christian mcbride

Grammy-nominated recording artist John Beasley’s music career spans three decades.  LA Times jazz critic Bill Kohlhaasee describes Beasley’s music and playing as “a variety of generational influences, incorporating the emphatic chordal clusters of Herbie Hancock, the rhythmic quirkiness of Monk and the lush intelligence of Art Tatum into a highly refined personal …

Grammy-nominated recording artist John Beasley’s music career spans three decades.  LA Times jazz critic Bill Kohlhaasee describes Beasley’s music and playing as “a variety of generational influences, incorporating the emphatic chordal clusters of Herbie Hancock, the rhythmic quirkiness of Monk and the lush intelligence of Art Tatum into a highly refined personal …

Award-winning producer Matt Pierson’s discography reads as an overview of the best that contemporary jazz has to offer, including the likes of Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Pat Metheny, Bob James, Kirk Whalum, Jane Monheit, and countless others. As an executive, Matt led Blue Note’s marketing and A&R departments before being …

Jeremy Pelt has become one of the preeminent young trumpeters within the world of jazz. Forging a bond with the Mingus Big Band very early on, as his career progressed, Pelt built upon these relationships and many others which eventually lead to collaborations with some of the genre’s greatest masters. …

Al Jarreau’s unique vocal style is one of the world’s most precious treasures. His innovative musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically-acclaimed performers of our time with seven Grammy® Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide. It’s not surprising that he has …

We love legends, don’t we? Not only do they use their talents to break barriers and achieve levels of greatness that few have seen, but they also use those very talents to lead a new generation to that same level of excellence and beyond. Master bassist, composer, leader, doctor and …

Marcus Miller This year marked the 35th Anniversary of the Tri C Jazz Festival in Cleveland, Ohio, and I must say it was a great start to the summer for the Rock and Roll City. The organizers of the event went big this year, really big! By incorporating the classic …

When it comes to jazz, funk, R&B and bass guitar, Marcus Miller is truly a pioneer. By the age of 15 he was already composing music and was proficient on the clarinet, piano and bass guitar. In subsequent years he became one of the hottest musicians in the New York …

Roberta Gambarini was born in Torino, Italy, into a family where jazz was much loved and appreciated. She began listening to this music as a child and started taking clarinet lessons when she was twelve years old. By the time she was 17, she began singing and performing in jazz …

The daughter of African immigrants, jazz artist Somi is captivating audiences with her New African sound. A recipient of the TEDGlobal Scholarship, she began playing cello at a young age and allowed that instrument to shape her vocal skills. The soon to be legendary songstress Somi is releasing a brand …

Theo Croker is casually positioning himself to be the next important musician on the scene. If you’re not yet familiar with the twenty-something trumpeter/vocalist, don’t worry, because you’ve absolutely heard of his grandfather, the Grammy Award-winning trumpeter, Doc Cheatham. But don’t think the young talent will be riding his prestigious …

Freddy Cole. The name may sound familiar not only because of the iconic family name, but also because Cole has been a mainstay in the jazz industry for over 50 years. The Chicago native began playing piano at the age of 6, and at 81 years old, he is still …