Guitarist, composer, arranger, lyricist, writer, educator, and vocalist Joel Harrison has “created a new blueprint for jazz” (New Orleans Times-Picayune). A Guggenheim Fellow (2010) whose compositions have been commissioned by Chamber Music America, Meet the Composer, New Music USA, the Jerome Foundation, NYSCA, and the Mary Flagler Cary Trust., he has released 25 CDs as a leader on seven different labels. Harrison’s music may be founded on jazz but veers into classical, rock, country, and all manner of American roots music. Succinctly described by the New York Times as “protean… brilliant.”
Harrison is the founder and director of the Alternative Guitar Summit, a yearly festival devoted to new and unusual guitar music. Pat Metheny has called the Summit “one of the most interesting and distinguished forums for guitar on the planet. Harrison is the author of “Guitar Talk: conversations with visionary players” as well as “Modern Jazz Standards for Guitar.”
DAVID GILMORE
Gilmore studied at New York University with Joe Lovano and Jim McNeely. In 1987, he began working professionally with the M-Base Collective and Ronald Shannon Jackson. In the 1990s, he was a member of the jazz fusion band Lost Tribe.[2] In 1995, he became a member of Wayne Shorter‘s band. With his brother Marque Gilmore, Matt Garrison, and Aref Durvesh, he recorded Ritualism in 2001. With Christian McBride, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Ravi Coltrane he recorded Unified Presence. Gilmore was the sole composer on all but one song and also served as the producer of the album.[3]
He has worked with Muhal Richard Abrams, Geri Allen, Cindy Blackman Santana, Ron Blake, Randy Brecker, Don Byron, Uri Caine, Steve Coleman, Alice Coltrane, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Douglas, Melissa Etheridge, Robin Eubanks, Rachelle Ferrell, Trilok Gurtu, Isaac Hayes, Graham Haynes, Cyndi Lauper, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Meshell Ndegeocello, Joan Osborne, Greg Osby, Lonnie Plaxico, Dianne Reeves, Sam Rivers, David Sanborn, Boz Scaggs, Mavis Staples, Joss Stone, Steve Williamson, and Cassandra Wilson.
BEN ZWERIN
Upon moving to NYC IN 2000, Ben began touring internationally (“Montreux Jazz Festival”, “Jazz a Juan”, “Jazz a Vienne”, “North Sea Jazz”, “Playboy Jazz Festival”, “Newport Jazz Festival”…) as well as playing in local NYC venues (Carnegie Hall, Roseland, Bowery Ballroom, Bitter End, Joe’s Pub, Mercury Lounge) with talented and diverse artists such as Lizz Wright, Angelique Kidjo, Lila Downs (Sony), Nouvelle Vague (EMI), Claudia Acuna, Lionel Loueke (Blue Note), Kellylee Evans (Universal France), Otis Clay, The Revelations feat. Tre Williams, Oliver Mtukudzi, Ycare (Sony France), Brendan James (Decca/Universal), Souldiggaz (Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige), Frenchie Davis (The Voice, Rent and American Idol), Ellen Greene (of The Little Shop of Horrors), Antonique Smith (of Rent and Notorious), Forro In The Dark (Nublu/Nat Geo), Running Still (East/West/Atlantic).
BRAM KINCHELOE is a professional musician and writer. He started studying drums with renowned teacher Barbara Borden at the age of four. At eleven, he graduated to her teacher, Chuck Brown, who had also taught Terry Bozzio, Will Kennedy, and Dave Garibaldi. He was the youngest student ever accepted into Chuck Brown’s studio. In 2002 at the tender age of sixteen, Bram moved to New York City on his own to pursue a career in jazz drumming. He attended Laguardia School of Performing Arts for one year before being accepted into Manhattan School of Music. While at Manhattan, attending on a Zildjian scholarship, he studied with Justin DiCioccio. During this time, he also studied composition and piano with Garry Dial, and was involved in various recording and performing projects headed by Dick Oatts, Steve Slagel, Kenny Wollesen, and many more. He has been honored to share the stage with Lee Konitz, Branford Marsalis, Ambrose Akinmusire, Wynton Marsalis, Ben Street, Steve Cardenas and many others.