Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Mark Simon was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 26, 1959 and by age 13 he was listening to Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge and other jazz legends, and playing along with old Jazz At The Philharmonic records from his father’s massive and eclectic record collection, which ran the gamut from early jazz master Louis Armstrong to avant-garde Cecil Taylor.
His high school jazz band director Don Owens was an important part of his jazz education. Mark soon graduated to jazz sessions, further honing his keyboard skills while beginning to play occasional jazz gigs. From sitting in with the JATP, he enrolled in a youth summer jazz camp at the University of Illinois, where he was exposed to the live side of jazz. Mark would sneak out of the dorm at night to sit in with the faculty on jam sessions,
Simon’s influences were grounded by jazz artists such as pianists Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner, Charles Mingus, Gary Burton and Sonny Rollins. Growing up in jazz, He gained experience playing extensively with Leroy Vinnegar, Hadley Caliman, Bud Shank, Jeff Clayton, Joshua Breakstone, Julie Kelly, Teddy Edwards, Red Holloway and Herb Ellis.
Bassist Mark Simon continues to compose and perform solo piano gigs, accompanying vocalists, playing with jazz groups including his self-named trio, as well as teaching piano.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
David Chevan was born on September 19, 1960 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts. He was musically active from an early age and led synagogue services from the age of 10. His double-bass education has mostly been self taught, but credits bassist, Lisle Atkinson for showing me the pathway to self-education.
As a composer, Chevan focused on works for improvisors, writing for a wide range of artists and ensembles, including collaborations with dance and film. He performs regularly in a duo with pianist Warren Byrd and co-leads The Afro-Semitic Experience.
As an educator he is an Associate Professor of Music at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. David is currently studying the music of bassist Slam Stewart and is a board trustee of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation.
He has performed and recorded with Ali Ryerson, Joe Beck, Jaki Byard, Harold Danko, Ellery Eskelin, Giacomo Gates, Frank London, Andrea Parkins, and Cookie Segelstein. Bassist David Chevan tours when time permits in his teaching schedule.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Adam Rudolph was born September 12, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois and grew up on the South Side among jazz and blues musicians. In 1988 he met Yusef Lateef, and the two would collaborate and perform together for the next 25 years.
In 1992 Rudolph helped found the band Adam Rudolph’s Moving Pictures, a group of improvisers He has been the artistic director of and composer for Hu: Vibrational with Hamid Drake, Vashti International Percussion Ensemble and Go: Organic Orchestra. He has performed as half of the Wildflowers Duo with Butoh dance innovator Oguri.
Rudolph has released several albums as leader and has also recorded with musicians Sam Rivers, Omar Sosa, Wadada Leo Smith, Pharoah Sanders, Bill Laswell, Herbie Hancock, Foday Musa Suso, and Shadowfax
Composer and percussionist Adam Rudolph continues performing in the post-bop and world fusion medium.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Carlos Salazar was born on September 11, 1955 in Havana, Cuba. Raised there he discovered his love and passion for percussion at a very young age. It wasn’t long before his curiousity led him to great opportunities, studying music at the National School of the Arts (ENA) in Havana. He learned the basics and principles of percussion while at the same time acquiring an additional degree in electronics from the University of Havana.
His love of percussion shifted to conga drumming, a key instrument in the Afro-Cuban street scene. Carlos then learned the discipline of the musical language and rythym of percussion through African teachers, teachers of the streets, considered the fathers of Latin percussion.
His musical style consists of a contemporary jazz flavor, making music interesting to play. After leaving Cuba in 1980 he has toured throughout the U.S. and has remained active within the musical scene in South Florida.
Percussionist Carlos Salazar who has not recorded and devotes himself entirely to his music and Afro-Cuban roots, spends his days content with the valued fact that he still has two hands to make music with.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Craig S. Harris was born September 10, 1953 in Hempstead, New York. He graduated from the music program at State University of New York at Old Westbury and was influenced by its founder and director Makanda Ken McIntyre. He moved to New York City in 1978 established him with trombonists Ray Anderson, Joseph Bowie, and George E. Lewis.
He first played alongside another of his teachers at SUNY, baritone saxophonist Pat Patrick, in the Sun Ra Arkestra for two years. Harris then embarked on a world tour in 1979 with South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, formerly known as Dollar Brand. While on tour in Australia, he discovered the indigenous Australian wind instrument the didgeridoo, and added it to the collection of instruments he plays.
Craig subsequently performed with progressive musicians David Murray, Beaver Harris, Don Pullen, Sam Rivers, Lester Bowie, Cecil Taylor, Muhal Richard Abrams, Charlie Haden and many others, He also played in Lena Horne’s Broadway orchestra for a year. Along with Mark Isham composed the soundtrack for the 2021 film Judas and the Black Messiah.
He led his own ensembles, performed internationally and has recorded several albums. As leader, Harris. For the latter, he recorded with two groups. The Tailgater’s Tales was a quintet with clarinetist Don Byron, trumpeter Eddie Allen, Anthony Cox on double bass, and Pheeroan akLaff on drums. Harris’s large ensemble Cold Sweat was a tribute to the music of James Brown.
Trombonist Craig Harris, who has recorded since 1983 for India Navigation, Soul Note and JMT, continues to pursue his career.
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