Curtis Lundy is arguably one of the most prolific — in-demand bassists on the modern jazz scene — he is a disciple of the mainstream — straight ahead — hard bop school. Highly regarded for his robust, lyrical, ‘lead from the front’ approach to the acoustic bass — he delivers an unsurpassed brand of masterful excellence in performing standards, originals and the American songbook. His fluid voicings and exceptional dexterity allow listeners to delve into a song — in any time signature — with an equal measure of challenge and enjoyment.
Born in 1963, Cyrus Chestnut started his musical career at the age of three, playing piano at the Mount Calvary StaR&Baptist Church at the age of six in his hometown of Baltimore, MD. By age nine, he was studying classical music at the Peabody Preparatory Institute in Baltimore. In the fall of 1981, Cyrus began jazz education in Boston, MA at the Berklee College of Music. In 1985, he earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging. While at Berklee, Chestnut was awarded the Eubie Blake Fellowship, the Oscar Peterson, Quincy Jones, and Count Basie awards for exceptional performance standards at the college. His association with Betty Carter, which began in 1991 significantly affected his outlook and approach to music, confirming his already iconoclastic instincts. Carter advised him to “take chances” and play things I’ve never heard,” Chestnut says. As Cyrus was absorbing experiences as a sideman, he was also developing as a leader, recording and playing live around the world.
Victor Jones, considered a visionary in today’s music business, is a new breed of Drummer/Bandleader bringing new and exciting ideas to the world of jazz and world music. No stranger to traditional or modern jazz, Victor Jones started his career as a teen-age musician playing in local bands in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey and touring world-wide with Lou Donaldson. In his early twenties he toured the world with Stan Getz. Later tours were with James Moody, Michel Petrucciani, Joe, Olivia, Stanley Clarke,, Phyllis Hyman,, Dizzy Gillespie and Chaka Khan as well as others. Victor played on the Grammy nominated EMI Korean recording, Second Moon, which won Record of the Year in 2006. Victor also was featured on the Best Latin Jazz recording in 2008 with Papo Vasquez. When asked about his greatest achievement he replied, “My greatest achievement in life was having five children with my wife Ane Jones.” Since 2003 he has been a Bandleader with his own World Music Band, Cultur-Versy, these days specializing in a new age type of music, a mix of dance music, hip-hop and electro pop.