Results for "vibraphone"

Buddy Montgomery

Born: January 30, 1930

An Amazingly Talented Muscian, Arranger and Composer- His music has been described as, Lyrical and fluid, with a warmth and grace that's hard to resist. Composer and arranger, pianist and vibraphonist, Buddy Montgomery's musical career has spanned nearly half a century. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Buddy was the youngest in a family of musical siblings. He was motivated to pursue a musical career by his older brothers, Thomas, Monk and Wes. But it was his sister Lena's piano playing that inspired Buddy to play the piano. Thomas, who died in his teens, was a drummer; Monk, a bassist; and Wes, a guitarist. By the age of 18, Buddy was on the road with Big Joe Turner, a well-known blues singer

Gary McFarland

Born: October 23, 1933

Gary McFarland was one of the more significant contributors to orchestral jazz during the 1960s. He had an unfortunately short career. But he was surprisingly productive in the brief decade he was captured on record (1960-70). An "adult prodigy," as Gene Lees once noted, McFarland was an ingenious composer whose music revealed shades of complex emotional subtlety and clever childlike simplicity. While in the army, he became interested in jazz and attempted to play trumpet, trombone and piano. In 1955 he took up playing the vibes. Displaying a quick ability for interesting writing, he obtained a scholarship to the Berklee School of Music

Mike Mainieri

Born: July 4, 1938

Primarily recognized as an award-winning jazz vibraphonist, Mike Mainieri’s equally remarkable talents as producer, performer, arranger, and composer have contributed to shaping the cutting edge in music.

During the ‘50s and early ‘60s, he performed with such legendary artists as Buddy Rich, Billie Holliday, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins and Wes Montgomery. At the age of 20, he won Downbeat’s International Jazz Critic’s Award.

In 1962, he joined the ground-breaking jazz/rock group Jeremy & the Satyrs led by flutist Jeremy Steig

Wolfgang Lackerschmid

Born: September 19, 1956

Khan Jamal

Born: July 23, 1946

Khan Jamal has been playing the vibraphone and marimbas in the Philadelphia and NYC area as well as touring extensively in Europe for going on 4 decades. Having studied at Granoff School of Music and Combs College as well as with Bill Lewis, the Philadelphia vibraphonist, he began an association with the renowned improvisational drummer, Sunny Murray back in the 60's that has lasted to this day. His appetite for all ranges of music and a distaste for marketing himself not uncommon among gifted performers has led to a lack of notoriety, except among fellow artists who acknowledge his skill and musical leadership

Milt Jackson

Born: January 1, 1923

Born on Jan. 1, 1923, in Detroit, Jackson's musical beginnings were in the neighborhood gospel churches as a pianist, guitarist, violinist percussionist and singer. He took up the vibraphone in high school. He moved to New York, played with Earl Hines and in 1945, joined Dizzy Gillespie's big band rhythm section, which also included pianist John Lewis, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Kenny Clarke. He worked with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis and in 1951 recorded with Gillespie bandmates Lewis, Clarke and Brown. Inspired by that recording, they reformed as the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1952 with Percy Heath replacing Ray Brown and Connie Kay taking the drum chair after the departure of Kenny Clarke in 1955

Bobby Hutcherson

Born: January 27, 1941

NEA jazz master Bobby Hutcherson is the most accomplished vibraphonist of his generation. He is a master of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic improvisation on both the vibes and the marimba. He has performed or recorded with nearly every major living jazz musician.

Born in Los Angeles in 1941, and raised in Pasadena, Hutcherson took a few piano lessons at an early age. But, he says, "I only played piano for my own enjoyment." Returned to the vibes after hearing the music of Milt Jackson. "One day I was walking down the street and I heard one of his records and that started it I have never tried to directly copy his style, but he's been a great influence on me…” He briefly studied the vibes with Dave Pike.

Jay Hoggard

Born: September 31, 1954

Vibraphonist, Composer Jay Hoggard’s music has touched the hearts and souls of listeners around Planet Earth for 40 years. Jay Hoggard has long ranked with the greatest vibraphone innovators. Jay’s music is positive, spiritual, uplifting, and happy. He masterfully draws on traditional and contemporary musical vocabulary to develop new directions for the vibraphone. Jay seamlessly blends jazz and gospel roots with African marimba rhythms. His performance repertoire represents the three B’s of the jazz tradition (Blues, Bop, Ballads) with original innovations. Born in Washington, DC, Jay Hoggard was raised in Mt

Steve Hobbs

Born: April 17, 1956

Steve Hobbs studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1974-78. Shortly after graduation, he spent two years on the road, and then received a Master's in Jazz Performance from The University of Miami in 1982. He worked on his doctorate in music composition at the University of Northern Colorado in 1983-84. Steve stays busy recording and touring with various artists including Randy Johnston and Tom Harrell, Phil Urso, Spike Robinson, Joe Bonner, Gary Bartz, and has done considerable touring with Art Van Damme. He has been featured at jazz festivals with Giacomo Gates, Bruce Forman, James Spaulding, Don Friedman, Yuron Israel, Kevin Mahogany, and many others. Steve has participated on nearly thirty recordings, seven as a leader

Stefon Harris

Born: March 23, 1973

Vibraphonist-composer Stefon Harris is heralded as "one of the most important young artists in jazz" (The Los Angeles Times). He is unquestionably developing what will be a long and extraordinary career. Stefon Harris' passionate artistry, energetic stage presence, and astonishing virtuosity have propelled him into the forefront of the current jazz scene. widely recognized and lauded by both his peers and jazz critics alike, the 30 year-old is committed to both exploring the rich potential of jazz composition and blazing new trails on the vibraphone. A graduate of The Manhattan School of Music, he received a B.A