Afleveringen
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Ever since Brian Pace emceed his kindergarten production of Star Wars, the microphone was always the place where he’s felt most comfortable. In fact, Pace’s journey has not always been an easy one, but through God’s grace and speed, he’s allowed him to become one of the most innovative and well-researched journalists in America.
Brian was born on June 1st, 1972 in Indianapolis, Indiana. His father was a scientist who eventually became a teacher and mom was a school psychologist. “My parents always stressed the importance of reading and education as a means to be self-reliant and to become your own person,” he explains. “My mother, who retired from the Indianapolis Public School system, claims I was reading at 18 months.”
Brian’s social skills were both a blessing and a curse for him and his parents. As a child, his teachers were always calling home telling them about his excessive joke telling or, how he was the one who took leadership on a major project. These skills eventually paid off as he would become a successful producer.
His first exposed to radio and television was through WJEL-TV and FM at North Central High School. It was also during his junior year of high school the Youth Telecommunications Workshop of Indiana Black Expo brought the nationally syndicated Black Entertainment Television program “Rap City” for a taping. North Central was undergoing lots of racial tensions at the time and Indiana Black Expo’s program was a way to break the ice. While they were taping, Pace, who was the class comedian, made his debut as co-host of the “Rap City” with co-host and comedian Chris Thomas. He would co-host the program again during his senior year of high school.
Although Brian wasn’t asked back for his senior year at WJEL, the Youth Telecommunications Workshop invited him to join their program. “Gary Holland and IBE staff were the guys who helped me gain the business and professional side of not just television, but life,” explains Pace. “It it weren’t for the steady discipline and precise hands-on experience of the program, I wouldn’t be where I am now.” YTW was a progressive program that taught African-American students between the ages of 12 to 18, the fundamentals of television production. The students wrote, edited, and hosted their own programs which aired on public access. Brian created and produced “Teen Chat” a talk show that centered around issues pertaining to teenagers.
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Ken Wessel is a versatile, sensitive and soulful guitarist and composer. A vital and personal voice on the jazz guitar, Wessel has been involved in projects playing jazz, ranging from straight-ahead to free music. Ken is also very interested in creating and investigating points of intersection between jazz and Indian music and has performed and recorded with musicians from various parts of the globe. He has performed in 27 countries at major jazz festivals, concert halls and in radio and television appearances.
Wessel worked with revolutionary jazz artist Ornette Coleman for over 12 years (1988-2000), touring the world as a member of Prime Time, Ornette’s groundbreaking ensemble. Ken can be heard on Ornette Coleman’s critically acclaimed Polygram/Verve CD, Tone Dialing. Performing “Skies of America,” Ornette Coleman’s seminal work for symphony orchestra and jazz ensemble, Ken has appeared with Kurt Masur and the New York Philharmonic and London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. Ken can also be heard on Steely Dan frontman, Donald Fagen’s album, Morph the Cat as a featured guitar soloist. He has worked with artists from different shades of the jazz spectrum, including John Abercrombie, David Liebman, Gloria Lynne, Arthur and Red Prysock, Karl Berger, Steve Gorn, Adam Rudolph, Hamid Drake, Steve Turre and Johnny Hartmann.
Ken has a strong interest in world music, particularly with North Indian music, and he has performed with Debashish Bhattacharya, Karaikudi Mani, V.M. Bhatt, Samir Chatterjee and others. Wessel co-leads a trio with jazz tabla master Badal Roy and bassist Stomu Takeishi. Their CD, Daybreak, was included in JAZZIZ magazine’s Top 10 Critic’s Picks of 1998. They have performed together extensively throughout North America. In 1995, Ken and Badal toured India and the U.S. with their composition, “Testimony,” which was commissioned by the Battery Dance Company. As a U.S. Jazz Ambassador, Ken has toured South Asia and South America, visiting India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bengladesh and Venezuela in 2002-03.
He is an active composer (he has received numerous “Meet the Composer” grants) and his original music has an organic and evocative quality. Wessel recently released Unstrung on Nonotes Records, which features Lisa Parrott and Adam Kolker on saxophones, Matt Pavolka on bass and Russ Meissner on drums. His earlier release, Weights & Measures on Nonotes Records, which features Joel Frahm (sax), Brad Jones (bass) and Kenny Wollesen (drums), got 4 stars in Downbeat magazine. Jawboning (CIMP), with bassist, Ken Filiano and drummer, Lou Grassi, investigates the boundaries between freedom and structure.
A dedicated jazz educator, Ken currently teaches at Western Connecticut State University (in Danbury) and at CCNY, in addition to the New York Jazz Workshop. He has given clinics and Master classes at numerous institutions in the U.S. and overseas, including Yale University, Manhattan School of Music, ISCMS Festival, Istanbul, Turkey, the Jazz Education Network Conference, Atlanta, GA, Mahaidol University in Thailand, the Music Academy in Oslo, Norway, and Columbia University.
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"Critics and listeners alike have praised saxophonist Glenn White for his innovative compositions and commanding presence. NextBop describes his work as 'grand, elegant, even somber in some places... kind of perfect,' while Jazz Weekly highlights his 'sophisticated mix of probing and intriguing original compositions.' With a soulful, warm tone and a flair for blending tradition with modern textures, White's music has been called 'progressive jazz made accessible' (All About Jazz) and 'heavy with emotion, with great power' (Hartford Courant). His artistry, both as a composer and performer, continues to captivate audiences and push the boundaries of contemporary jazz."
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Geoffrey Keezer is a GRAMMY®-winning pianist, composer, arranger and producer based in New York City. A native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he began playing piano and composing at an early age. After briefly attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Keezer moved to New York in 1989, becoming the last pianist with the legendary Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Keezer has toured and recorded with Ray Brown, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Barbara Hendricks, Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, David Sanborn, Chris Botti, Sting, Joe Locke and Christian McBride; produced and arranged three GRAMMY®-nominated recordings with vocalist Denise Donatelli, and released a series of albums drawing influences from Hawaiian, Okinawan and Afro-Peruvian folk traditions. His 2009 album Áurea (ArtistShare) was nominated for a Best Latin Jazz Album GRAMMY® award. Geoffrey’s 2013 solo piano release, Heart of the Piano (Motema Records), seeks to redefine solo jazz piano as a personal and interactive showcase of melody, energy and groove, while his 2018 album On My Way to You (MarKeez Records) is a stunning set of music featuring his working trio with the addition of guest vocalist Gillian Margot. Keezer’s latest album Playdate(MarKeez Records) earned a 2023 GRAMMY® in the Best Instrumental Composition category for his song “Refuge”.
Geoffrey’s compositions have been commissioned by the Mainly Mozart Festival, Art of Elán ensemble, Saint Joseph Ballet, Zeltsman Marimba Festival, Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra and Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. His music can be heard in the films What Happens in Vegas, The Wedding Year, and Inhale, and in numerous TV shows including The Young and the Restless, Parks and Recreation, Casual, House of Lies, Call Me Kat, American Crime Story, Clarice, and The Originals.
Time Magazine wrote, “Geoffrey has more than enough virtuosity and sheer musical wit and intelligence to weave all of his apparently disparate strands of influence into an original and compelling whole”, and pop icon Sting said “In the universe of piano players that I have been exposed to over the years, Geoffrey has proved himself to be not only a superb technician and improviser, but also above and beyond this, a composer and conceptualist who can maintain the overall line and the DNA of the song in everything he plays. A musician’s musician.”
Geoffrey Keezer is a faculty member of The Juilliard School and is a Yamaha artist.
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Acclaimed guitarist, composer and bandleader Bob DeVos has enjoyed over 50 years as an in-demand player. With long, blues-drenched melodic lines and a horn-like approach, he has a signature style of groove and sophistication. From solo to big band, Bob is a modern player with strong traditional roots, equally at home with straight-ahead jazz, blues, Rhythm & Blues, funk, Latin, and more. A master with a full, warm sound, in his formative years Bob toured and recorded with the giants of organ jazz–Trudy Pitts, Richard “Groove” Holmes & Sonny Stitt, Jimmy McGriff & Hank Crawford, and Charles “The Mighty Burner” Earland’s greatest band. Bob went on to perform with a Who’s Who in and out of the organ genre: “I feel fortunate to have played with these larger-than-life masters; each had a strong identity. I gained profound insights into the music, how to be a musician, and finding my own voice.”Beginning with Breaking The Ice (produced by Charles Earland) DeVos’ CDs as a leader for HighNote/Savant and other labels have earned rave reviews and many stars in Downbeat and throughout the jazz media, were among the top five on JazzWeek’s National Airplay Chart for many months, and appeared on many yearly top CDs lists. Longtime collaborator Eric Alexander appears on Bob’s Shifting Sands and Playing for Keeps. His most current CDs are the hip Shadow Box featuring Ralph Bowen and the lustrous Six String Solos.DeVos currently leads his own groups and collaborates with vibraphonist Behn Gillece and with pianist Andy LaVerne. Bob was the musical director and guitarist for the famed concert, An Organ Summit Supreme, reuniting with Jimmy McGriff, Dr. Lonnie Smith and Trudy Pitts and tenor legends David “Fathead” Newman and Houston Person. Bob studied jazz as a teenager with Harry Leahy and the legendary Dennis Sandole. When Sandole sent his students to replace Pat Martino in Trudy Pitts’ Trio, Bob got the gig. Bob deepened his compositional and harmonic approach while playing with the Teo Macero Nonet, Gerry Niewood’s Timepiece with Dave Samuels, and as a composer/player for the forward-thinking Ron McClure Quartet. He studied classical composition with Edgar Grana, and received a 1996 NJ Council of the Arts Grant in composition. “My composing is the structural side of my improvising. I strive to develop a musical idea thematically in both my writing and improvisation.”Bob has a far-reaching discography as a sideman, including over 100 studio recordings. He has a strong following for his innovative work with, among many others, Pepper Adams, Joey DeFrancesco, Billy Drummond, Don Friedman, Billy Hart, Etta Jones, Steve LaSpina, Mike LeDonne, Hendrik Meurkens, Etta Jones, Jack McDuff, Pat Martino, Adam Nussbaum, Irene Reid, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Stanley Turrentine and many more. As a young musician he played with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins & recorded for Frank Sinatra and Gladys Knight.In recent years, Bob has performed at the Kennedy Center, The Kimmel Center, The NJ State Theater, The Blue Note, Iridium, The Jazz Bakery, The Kitano, SMOKE, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, the Smithsonian, the San Diego Art Museum, Jazz Forum Arts, Birdland, Jazzmobile, Smalls, Mezzrow and numerous festivals in the US and worldwide, including JVC Jazz Festivals and The San Francisco Jazz Festival.An innovative, generous teacher Bob has done extensive work in jazz clinics worldwide, has been on the faculties of William Paterson and Lehigh University, and is a past artist-in-residence at Newark Arts High. He currently teaches privately both on and off line.
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Growing up on the mean streets of Sydney, Hempton and the Jazz School system didn’t see eye to eye, and he learnt to play jazz the old-fashioned way: jam sessions at local clubs and late night practice sessions on Sydney’s famous Harbour Bridge. A year at sea working on the cruise ships raised the funds for a flight, and in January 2004 he touched down in NYC.
From 2005 to 2016 Nick led The Nick Hempton Band, delivering “highly entertaining, hard-driving and solid swinging modern jazz,” (E–Jazz News) to most of the major New York venues, as well as touring regionally and internationally. With this group, Nick released four highly-praised studio albums: “Nick Hempton Band” (self-released, 2008); “The Business” (Posi-Tone, 2011); “Odd Man Out” (Posi-Tone, 2013); and in 2015, the innovative “Catch and Release,” which was recorded and released track-by-track over the course of a year. This was followed by the pared-back “Trio Stonk” (SmallsLive, 2017), recorded live at NYC’s famed Smalls Jazz Club.
In 2018, after years of flirting with the organ band format, Nick recorded his sixth album, the organ quartet outing, “Night Owl.” Featuring renowned guitar ace Peter Bernstein, Night Owl harkens back to the classic ‘60s organ band sound, “that greasy, funky soul-jazz popularized by the likes of Lou Donaldson, Grant Green and Stanley Turrentine... complete with a Gene Ammons-grade soul tenor sax.” (Something Else Reviews). “Night Owl” was such a gas, Nick took the same band back to the same studio, and the hotly-anticipated follow-up, “Slick,” was released to much acclaim in November 2021.
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Amanda Monaco has performed at venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Jazz Standard, and the Blue Note, and with artists such as Milt Hinton and the Mingus Orchestra. She has released eight albums as a leader. Her current jazz projects include her eclectic quartet Deathblow, rambunctious organ quartet Glitter, and all-female sextet Lioness. Her Pirkei Avot Project performs her original music with lyrics from selected verses (from a collection of rabbinical teachings with the same name) compiled in the third century C.E.
Monaco’s guitar playing is “well within the modernist canon, but quite distinctive: her phrasing is often made up of tartly dissonant chords and insistent yet off-kilter repetitions that remind one of Grant Green by way of Andrew Hill... her playing is utterly unique, a breath of fresh air in the cookie-cutter climes of both mainstream and free jazz.” (Clifford Allen, The New York City Jazz Record)
Monaco is an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music, where she has taught private instruction, labs, and ensembles since 2011. She also teaches for Berklee Online and recorded a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), available worldwide at www.coursera.com. Monaco's book, Jazz Guitar for the Absolute Beginner was published by Alfred in 2004. In 2022, she joined the guitar faculty at Boston’s New England Conservatory.
Monaco is the Artistic Director of Convergence Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to share the art and fun of improvisation with people of all ages. Convergence has presented festivals in New York City such at the Six String Summit (showcasing guitarists Nels Cline and Julian Lage, among others), the Queens Jazz OverGround’s Spring Jazz Fest, and the Lioness™: Women in Jazz Concert Series.
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Christopher Crocco attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated Cum Laude in 1997. Since that time he has worked nationally and internationally as a full time performer, composer, and educator. With performances as a sideman and leader at every major jazz club in New York City, Crocco established himself as one the most unique improvisational voices on the scene. He has performed with Kenny Werner, Mike Mainieri, John Lockwood, Dennis Irwin, George Garzone, Greg Tardy, Sam Yahel, Antonio Farao, Frank Tiberi, Bob Gullotti, Francisco Mela, Ben Street, Kenny Brooks, Ross Pederson, Peter Slavov, Pete Zimmer, Jeremy Allen, John Sullivan, Rick Margitza, Essiet Essiet, Eivind Opsvik, Charles Blenzig, Sean Conly, Tony Moreno, and Ian Froman amongst others. Crocco's longtime relationship with master saxophonist and educator George Garzone, has helped him acquire a uniquely individual voice not only as a guitarist but also through his continued mentoring to students at all levels of music development. Crocco is the only musician qualified to fluidically perform, compose, and teach Garzone's original pedagogy called, "The Triadic Chromatic Approach". He has had the privilege of conducting master classes at music institutions and universities across Europe and the United States. In addition to teaching private students in New York City, Crocco is also an adjunct professor within the New School Jazz Department. His current group is called "FLUID". It includes a rotation of some of the finest musicians working and performing in improvisational music today. "FLUID" has released a number of highly acclaimed CDs & DVDs. Exploring every aspect of truth in music and art, "FLUID" performs with a ferocity and freedom... swing and organic color. Every show is energized with the colors of life.
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James Gibbs III who currently tours with 8 time Grammy nominated singer/song writer Joe Thomas was born in Newark, and raised in Irvington, New Jersey. He began playing the trumpet at the age of 14 and began his jazz training at The New Brunswick Jazz Institute, under instructor and legendary organist Radam Schwartz.
James performed his first professional show on December 12, 1994 for the annual WBGO Jazz membership party and Gala at The Five Spot jazz club in New York City, where he was discovered by the late great jazz singer, arranger, composer, band leader and actress Dr. Betty Carter. She invited James to audition for her annual jazz performance program called “Jazz Ahead”. After he landed the audition, he studied with Betty and performed jazz concerts at. (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and The Kennedy Center with other young amateur/professional musicians from all over the world. That experience inspired James to go forth with his music career as a band leader, composer, producer, arranger and engineer. James performs all over the world as a leader and as a side musician with other bands in many venues and festivals.
James performs many styles of music from: Jazz, Rock, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Reggae, Classical, Brazilian, and many other ethnics styles. James has shared the stage with many greats such as: John Lamb (bassist from Duke Ellington’s Orchestra), Rufus Reid (legendary bassist), Buster Cooper (trombonist from Duke Ellington orchestra) , Mark Whitfield (guitarist), Sean Jones (trumpeter formerly from The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra), John Lee (bassist formerly from Dizzy Gillespie’s All-Star Band), Kenny Drew Jr (pianist), Terrence Blanchard (trumpeter/grammy winning composer in Spike Lee films), Joe Thomas (8 time grammy nominated singer/song writer), Jerry Stiller (Broadway actor, singer and television star), Eric Roberson (grammy nominated singer/song writer), Smokin’ Joe Frazier (former heavy weight champion), Roy Hargrove (trumpeter), Wynton Marsalis (trumpeter/music director of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra), Cecil Brooks III (drummer/club owner “Cecils”), Cyrus Chestnut (pianist), TS Monk (drummer/award winning songwriter/composer/son of iconic pianist Thelonious Monk), Joshua Paul Thompson (guitarist/award winning songwriter, composer and producer), David Pic’ Conley (flutist, saxophonist, award winning song writer and producer, founder of the grammy winning R&B Group “Surface”) and many others.
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Jonathan Saraga is a New York City based, internationally acclaimed trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer, arranger, educator, band-leader and Doctor of Musical Arts. He holds 3 degrees in jazz studies/trumpet performance, has earned over 30 musical accolades from 30 different organizations, and has garnered 25+ years experience performing, recording, competing and teaching on a global scale. Jonathan appears on 30+ studio albums, in 250+ YouTube videos, and has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Canada and the U.S., including via multiple national tours.
Saraga has worked as a trumpeter and flugelhornist for many highly acclaimed and/or Grammy nominated/winning artists such as Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue, Orrin Evans, Arturo O'Farrill, Tyshawn Sorey, Jimmy Greene, Steve Coleman, Henry Cole, Remy Le Boeuf, Valery Ponomarev, Steven Feifke, Migiwa Miyajima, Manuel Valera, Samuel Torres, Jihye Lee, Erica Seguine, the Revive Big, the Birdland Big Band, the Mingus Big Band, the Terraza Big Band, and Brass Against. He has performed at premier NYC venues such as Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, the Jazz Standard, Birdland Jazz Club, the Jazz Gallery, the Barclay's Center, Smoke Jazz Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, the Iridium, Joe's Pub, Fotografiska, Roulette, Smalls Jazz Club as well as Rockefeller Center to name only a few.
Jonathan's work has been recognized and/or awarded by notable organizations such as the International Trumpet Guild, the ASCAP Foundation, Broadcast Music Incorporated, Chamber Music America, the Association for Popular Music Education, the International Society for Improvised Music, United States Artists, the Millay Colony, the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers, the Louis Armstrong Foundation, the Banff Center, the International Songwriting Competition, the Jazz Foundation of America, the United States Navy as well as the United States Air Force and has engaged with audiences in over 500 cities, nearly 70 countries and just short of 100 different universities.
Critics have remarked that Saraga's original music is "skillfully conceived", "exquisitely realized", "assertive" and "inventive" (Jazz Wise, U.K.) and that it features "an uncommon freshness" (All About Jazz, U.S.). The U.K.'s 'Jazz Journal' has called it "intriguing", and that it "comes out of the speakers with a rare confidence and finish, but without the smuggery and sheen that a lot of contemporary jazz has in place of real content." Jerry Gordon of Evidence Records has deemed it "brilliant", France's 'Jazz Magazine' notes its “astonishing maturity”, and McArthur-fellow, saxophonist and composer, Miguel Zenon has hailed it as "impressive", "very focused" and "well conceived." All About Jazz has also noticed an "uncommon freshness" from Jonathan's music and has even proclaimed it as "a stand-up-and-take-notice offering."
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Billy Carrión is a multidimensional bassist that has gathered musical skills from alternate realities, to become one of the hardest grooving musicians on the scene today. Billy’s mission is simple: evolve every piece of music in any genre to its highest, purest, most beautiful form, while preserving music the masters have left everyone throughout space and time. Billy has had quite the musical journey- a requirement to understanding as many aspects of music as possible.
On various instruments pre pandemic, Billy was able to work with some of the most influential musicians and producers in music, including Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto, Tim Gilles, Henry Cole, Giovanni Hidalgo, Suit Of Lights, Alfredo Rodriguez, Papo Vazquez, Ray Santos, and many more- a 20+ year journey so far. Billy’s influences are quite wide, including jazz, Latin music, rock… but the majority come from the depth of 8 and 16 bit video games. “Music I listened to 30+ years ago that I can still hum today,” is how he explains it. “I love music from the 70’s- especially anything with a clavé, and electronic jazz, which was called fusion back then, anything from the ECM record label, etc.. and you can hear those influences in the game music I was exposed to in my youth in the 80’s and 90’s.
Billy is currently performing with the electric jazz group known as U.L.T.R.A. S - Universe Less Traveled Reveals Authentic Self. The band has been lighting up the NY/NJ music scene for the last few years, and has original music slated to be released in May 2024 on all streaming platforms. Billy also has a brand new acoustic jazz quartet featuring Pete Rodriguez on Trumpet, Campbell Charshee on Piano, and Jarrett Walser on drums. For his 40th b-day, Billy recorded 4 of his favorite covers (with Jonathan Peretz on drums) that will be released at the end of 2024. As a leader, Billy has performed at places and events such as the Bergen County Music Festival, Chris’s Jazz Cafe, Trumpets Jazz Club, The Beanrunner Cafe, Crossroads, Somethin’ Jazz Club, The Watt Hotel, and even a 9 year residency at the now closed DLV Lounge, a jazz club that stood strong for 50 years in Montclair NJ. You can also catch Billy as a sideman with various acts around the NY/NJ area. Billy also has a Twitch channel where he streams the old school games that influenced him musically, as well as occasional improvised synth music and live band performances. -
Charles Ruggiero was born to be a drummer. The son of world renowned jazz musician Vinnie Ruggiero, Charles spent his early years surrounded by the "who's who" of jazz. There was always music around, and with musicians like Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Freddie Hubbard, and Jon Hendricks coming to spend time and play, it was only a matter of time before he caught the bug and asked his father to play the "bang-bangs."
As a teenager, Charles got serious about drumming, playing anywhere he could. Soon, local high schools and colleges, as well as professional theatre groups, and popular local bands throughout western N.Y. started to hire him. After winning a seat in the New York State All State Jazz Ensemble, music colleges came calling. Manhattan School of Music offered a full scholarship and a chance to study with famed jazz educator Justin DiCioccio, so he jumped at the chance. The jazz scene in New York City in the early 90's was vibrant and he was plying regularly with his own "who's who" of jazz, including Joshua Redman, Peter Bernstein, Jane Monheit, Ryan Kisor, Joel Frahm, Sam Yahel, Brad Mehldau, Myron Walden, Chris Potter, and Dwayne Burno, to name a few.
In 1994, Charles joined Chuck Mangione's group, touring with the jazz superstar for the next 4 years. The first months of his time with Mangione provided him with the chance of a lifetime - learning the ropes, playing alongside the legendary drummer Steve Gadd. "He taught me so much, and he never uttered one word about music." says Ruggiero.
In late 2000, former MTV/VH1 vee-jay, Abby Gennet, asked Ruggiero to play on a demo of a few of her songs, and the rock-n-roll band SLUNT was born. The band's rise was quick. In only their second year they were on tour with Marilyn Manson. The following years found them on tour with Motorhead, Drowning Pool, and Paul Stanley (KISS) as well as releasing two albums on Repossession Records. After SLUNT Charles found himself on Ozzy Ozbourne's Ozzfest tour, replacing drummer Matt Sorum (Guns and Roses/Velvet Revolver) as a member of Circus Diablo - a band which also featured Billy Duffy (The Cult), Brett Scallions (FUEL), Billy Morrison (Billy Idol), and Ricky Warwick (The Almighty).
Home again in his adopted Los Angeles, Charles continues to thrive. Touring and recording with stoner rock powerhouse Geezer, and Rocco DeLuca, recording for The Loop Loft, filming MyMusicMasterclass videos, teaching private lessons, gigging locally, and continued recording and releasing of his own records keep him busy.
Spring of 2019 saw the release of two new co-lead records for Ruggiero, first "Charles Ruggiero & Hilary Gardner Play The Bird & The Bee" - a jazz-trio-plus-singer take on the iconic LA indie pop duo's music. Second will be "Slide's Blues" - a record with Frank Basile of nine tunes arranged, and in some cases, also composed by Slide Hampton, where Slide himself guests on two tracks. Both records are on the SmallsLIVE record label. In late 2020, Charles continued collaborating and released a holiday record with Gary Matsumoto and Alex Frank called "Jazz YULE dig!"
2022 began a new chapter in Charles' "solo" career with the release of "Drummer. Composer." (affectionally referred to as Roo•Gee•Air•Oh!) - an album of completely original material by Ruggiero himself. It hit #25 on the Jazz charts and continues to receive acclaim and airplay.
2024 showed no signs of slowing down in the touring or recording departments with Charles recording new records with Arturo Sandoval, Brian Bromberg, and Bob Reynolds, and Tony Guerrero as well as releasing his 8th album as a leader, "But of Course" a swinging affair with a couple of standards, a couple of songs by his contemporaries, and a few more originals by Ruggiero.
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Clifton Anderson is considered one of the leading trombonists and composers performing in Jazz today. He is not only noted for his rich personal sound on the horn but for his abilities as a melodic composer and musical interpreter.
Clifton was born in Harlem, New York City into a musical family and from an early age showed an affinity for music. When he turned seven years old he received his first trombone from his uncle, Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins. Clifton attended the prestigious Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and is a graduate of The Manhattan School Of Music. During his college years Clifton played in bands led by Frank Foster, Carlos Garnett and Reggie Workman. He was one of the original members of Slide Hampton’s revered trombone ensemble “The World of Trombones”and quickly established himself as one of the young in demand trombonists on the New York City music scene.
Clifton’s extensive musical career has created the foundation to inform him as a gifted bandleader. His performances embody the fertile and varied history of musical experiences he’s been a part of, working with a who’s who of music and entertainment giants including; Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Barry Harris to Stevie Wonder, Keith Richards, Paul Simon, Wallace Roney, The Mighty Sparrow, Geri Allen, T.S. Monk and Terumasa Hino among others. His identifiable sound and memorable compositions have drawn a consistently expanding audience to his recordings and performances.
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A native of the Bronx, saxophonist, flutist, drummer, and composer Peter Brainin is a Grammy and Latin Grammy winning artist (he is also featured on 7 other Grammy nominated recordings) who has performed at major concert venues and jazz festivals all over Europe, Russia, Japan, India, North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Some of the the bands and artists he has toured with internationally include pianist Hilton Ruiz (1989-99), Chico O’farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra (with whom he recorded 2 Grammy nominated albums, the Latin Grammy winning “Final Night at Birdland” and appeared in the films “Calle 54” and “Thomas Crown Affair”), Mongo Santamaria, Valery Ponomorev, Willie Colon and Legal Alien (1992-2002), Bebo Valdez, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Samuel Torres, Mambo Legends Orchestra, John DiMartino & Quartet of the Americas, Arturo Ofarrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (with whom he is featured on the Grammy winning CD’s “Cuba: The Conversation Continues” and “Offense of the Drum”) and with his own quartet. Other artists he has performed and/or recorded with include Randy Weston, Benny Golson, Wynton Marsalis, Jeff Watts, Ray Barretto, Jerry Gonzalez, Harold Mabern, Paquito D’Rivera, Jaco Pastorious, Lionel Loueke, Joey Calderazzo, Ruben Blades, Eddie Henderson and Eddie Palmieri. He was twice awarded the BRIO Award (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) for music composition. Some of his compositions and arrangements can be heard on his original CD recordings with co-leader, drummer Steve Johns and with the quartet Native Soul.
As an educator, Peter has led ensembles at New York University, New England Conservatory, the New School, and has done residencies performing, teaching privately and giving master classes in Jazz and Afro-Cuban Jazz at University of California at Long Beach and University of Maine in Orono. Peter has also worked extensively for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz in the Schools Program as a clinician with Arturo O’Farrill in schools in all 5 boroughs of New York City as well as residencies with Mr. O’Farrill for Jazz at Lincoln Center at high schools and universities in California, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.
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Steve Picataggio is a professional drummer and educator in New York City from Coral Springs, Florida. From the age of ten, Steve immersed himself in classical percussion, marching drumlines, pit orchestras and big band jazz ensembles.
He then made the commitment to study with world-renown jazz drummer Danny Gottlieb at the University of North Florida. There he had the opportunity to learn the extensive hand techniques originated by Joe Morello. He focused on the history of jazz drummers, most notably Mel Lewis and his influence on big band drumming. As well as the drummers of Count Basie and gravitated towards small group drummers such as Shelly Manne, Philly Joe Jones, Jimmy Cobb, Ben Riley and Ed Thigpen.
During his time in Jacksonville, Steve met Ulysses Owens Jr. a native Floridian and NYC based jazz drummer. For five years Owens mentored Steve on drums and the music industry. Under Ulysses’ guidance, Steve expanded his musical knowledge and mindset and was given the tools required to be a successful musician in New York.
This mentorship jump started Steve’s journey to New York City in 2011, where he studied with Billy Drummond at New York University Steinhardt School of Music while pursuing his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance.
After graduating from NYU in 2013, Steve Picataggio began a professional career as a bandleader and sideman. He has performed at The Blue Note Jazz Club, Birdland, The Kitano, The Bar Next Door and Feinstein’s 54 Below.
His debut record Two Feet on the Ground features original compositions and arrangements and is available on iTunes and CD Baby.
He performs regularly in New York with jazz and Broadway singers, straight ahead jazz small groups, big bands, cabaret, and musical theatre shows. Steve has also toured the US performing with the jazz group The Hot Sardines.
In 2018, Steve began playing drums for Suzi Shelton, an award winning children’s music singer/songwriter. Performances include Outreach morning concerts for the Brooklyn Public Schools, Fort Greene Music Festival, Madison Square Park Summer Festival, Brookfield Place and The Levitt Pavilion in Westport, Connecticut. He also played in Suzi’s band for a performance and interview on Kids Place Live at the Sirius XM Radio Studios in Washington, DC.
Steve has been the drummer for Broadway’s Lesli Margherita since 2013 and appears on her record Rule Your Kingdom: Live at 54 Below (Broadway Records), All Hail The Queen (Feinstein’s 54 Below) and Broad (Birdland Jazz Club). He also plays drums for Wicked Divas, a cabaret show featuring current and former actors from Wicked.
He has played the Off-Broadway shows Under The Bodhi Tree (Royal Family Theater) and About Love (Sheen Center). Currently, Steve is the drummer with Four Phantoms in Concert. A touring performance featuring former actors from the Broadway production.
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Originally from Israel, Itay started playing the drums at the age of six Itay and was honored to study under the direction of the the finest musician and teachers in Israel.
Since November 2016 Itay has been the working drummer in piano legend's Johnny O'neal trio. Since then, he performed with him in prestigious venues and festivals around the world, to name a few: Detroit Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Red Sea Jazz Festival, Rostov International Jazz festival, Blue Note Milano, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, ESSE Jazz Club moscow, as well as weekly residencies in NYC own Smalls Jazz club, Mezzrow Jazz Club, Smoke Jazz Club, Ginny's Supper Club and more.
In October of 2017, Itay was honored to be on Johnny O'neal's new record - "In The Moment" Featuring - ROY HARGROVE and GRANT STEWART.
By 17 years old, Itay has already toured the world and shared the stage with the finest Jazz musicians in Israel, and international well known musicians.
A graduate of the Thelma Yellin School of Arts, a student of BFA Jazz Studies (The Center for Jazz Studies at the Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv in collaboration with The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, NY), Itay's passionate dedication and skillful sensitivity on the drums has become widely known in Israel and made him a wanted drummer in many Jazz ensembles and stages.
By the age of 15 Itay was honored to receive a few scholarships and awards for his playing (Berklee College of Music, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, NY, Stanford Jazz Workshop, Europafest), and play in international jazz festivals.
Since 2013 Itay has been making his way into the New York Jazz scene, and got to work and perform with many great musicians such as – Johnny O'neal, Roy Hargove, Ravi Coltrane, Tivon Penicott, Tuomo Uusitalo, Mulgrew Miller, Eli Degibri, Doug Weiss, Gadi Lehavi, Cyrille Aimee, Daniel Zamir, Omer Avital, Ofer Ganor, Avishai Cohen, Joel Frahm, David Berkman, Dayna Stephens, Gilad Hekselman, Lew Tabackin, Yotam Silberstein, Peter Slavov, Aaron Goldberg, Donald Harrison, Grant Stewart, J.J wiggins, and more..
"He is an energetic and imaginative musician". "Itay has what it takes to elevate and propel any musical situation". (Ravi Coltrane)
"Itay is an extremely talented musician and drummer, with excellent technical abilities. He has dynamic flexibility when playing and great energy supporting the composition and the band. He has immense capabilities in a wide variety of musical styles" (Amit Golan)
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Satish Robertson is a multifaceted trumpeter and composer whose soulful sound resonates across a spectrum of musical genres, from jazz and gospel to hip-hop, R&B, funk, and blues. His compositions often showcase a cinematic depth, reflecting his broad artistic vision.
A Jersey City native, Satish’s musical journey began with the piano, but he was ultimately captivated by the trumpet, inspired by the legendary Miles Davis. His talent was honed under the guidance of renowned trumpeters such as Rob Henke, Jeremy Pelt, Dr. Eddie Henderson, and the late Ted Curson, leading him to develop a distinct and bold voice on his instrument.
Throughout his career, Satish has collaborated with an impressive roster of artists, including jazz greats like James Carter, the Spirit of Life Ensemble, Kahlil Kwame Bell, and Deborah Davis. His versatility also extends to the hip-hop realm, where he has worked with artists like Ace Clark and Skyzoo, as well as R&B icon Meli’sa Morgan. Beyond his collaborations, Satish has led numerous dynamic jazz groups of his own.
In 2020, Satish pushed his creative boundaries with the release of 80’s JOINT, a groundbreaking album that blends virtuosic jazz trumpet with the vibrant sounds of 80's pop, rock, funk, and new wave. The album is a testament to his creativity, with Satish not only composing, arranging, and producing the entire record but also performing nearly all of the parts himself.
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Eric Dupont was born and raised in New Hampshire, receiving his first drum set at the age of 12. Beginning to seriously hone his craft in high school, he earned titles as the NHMEA Jazz All-State drummer and recipient of the Woody Herman Jazz Award. His work as his school’s Drumline captain, jazz band drummer, and wind symphonic band percussionist led him to performances as far as New York, Florida, Canada, Germany, and Austria.Eric initially studied European classical percussion with Jeff Fischer at the University of Massachusetts in 2012, while studying drum set privately with Boston legend Fred Buda. In 2013, Eric transferred to the jazz program at William Paterson University on music scholarship – he graduated magna cum laude in 2016 as the Outstanding Musician Award recipient, with a major in Jazz Studies and Music Management. With the school’s close proximity to New York City, Eric has been fortunate enough to study under the tutelage of such drum heavyweights as Billy Hart, Winard Harper, Horacee Arnold and Bill Goodwin.Eric draws inspiration from his drum heroes, which include Max Roach, Jimmy Cobb, Louis Hayes, Philly Joe Jones, and Art Blakey. He has received scholarships and grants from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and the Music Business Association. Eric was also selected as one of 15 fellows of the 2018 Program for Jazz at Ravinia's Steans Music Institute in Highland Park, IL.
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Dr. Shawn Purcell, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a jazz guitarist, educator, arranger, and composer in the Washington DC region. Purcell has shared the stage, recorded with, and/or toured with Pat Bianchi, Terell Stafford, Nicholas Payton, Tim Warfield, Sean Jones, Brian Charette, Regina Carter, The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Jim Pugh, Chip McNeill, Eddie Daniels, Chris Potter, Steve Allee, Jason Tiemann, National Symphony Orchestra and many others. He has performed at jazz clubs and festivals nationally and internationally including: Blues Alley, Smalls, The Jazz Kitchen, The Blue Wisp, The Jazz Factory, Club Bonafide, JazzB (Sao Paulo), DC Jazz Fest, JEN, PASIC, IAJE, Savannah Jazz Festival and Indy Jazz Fest.
Purcell can be heard on nearly 40 recordings including Chip McNeill’s The Whirl, Steve Fidyk’s Heads Up! and Allied Forces, Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra’s Prime Time, featuring Doc Severinsen, Darden Purcell’s Easy Living and Where the Blue Begins, The Capitol Bones’ The Beat Goes On, Ben Patterson’s Push the Limits, and Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra’s Vital Frequencies featuring Chris Potter. Symmetricity, Purcell’s first recording as a leader, was released in 2019 on Armored Records. As a leader and sideman, stay tuned for new releases from The String Queens, The Capitol Bones, Mike Tomaro Big Band, The Ben Patterson Group, The Way of the Groove, (Origin Records) and Shawn Purcell 180, Purcell’s 2nd release as a leader and debut release on Origin Records.
Purcell has spent over 18 years as a member of the military big bands in Washington DC. From 1996-2004, Purcell was the guitarist in the US Air Force jazz ensemble, The Airmen of Note. During his time with “The Note,” Purcell performed throughout the world including England, Germany, Turkey, Luxembourg, The Azores, Belgium, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Kuwait, and Bahrain. He is currently the guitarist with the Washington DC based US Navy Band “Commodores” jazz ensemble.
As an educator, Purcell currently serves as adjunct professor of jazz guitar and jazz arranging at George Mason University. He has served on the jazz faculty at Towson University, Middle Tennessee State University, and was a Visiting Lecturer in Jazz Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, under the direction of David Baker. He has led master classes at major universities throughout the country. He has served on the faculty for The National Jazz Workshop, Maryland Summer Jazz Camp and The National Guitar Workshop. Purcell has also penned educational articles for Jazz Guitar Life, Premier Guitar and DownBeat Magazine. Purcell earned a BM in Recording Arts & Sciences from Duquesne University, an MA in Music from Middle Tennessee State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Born In Denver Colorado, Colin Stranahan has always been surrounded by music. By his teenage years he was already actively working on the local Denver scene, and has recorded multiple records on the Capri Record label. After receiving the prestigious National Foundation Advancement of the Arts Presidential Scholar award in 2005, he studied at the University of the Pacific for one year as a Brubeck Institute Fellow. Shortly thereafter, he attended the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana.Stranahan was also one of the winners of the 2012 Thelonious Monk Drum Competition. Now living in Brooklyn, New York, Colin is among the most sought-after drummers in the world working with such artist as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jonathan Kreisberg, Dr. Lonnie Smith,Fred Hersch, Terence Blanchard, Dave Kikoski, Kevin Hays, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and many others. He is part of a collective trio featuring some of the most talented and praised young musicians in New York City. Together, the Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato trio has recorded and released two successful albums and are releasing a third that was recorded live at Smalls, scheduled to be released in 2015.Colin Stranahan currently holds adjunct teaching positions at Aarhus Royal Academy of Music, and London’s Royal Academy of Music, where he teaches both private lessons, and ensemble teaching.He also teaches at a few summer Jazz programs including The Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony, The Fara Sabina Summer Jazz School and Festival in Fara Sabina, Italy. Colin also gives drum master classes at Oberlin College, New England Conservatory, International Jazz Conference in Thailand, and the Singapore Esplanade Jazz Festival.
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