”Adjoa Skinner has a pretty, lilting voice that is smooth, creamy and girlish, but she is also capable of belting her vocals with forceful, authoritative conviction...the arrangements are complex and intricate, characterized by odd time signatures and unusual chord progressions... ”
- Harriet Kaplan, Music Connection Magazine, April 2007
http://www.adjoaskinner.com/
Brandon Bernstein is an up and coming jazz guitarist in the Los Angeles area. Brandon just finished his Doctorate degree in jazz from USC and has been performing and recording with well-known artists throughout the country. As a solo guitarist, Brandon enjoys playing the music of Ellington, Gershwin, Strayhorn, Bill Evans, Johnny Mandel, and Jimmy Van Huesen among others.
www.brandon-bernstein.com
Whether singing with a group or accompanying herself on seven-string guitar, ALL MUSIC GUIDE calls her "one of the top vocalists of her generation."
http://www.dianehubka.com/
Doug MacDonald is an unpretentious guitarist whose foreground and background playing deliver equal doses of ”beautiful, bell-clear sounds and a sure-footed sense of swing”
- Zan Stewart, jazz journalist
http://dougmacdonaldjazzguitar.com/
Eli is a pianist/vocalist/composer from Los Angeles who loves playing all kinds of music; jazz, latin, pop, soul, funk, classical, and reggae. Eli has toured and recorded with some great musicians and work regularly around LA with his jazz trio.
http://www.elibmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/elibrueggemann
Evan Stone is a drummer that knows how to put together great bands, and that’s exactly what he’s done for his first release on the Red Jazz label. On Sticks & Stone, Vol. 1 Evan Stone is the bandleader, co-producer, and still provides the unmistakable musical drumming style that is all his own. From the down beat of track one to the last chorus of the final tune, Evan Stone leads this wonderful collection of Los Angeles / Orange County based musicians through a fantastic mix of jazz standards and driving originals that is sure to please purist and casual listeners alike.
World-traveled, acoustic jazz and Latin jazz with special focus on smooth sax lines and fresh guitar.
http://www.myspace.com/gregporee
Originally from Detroit, Jacques Lesure has performed with many of jazz’s great artists, Oscar Brown Jr., George Benson, Freddy Cole, Russell Malone, Wynton Marsalis, George Bohannon, and many others. He has collaborated in the creation of and performed in a variety of stage plays, movie scores and special projects made for television. He continues to perform at clubs, benefits, various celebrations, jazz festivals and events locally and around the world.
Joe LoPiccolo is a guitarist and composer whose work is influenced by Classical, Jazz, Funk and World Music styles. Writer Dan O'Heron of the Pasadena Weekly states his music is ”Soft spoken eloquence, fascinatingly improvised.” and ”The music is comforting and visual, it takes you to a better place, a paradise found.” Guitarist Andrew York, formerly of the Grammy Award winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet states ”Having exceptional ability in both classical and jazz genres is very rare; Joe excels in both styles.” Andy Ellis, senior editor of Guitar Player magazine stated ”LoPiccolo's impeccably executed, imaginative arrangements reveal his mastery of the guitar and its most subtle timbres.”
http://www.joelopiccolo.com/
”Nelson distinguishes himself as a first-rate player and composer with a fresh, wholly personal take on the music.”
- Bill Milkowski
”The entire disc is full of wondrous ideas, expertly delivered. Stimulating and fresh; this is the work of a man who could easily represent the future of jazz.”
- All About Jazz
”As for the future of jazz, I think it is secure in the hands of splendid young musicians such as Nelson...of this effort it really could be said that this album presents Josh Nelson and the Jazz Forefront.”
- Bob Agnew, L.A. Jazz Scene (excerpt from ”First Stories” liner notes)
”Get on the ground level, and invest in this guy now; with music like this, he’s going to the penthouse.”
- George Harris
http://www.joshnelsonmusic.com
With ”Goin' Wes,” Ken has firmly planted himself into the realm of world class jazz guitarists and has left us in anticipation of what is to come.
- Matthew Warnock, jazz reviewer
An outstanding guitarist deserving wider recognition to the general public.
- Jim Santella, jazz reviewer
Ken Song is one of the best ”young players” that I have heard in a long time.
- Mundell Lowe, jazz guitarist
I was really gratified to hear a young man with so much respect for the tradition of our instrument. He has a beautiful sound and a real nice positive energy.
- Barry Zweig, jazz guitarist
Good sound, clean technique, sound ideas, bright future.
- Ron Escheté, jazz guitarist
http://www.kensong.net/index.html
”I’ve played the piano my whole life,” says Smith. ”While at Columbia University, I studied extensively with pianist Mike LeDonne. I’d say my primary influences are the titans of the fifties and sixties: Miles Davis, Ahmad Jamal, Cedar Walton, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan... guys like that.” Regarding Peter's album HERE IT COMES, renowned bassist John B. Williams says: ”Peter Smith's artistic talents as pianist, composer, and singer reflect his inclusive and engaging nature as a man. This is a beautifully done CD with great performances by all. A truly memorable musical journey that one will enjoy taking again and again.”
http://www.petersmithmusic.com
Strom is a widely recognized touch-style guitarist and bassist. He’s recorded with a wide range of artists, including Burton Cummings of the Guess Who, Eartha Kitt, Chet McCracken of the Doobie Brothers, the Fifth Dimension, Lynda Carter, The Platters, and others. He has also produced numerous pieces and engineered and mixed music for a variety of artists. He’s played on soundtracks for hit TV shows, including “Fantasy Island,” “Police Story” and “The Young and the Restless.”
Strom boasts a long list of writing and arranging credits from movies to promotional videos. He takes influences from Coltrane to Steely Dan.
One of the most respected guitarists on the LA jazz scene, Riner brings an elegant warm sound to every event.
http://www.rinerscivally.com/
Born & raised in the Los Angeles area, Robert Kyle came from a family of passionate music lovers. He entered college as a music major and aspiring drummer, but soon found himself drawn to the saxophone. ”I’d always loved the sound of it, just hearing it gave me chills,” says Robert, ”but once I actually held a saxophone and played it, I knew I’d found my voice.”
http://www.robertkyle.com/
http://www.cdbaby.com/group/robertkylemusic
http://www.myspace.com/robertkylemusic
Ryan Cross was born in Seattle, Washington on May 31, 1977 where he grew up playing classical music through the public school system. He started playing cello in the fourth grade then he discovered the acoustic bass in his sophomore year of high school. He met the famous bass player Ray Brown and began studying with him. Upon graduation he received a full scholarship to study under John Clayton at the University of Southern California. He graduated from USC in 1999 with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies. In his young professional career, he has already appeared and recorded on several TV shows and movies including “Friends,” ”One on One,” “West Wing,” “ JAG,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Along Came Polly,” and “The Big Time” with Stanley Clark. He composed a score for the Showtime movie “Crossover”, which was a Konwiser Brothers production with executive producers Magic Johnson and Penny Marshall. He also has written and arranged for Greg Porée’s new album Vertical Motion. Cross plays in all styles on cello, acoustic bass and electric bass. Locally he has played with the late great Billy Higgins, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Weller, Phil Ranelin, Spanky Wilson, James Torme, Ralph Moore and Red Holloway. As a member of the “Kids Cotton Club” band, began by Danny Masterson of “That 70’s Show”, Cross has played with such artists as John Mayer, Macy Gray, Mystic, and Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas. This has lead to several recording sessions including one with Macy Gray for the “Desperate Housewives: Music Inspired” by CD. In his long association with Ann Kline, music supervisor for John Wells productions, he has contracted several on screen and recording dates, including a recording session in which he contracted, played, and help arrange “Have Yourself a Merry Christmas”, for an upcoming episode of “ER”. His band, The Cross Hart Jazz Experience, performs every Monday night at The Hotel Angeleno in Brentwood, featuring some of the top musicians in the business. Stevie Wonder paid Cross Hart a visit, in which he performed the Cross original “Tell Me What” with the band. Cross Hart Jazz Experience has their first self titled album with jazz standards and Ryan Cross originals. Ryan just finished contracting 25 musicians and recording Bass and Cello for Alicia Keys new album in New York.
http://www.myspace.com/ryancross
http://www.crossgrooves.com/
Sid Jacobs was born in Miami Beach, Florida. Sid spent his first few years in Havana, Cuba prior to the revolution, after which, the Jacobs family returned to Miami. It is there, at the age of seven, he began his fascination with the guitar. When his family moved to Nevada, Sid obtained a position as guitar instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This made him, at eighteen, the youngest faculty member in the school's music department. After moving to Los Angeles he developed the curriculum for the Advanced Bebop and Jazz Guitar course at the Dick Grove School and the Jazz Guitar class at the Musicians Institute (MI and GIT), where he continues to teach.
In 1991, his CD It's Not Goodnight was released. It is a straight-ahead blowing session featuring his original compositions. In 1998 Sid was the first North American jazz guitarist invited to perform in Argentina's ”Guitars of the World” festival. In May of 2001 he was invited to perform at the Ankara Music Festival in Turkey.
Some of the jazz artists with whom he has performed include Harold Land, Eddie Harris, Buddy Montgomery, Joe Diorio, Brad Mehldau, Larry Goldings and Javon Jackson.
http://www.sidjacobs.com/
Vahagn ”Vahagni” Turgutyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia in 1985. Brought up in a family of Artist's, Vahagni's father Sarkis Turgutyan, Guitar soloist for the National Philharmonic of Armenia, Mother Satenik ShahNazaryan, a theatrical Actress, and Uncle Artur Shahnazaryan, an Ethno- Musicologist and National Artistic Director of Armenia, all influenced and nourished Vahagni's musical development. Vahagni began playing the Guitar at the age of Nine under the instruction of his Father. At a very young age Vahagni showed a great interest in Flamenco Music. After several years of studies with his Father, Vahagni embarked on the first of his numerous trips to Andalusia, Spain. Under the Guidance of world famous Flamenco guitarist Paco Serrano, Vahagni spent over Two years mastering his craft , and participating in numerous Festivals in Andalusia. During the” Cursos Superior del Guitarra Flamenca” held in Malaga, Vahagni got the opportunity to play for his childhood idol and Legendary Flamenco Guitarist, Manolo Sanlucar. It was Vahagni's original and unique sound that impressed the Maestro, which led to a rare offer to study as a disciple of Sanlucar. Upon returning to the United States, Vahagni recorded his first self produced album ” Short Stories”( available on i tunes and CD baby) The album features musicians such as, Jimmy Branly, Carlitos del Puerto and Luis Conte to name a few. Vahagni's guitar playing has taken him on several World Tours, Festivals, Clinics. and appearances on TV and Radio shows. . A side from performing, Vahagni also teaches Guitar at the College of the Canyons and is a columnist for Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine called ”Flamenco-ology. Vahagni is endorsed by La'bella strings, Godin Guitars and Andres Dominguez Guitars.
http://vahagnimusic.com/
