Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gerry Brown was born on November 9, 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began playing the drums at the age of five and played with soul groups and played in high school with bassist John Lee, with whom he attended music academy in 1970.
In 1971, he moved to New York City where he played with Lionel Hampton. In 1972 he moved to the Netherlands with Lee to join Chris Hinze’s rock jazz group. They recorded a series of albums in the 1970s. Alongside Lee, he also worked for Jasper van ‘t Hof, Toto Blanke, Charlie Mariano, Eef Albers and Gary Bartz mid-decade. Subsequently, they were members of Larry Coryell’s The Eleventh House for two years; Brown also played for Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea. In 1979, he accompanied Didier Lockwood at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Settling in Berlin, Germany for some time in 1982 and worked with George Gruntz, with Joachim Kühn, and with Chris Beckers, Herb Geller, Anne Haigis and Kraan until he returned to the United States. As a sideman Gerry has worked with including ones with George Benson, Michał Urbaniak, Urszula Dudziak, Marcus Miller, Lionel Richie, Sonny Fortune, Alphonso Johnson, Roberta Flack, Joe Sample, Tom Harrell, Dave Samuels, and Chuck Loeb, among others.
Drummer Gerry Brown continues to perform and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Harry Austin was born on October 22, 1958 in Capetown, South Africa. His passion for guitar was evident at a very tender age and spent his youth mingling with gifted street musicians around the city who greatly influenced him over the years.
A versatile guitarist and a wholehearted Jazz composer. In the late 70’s, he co-founded and performed with the “Touch” band and enjoyed great national success until the mid 80’s. Following this first accomplishment, he toured and made appearances with various musicians and live bands across South Africa until he made his international debut with the Andrew Young band in 2002. For the next 3 years, he played with the band in numerous countries such as China, Turkey and Tunisia.
Between 2005 and 2008, he performed at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa in Dubai. During 2009 & 2010, he toured throughout the United Arab Emirates. After touring Harry released 2 albums over the net titled Mojaezz, and Easylike.
Guitarist Harry Austin, who performs in the smooth jazz idiom, continues to play, tour and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Paolo Ricca was born on October 2, 1963 in Turin, Italy and began studying classical piano at an early age. After school, he continued his studies and expanded into the realm of jazz performance and composition at CPM Music Institute in Milan, Italy where he graduated, under the tutelage of Franco D’Andrea.
The early 1980’s saw the beginning of his professional career performing for live audiences. A few years later Paolo performed in over 3000 concerts and festivals all over Europe, while simultaneously building a solid reputation as a studio musician. He has collaborated with John Etheridge, Soft Machine, Stèphane Grappelli, John Williams, Lee Brown, La Verne Jackson, Mokhtar Samba ( Joe Zawinul’s Sindycate, Jaco Pastorius, Carlos Santana, M. Orza, Dee D. Jackson, Haddaway and many others.
He ventured into music technology, computers, sequencers, looping, and sampling. Ricca began studio work with engineering, recording, as well as arranging and composing. He has worked for major recording companies, producing music on both a national and an international level.
Pianist Paolo Ricca, whose 2023 release, My Italian Piano Songbook, won First Prize for Best CD at the prestigious Swiss International Music Competition, continues to perform, tour and record as a leading voice in contemporary international piano music.
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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…
Will Lee was born September 8, 1952 in San Antonio, Texas. Greatly influenced to pursue music because of his parents, his father played piano, trumpet and the upright bass professionally and his mother sang with big bands. He took up drums after seeing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, and by the time he was 12 had formed his first band in Miami, Florida.
Due to the great numbers of drummers in Miami, Lee studied French horn for a year before shifting to bass and studying at the University of Miami. He became part of a succession of bands including top 40 bands with names like Chances R, The Loving Kind, Green Cloud and Goldrush.
A move to New York City saw Will selected by trumpeter Randy Brecker to join the jazz-rock group Dreams. He played on the album Imagine My Surprise as a bassist and vocalist. After Dreams disbanded, his career as a session musician flourished, and he toured with many artists. In 1982,he became one of the original members of The World’s Most Dangerous Band, the house band on NBC‘s Late Night with David Letterman.
Bassist Will Lee, who has played in both the jazz, rock and r&b genres, continues his career as a seesion and touring musician and recording artist.
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