Results for "Straight Ahead"

Eric Jacobson

Born: April 7

As a performer, teacher, and clinician Eric Jacobson is in high demand and has been gaining a national reputation through his trumpet playing and as a jazz educator. Eric has performed with Grammy© Award Winners Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Brian Lynch, Tito Puente Jr., and Eric Benet. As a Music Major he studied Trumpet at UW-Whitewater from 1993-1997 with Dr. Frank Hanson, and Grammy Award winner Jazz Director Steve Wiest.

Eric is a top call trumpeter for high-profile gigs in Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago. Eric performs in the windy city at the Green Mill, Jazz Showcase, Winter’s Jazz Club, and Andy's Jazz Club with some of the top Chicago groups such as The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Chicago Yestet, Bakerzmillion, and Mark Colby’s Quintet.

Eric has also been busy in the recording studio with his latest CD released under Grammy Award winner Brian Lynch's jazz label Holistic MusicWorks.

In 2019 and 2021, Eric toured the east cost leading his own group in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, D.C., Philly, and New York featuring world-class musicians Bruce Barth and John Swana.

"Eric is the real deal! - a truly world-class jazz trumpeter with a gift to inspire, motivate and teach students of all ages with dramatic results

Facing West

It all began with a podcast. Tenor saxophonist and pedagogue Donnie Norton received a call from his old friend, Doug Stone to appear on Stone’s podcast. Stone, a tenor saxophonist and educator himself, runs a program focused on all things tenor saxophone entitled “Tenor Talk” and saw Norton as a perfect fit for the program on an episode in 2020. Following the podcast, the saxophonists began talking about their mutual connections, both from school and life, and soon the names of drummer Brian Claxton and bassist Braun Khan came up. “All of the members knew each other and had played with each other in various other walks of life,” Norton says, “but the four of us had never played together as a unit.” That quickly changed as the four went from a group of friends to a powerful quartet, creating original music that pays homage to the freedom of expression found in the great chordless jazz ensembles of the past.

Vicki Burns

Born: August 26, 1961

Vicki Burns has a pleasing wide-ranging voice, crystal clear diction, and she knows how to sing as if she means it.” Bebop Spoken Here 

“Avoiding the predictability of safe havens, her music brims with many more surprises and uncharted delights... Vicki Burns is irresistible.” Dr. Herbert Wong 

Jazz singer Vicki Burns is the complete package. With her three-octave range, sure sense of rhythm, and perfect intonation, she can scat convincingly, swing like a horn, and write hip songs worthy of attention from other vocalists.

She has produced three CDs as a leader: Siren Song (2005), Live at Anna’s Jazz Island (2008), and her 2022 release Lotus Blossom Days.  Jazz writer Marc Myers said, "Vicki's voice on Lotus Blossom Days is warm and round, sophisticated and optimistic with shades of blue. She also takes terrific risks that pay off.” 

Pete Smith

Pete Smith is a New York City-based guitarist who performs in a wide range of musical settings.  As a founding member of Santos4tet (aka Grupo los Santos), a vanguard Afro-Cuban and Brazilian-style quartet, he has played New York’s Town Hall, concerts throughout the U.S., Cuba & Austria and was a Fall 2024 JazzRoad performing arts grant recipient. He has performed at the Berlin Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival, as well as concerts in thirty countries throughout Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. He has worked with Norah Jones, trumpeter Donald Byrd, Cuban trombone master Juan Pablo Torres, Andrew Hill, Kat Edmonson, Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks, the Moonlighters, Madeline Peyroux, Natalie Merchant and Huun-Huur-Tu, and is a member of Michael Feinstein’s Carnegie Hall Big Band

Kaylene Peoples

Kaylene Peoples is what you call a quadruple threat. She was a model and 2-time Miss California; she is a vocalist with a rare 5-octave range, a multi-instrumentalist, and a prolific composer/arranger/conductor. Kaylene graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Composition and Ethnomusicology, and completed an elite Masters program in Film Scoring under the direction of Academy Award-winner composer Walter Scharf. She also mentored with Academy Award-winner composers David Raksin and Henry Mancini; and has even played piano side by side with Oscar winner film composer Jerry Goldsmith. Kaylene has written and conducted countless string arrangements for record labels, including Capitol Records, Polygram, Warner Bros., EMI, and Universal/Republic

Nathan Borton

Born: March 11, 1993

Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Nathan Borton is a Michigan based Jazz guitar player that draws heavily from the mid-western tradition of bebop and the blues. Nathan has played with and alongside names such as: Rodney Whitaker, Michael Dease, Paul Keller, Diego Rivera, and Tom Knific. He has also performed at various music festivals including: the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, the East Lansing Jazz Festival, the Michigan Jazz Festival, and the Wichita Jazz Festival. Currently, Nathan is releasing his debut album, “Each Step” through Origin Records. The record, produced by Randy Napoleon, is set for release January 2022, and has already gained praise from the likes of trombone giant Michael Dease and Benedetto CEO Howard Paul

Erik Hempel

Born: February 5, 2001

Erik Hempel is a force of nature, both in his music and character. Hempel’s dynamic and powerful performances have amazed hundreds of audiences from the main stage of the Clearwater Jazz Holiday Music Festival to the legendary stage of the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Influenced by a wide variety of musical styles (the blues, rock, jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, you name it), Hempel is an incredibly versatile artist who is pioneering his own bold style of music in order to not only better reflect the times, but to tell his unique story. As a rapidly emerging artist, Hempel has already opened for major musical acts such as Chicago, Marcus Miller, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Blood Sweat and Tears, and more!

Born and raised in St

Mark Neuenschwander

Mark Neuenschwander has taught Jazz Bass at The University of South Florida since 1986, and is widely recognized as one of the finest and busiest bass players in Florida. Originally a French horn player, he adopted the bass for its versatility in performing all styles of music. He studied music at Memphis State University and is also on the faculty at Southeastern University and St. Petersburg College. Mark serves as an Executive Board member for AFM Local 427/721, and is the music contractor for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Dr. Phillips Center, Raymond F. Kravis Center and for numerous other venues and artists

Harold Land Jr

Harold Land, Jr. has toured Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America with Jazz and Funk legends such as Marvin Gaye, Roy Ayers, Gerald Wilson, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Burrell, Pharoah Sanders, Lee Morgan, Roland Kirk, and many others.

The Crusaders' pianist Joe Sample introduced Harold to Wayne Henderson. The meeting led to Harold's first professional gig, and to his first two album appearances, including the cult favorite "People Get Ready". He credits bandleader Gerald Wilson with giving him his first traditional Jazz gig, which came shortly after his time with Henderson. Harold accumulated important credits touring with Jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders.

Oleksandr Kolosii

Born: October 20, 1990

"Oleksandr Kolosii and his quartet delivers a strong in the tradition music that captured me from beat one. Bravo Oleksandr!! Carry On."  —Joe Lovano

In early 2023, saxophonist and composer Oleksandr Kolosii presents his new project "Paws Up" released on the label Unit Records (CH) and featuring a special line up of musicans who made a significant impact on Oleksandr's career: Carl Winther - piano, Doug Weiss - double bass and Anders Mogensen - drums.

The music for this project began to come “into one frame” after personal changes in Oleksandr's life after marrying his life partner. “This is a very special project for me” says Oleksandr. After 12 years of living abroad, travelling to over 54 countries and living in Copenhagen since 2017, he decided to move out to the countryside and experience family life again. “It was like a breath of fresh air” after leaving his parent's house in his early 20s to pursue his musical dreams worldwide…