ANTONIO HART QUINTET
When Antonio Hart was in ninth grade, the music and art programs were cut out of the public schools. Antonio was devastated because the one thing that made school interesting was taken away from him. Having a friend that attended the then new Baltimore School for the Performing Arts, somehow got Antonio an audition. He did the best he could because he really could not read the level of music he was trying to play. He prayed everyday, but he did not think he would get in. One week to the day, he received a transfer letter in the mail; he had been accepted! Hart considers this the beginning of his life as a young man and musician.
Hart’s real study of Jazz began at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, he studied with Bill Pierce, Andy McGhee, and Joe Viola. The three teachers gave him the foundation he needed to develop into a professional musician. Hart spent many hours in the library listening to all his favorite musicians, and practicing and playing as much as he could. There were also many late hours in the practice room. Because of the lessons learned at the School for the Arts, he really thought it was important to have a balance between music and academia, so in his sophomore year he became a Music Education Major. The most important friendship at Berklee was with Roy Hargrove. They spent three years touring the world and recording Hargrove’s first three records. Hart considers Hargrove to be his brother in life and music. He even used Hargrove on his first recording ‘For the First Time.’
His 1997 release, ‘Here I Stand’ Impulse records, earned Hart a 1997 Grammy nomination for ‘Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.’ He has also been in much demand as a guest on over 80 recordings. Since then, Hart has recorded seven CDs as a leader. Hart balances his time as a full-time Professor at The Aaron Copland school of Music, Queens College, as well as, traveling on the road with his band, The Dave Holland Big band, and The Dizzy Gillespie Big band.
The Quintet
Antonio Hart ~ Alto Sax
Mejedi Owusu ~ Trumpet
Richard Johnson ~ Piano
Alex “Apolo” Ayala ~ Bass
Jerome Jennings ~ Drums
Cover: $40.00