Results for "straight ahead jazz"

Paul Tafoya

Born: June 3, 1990

Award winning trumpeter, composer, band-leader, and arranger.

Paul Tafoya is a talented trumpeter, composer, and bandleader with a decade of professional experience in the music industry. He developed a passion for music in his pre-teen years, later being awarded "Marine Musician of The Year" in the MARFORPAC band in the Marine Corps, where he honed his skills while travelling abroad performing. After his time in the military, Paul attended college and studied with some of the most renowned musicians in the industry, including Lew Soloff, Jeremy Pelt, Ralph Alessi, Ingrid Jensen, Jon-Erik Kellso, and more. 

Angelo Velasquez

Angelo Velasquez is a proud Los Angeles based Jazz drummer, composer, and band leader. He is a graduate of California State University Northridge Jazz Department, the 2021 Downbeat winner for best composition, and the Disney scholarship winner at Cal arts where he received his MFA in jazz performance. The leader of “YOCOYA”, Angelo blends, musical styles from all over the world with jazz, in both his playing and compositions to create a powerful, unifying, and emotional musical experience. Angelo has performed with the likes of Dontae Winslow, Logan Richardson, Luis Conte, Sasha Berliner, Nick Mancini, Steve Lehman, Larry Koonse, Alphonso Johnson, Eric Marienthal, Wayne Bergeron , Brian Scanlon, Ira Nepus, Gary Pratt, Bob Sheppard, Bobby Shew, and John Daversa

3Divas Jazz Trio

Born: July 27

3Divas Jazz Trio Fiercely swinging on purpose, with purpose this powerhouse trio plays original, traditional and contemporary standards from all genres of music. Their unique style and innovative arrangements are always super-charged by their boundless musical joy. Sherrie, Amy, and Jackie met in May of 2014 at the Cleveland Playhouse while playing in The DIVA Jazz Orchestra as part of Maurice Hines’ award-winning show Tappin’ Thru Life. From their first shared downbeat, they became kindred-swinging spirits and the resulting musical synergy was fast and fierce...or as the New York Times said…"Blistering Hot!" Since its inception the trio has played at many of the country’s most prestigious venues including: Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (NYC,) Mezzrow (NYC,) New World Stages (NYC,) Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors (NYC,) National Sculpture Gardens (D.C.,) Washington Women in Jazz Festival (D.C.,) the Cleveland Playhouse (Clvd, Oh) Tri-C Jazz Festival (Clvd, Oh,) Blu Jazz (Akron, Oh) The Bop-Stop (Clvd, Oh) Nighttown (Clvd, Oh.,)The Delaware Theater Company (Wilmington, DE,) True Blue Jazz Festival (Rehoboth Beach, DE.,) World Café Live (Phila, PA) Maple City Jazz Festival (Honesdale, PA,) The Deer Head Inn (DWG, PA,) COTA Jazz Festival (DWG, PA,) South (Phila, PA) and The Penn’s Landing Playhouse (Phila

Peter Ponzol

Peter is a well-known American jazz saxophonist.  He  grew up in the Philadelphia area and had the good fortune to study with some of the teachers of the great players such as John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Hank Mobley and many other greats.

Peter spent time in Miami, and San Francisco before settling in NYC in the 70's, where he was a very active jazz and studio player. After receiving a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Performance Grant in 1977 he recorded his first solo album, Prism, and began playing in Europe. He received a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service in 1980 to come to Germany as a visiting artist. He moved to Germany in 1981 where he remained until returning to the US in 1993. While in Germany he was often a guest with the Radio Frankfurt Jazz Ensemble and played in many European  Jazz clubs and festivals.

Francesco Crosara

Born: September 13, 1960

Francesco Crosara is a Seattle based Italian jazz pianist, composer and educator, typically performing in a range of formats, from solo, duet, trio, quartet, or more.  Originally from Milan, Italy, Crosara’s music melds an impressive mix of jazz improvisation, a romantic vein from his classical training, along with Latin influences.  His major piano influences are Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Herbie Hancock.

Crosara stands among the European-bred jazz greats, performing over the years with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Hargrove, Richie Cole, Von Freeman, Bobby Shew, Ira Sullivan, Bruce Forman, Barbara Morrison, Don Menza,  Lilian Terry, and more. His recordings have featured a multicultural and international array of musicians.

Mira Choquette

Born: July 6, 1982

Steven Husted

Born: November 27, 1970

Steven began his musical journey at the ripe old age of 6. From there he was always involved in everything musical from school band to private instruction to playing local parties for friends. At age 15, Steven moved from CT. to San Francisco, where he jumped head first into the study of jazz. By the time Steven was 23, he was one of the top call bassists in the San Francisco Bay Area, including 6 years teaching at the acclaimed Stanford Jazz Workshop. Steven has played with many jazz greats including Kenny Burrell, Billy Higgins, and Vince Wallace. Now residing in Austin, TX, Steven remains an in demand bassist/composer and band leader

Alex Clarke

Born: December 14, 1999

As a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, winner of the Rising Star category in the 2019 British Jazz Awards and nominee in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2021 & 2022, Alex is known to be one of the most in-demand and versatile young saxophonists to have emerged on the British jazz scene.

Since the age of 15 - where she saw her first public performance sitting in with the Exall/Roberts Quintet at Pershore Jazz Festival - Alex has been a regular face at jazz clubs and festivals all around the country.

Known for her versatility and open-minded attitude towards jazz, Alex enjoys performing a range of genres from New Orleans to bebop. Praised for her extensive repertoire list and intelligent ear for harmony, she brings a youthful, intuitive approach that always sounds authentic in a variety of musical settings. Alex's musical voice is steeped in the tradition of jazz; her deep respect for the heritage of the music can be heard in her swinging, melodic sound which is reminiscent of Scott Hamilton and Lester Young, also heavily influenced by Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley.

Larry Davis Vernec

Born: June

Larry Davis Vernec began his bass studies in 1982 with John Leftwich, in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, near San Diego California.  He has played bass in a wide variety of jazz combos since the mid 1980’s and moved to Denver Colorado in 2019, where he can be heard playing straight ahead jazz in local clubs and restaurants with Denver's top talent.

Hard Bop Messengers

Active since: 2018

Live At The Last Hotel, the upcoming release from John Covelli’s Hard Bop Messengers, is a jazz album that literally tells a story. The visionary, original, genre-defying musical journey that reminds you of what jazz can be, was born from a residency at the REAL Last Hotel in downtown St. Louis. Each song paints a picture with bounce and bustle, that takes you to a place and time that somehow feels both nostalgic and modern. The lyrics tell the story of the trials and tribulations of a fictional hotel through the eyes of its employees.

Covelli knew he had something special when he assembled this group and he gives them all room to shine. Nick Savage, Chris Meschede, Luke Sailor, and Ben Shafer are, like himself, of the esteemed Webster University jazz program. Matt Krieg, originally from St Louis, puts the vocals where they need to be to tell Covelli’s lyrical tale. Covelli has played in dozens of bands over the years and learned just as many styles.