned jazz guitarist bringing the authentic sound of New York City's jazz scene to the Hudson Valley.

Based near Beacon, NY, Ron delivers compelling performances of straight-ahead post-bop, Latin jazz, soul jazz, and blues.

A graduate of the New School Jazz Program (1992), Ron studied under jazz legends including Jim Hall, Joe Chambers, Buster Williams, Andrew Cyrille, and Gene Bertoncini. Before moving to the Hudson Valley, he spent 15 years as a professional musician in New York City, performing at iconic venues including the Blue Note NYC, the Village Gate, and Smalls, collaborating with renowned musicians such as Ted Curson, Dave Douglas, Patience Higgins, and many others.

Zen Zadravec

Born: July 11, 1974

Zen Zadravec is a jazz pianist, saxophonist, and composer who views all music as a form of creative communication. His goal is to create music rooted in human experience—absorbing and expressing as much as possible through the lens of Humanism inspired by the philosophies of Nichiren Buddhism. Ultimately, Zadravec strives to craft music that inspires, encourages, and touches the heart.

A true musical chameleon, Zadravec moves effortlessly between jazz, R&B, funk, rock, and pop—bringing freshness and confidence to every style. A natural innovator and leader, he leads two groups of his own: The Zen Zadravec Quartet and his fusion ensemble Human Revolution.

Patrick Felixson

Born: May 8, 2003

Patrick Felixson is a straight-ahead jazz vocalist devoted to Black American music, bringing his own soul to the Great American Songbook through the lens of his lived experience. Known for his rich, bright, and nimble tenor voice — with a slight gravel that adds depth and romantic elegance — Felixson blends the traditional with the modern, creating performances that feel both timeless and deeply personal.

Patrick Felixson's musical foundation is rooted in the church and shaped by six years of international performance across Russia, the United States, and Canada. From local bars and pubs in Kursk, Russia, to Fredericton and Toronto, he has spent countless nights on the bandstand, mentored by musicians who instilled in him a deep respect for the tradition. His performances balance reverence and emotional honesty, honoring the masters who came before him while carving out space for his own voice.

The Uncalled Capital

Active since: 2024

Staying true to the idioms of jazz while expanding its sound into the contemporary realm, The Uncalled Capital is a critically acclaimed sextet based in Tokyo featuring Shunya Aramaki on trumpet, Yu Yoshimori on alto saxophone, Jun Umegaki on tenor saxophone, Minami Yazaki on piano, Wataru Tamura on bass, and Jun Sato on drums. The ensemble draws inspiration from the likes of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and the SFJAZZ Collective and showcases a dynamic repertoire that includes both original compositions and arrangements of jazz standard tunes by its members. Having performed at various venues in Tokyo, The Uncalled Capital is set to release its much-anticipated debut EP in the spring of 2025.

Marie-Claire Giraud

Born: June 8, 1987

Marie-Claire Giraud is a soprano, jazz singer, songwriter and  actor. Born on the island of Dominica and raised in The Bronx, NY.  Marie-Claire started her operatic training in Rome, Italy. The pandemic afforded Marie-Claire the luxury of time to reflect and expand her creative spirit- writing her first musical, and discovering her true voice of soprano. 

The artiste’s impressive career has taken her to legendary venues such as Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden, New York City Hall, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, and Small’s Jazz Club in NYC. In July and August 2024 Marie-Claire took the stage in Honolulu for the Hawaii Classical Music International Competition Winner’s Concert and headlined a sold-out performance at Maui’s Jazz Maui Sunset Jazz Series.  She also has performed at international festivals like the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and the Cartagena Jazz Festival, under her belt.

Katrina Van Humbeck

Born: December 17, 1967

Katrina Van Humbeck is a vocalist, composer, piano player, and educator based in Winnipeg, MB. She creates her own unique brand of Jazz Fusion, with a dose of Inspiration. Her music has earned her nominations with the GMA Canada (Gospel Music Awards 2022- Jazz Artist of The Year), and with the WCMA (Western Canadian Music Awards 2020- Spiritual Artist of The Year).

Katrina has four studio recorded albums of original songs to her credit: Only Love; Stronger Still; her sophomore album, Doing A New Thing; and her debut album, Blue & Beyond; all of which reflect influences of the jazz greats and her background in various musical genres.  Katrina's recent release,‘Only Love,’  is a collection of classic, straight-ahead jazz standards and original compositions.   

Stefan Sirbu

Strasbourg-based pianist and composer, Moldovan-born Stefan Sirbu has made both sides of the Rhine and the Atlantic his creative lab. Classically-trained since the age of 6 and composing since the age of 10, Stefan Sirbu has been drawing inspiration from jazz greats and contemporary artists, hip-hop, Latin-American and European classical music alike.

Dedicated to the art form, while pursuing a career in law, he has been sharing his music with audiences internationally for over twenty years. His compositions have been broadcasted on various radio stations worldwide such as Swiss Radio Jazz, France Musique, Radio România Cultural, Canarias Radio and others.

John Roth

Born: October, 1957

Nina Beck

Born: October 28, 1955

These recent statements from several industry pros could sum it up "in a nutshell" about Nina Beck's piano playing and singing: "With so much jazz mistaking excess for invention and hyperactivity for dynamism, Nina Beck and her groups display genuine heart with no bells and whistles. Nina is a pianist/singer worthy of much more attention." -Roger Crane, Jazz Writer for such publications as Jazz Improv and All About Jazz. "You're very good, and you know how to swing. I can't say that about every pianist; but you definitely can swing." -Marty Harris, prominent pianist/recording artist. "Nina Beck is a polished jazz pianist with absolute pitch. Beck is a solid performer who knows all the tunes and plays them superbly." -John Gilbert, Staff Writer for Sony/Columbia Records, Euro Club De Jazz, All About Jazz, and JazzReview.com Magazine.