Guy Eugène Hilarion Pedersen was born on June 10, 1930 in Grand-Fort-Philippe, France. Coming from a family of popular musicians, their story begins in 1855 with all members of his maternal family being fiddlers from father to son. His uncles and his grandfather played all the balls of the region and his great-grandfather composed Tiger Rag, a jazz standard.
He began studying music theory around 1943 at the age of 13, taking free lessons at the Roubaix conservatory until 1952. Already passionate about jazz, he listened to Hugues Panassié ‘s radio broadcasts and bought his first American records by Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Lee Konitz. In 1950 he won the prize for best double bass player at the Brussels, Belgium competition, then Jazz Hot in Paris, France and decided to become a musician.
Beginning in Paris with singer Fats Edward, he went on to play with pianist Henri Renaud and drummer Jean-Louis Viale at Tabou, and at Ringside founded by Sugar Ray Robinson. Guy followed this working with Jacques Hélian and Claude Bolling to learn the trade of a large orchestra. From 1955 to 1966, he was a member with drummer Daniel Humair of one of Martial Solal trios, recording the historic Jazz à Gaveau in 1962.
Pedersen and Humair then joined the Swingle Singers to record the group’s second album. They traveled around the world with them, even passing through the White House in 1966. By 1973 he was touring with Baden Powell, recording over a dozen records with him. Between 1973 and 1980, he recorded seven albums and toured frequently with Jean-Christian Michel .
Leading an active career as a studio musician during this period he also appeared on television variety shows accompanying the group Les Troubadours. The late Sixties saw him composing, writing a lot of music for short films. Some of his recordings on Tele Music and Montparnasse 2000 are now cult, especially among disc jockeys.
A serious heart attack in 1977 sidelined the bassist from music and retiring permanently, he became a professional antique dealer. Double bassist, composer and antique dealer Guy Pedersen transitioned on January 4, 2005 in Rueil-Malmaison, Hauts-de-Seine, France at the age of 74 years old.
Michael Stephans was born in Miami, Florida on June 9, 1945. He has performed and recorded with artists including Dave Liebman, Bennie Maupin, Joe Lovano, Bob Brookmeyer, Don Menza, and Alan Broadbent.
Stephans’ first solo recording, Om ShalOM, was critically lauded in 2007 by UK critic Tom Barlow as an album of the year in the December 2007 – January 2008 issue of Jazzwise.
He has received multiple composition grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1974, this association afforded him the opportunity to write the large ensemble composition Shapes and Visions for vibraphonist Karl Berger, which was performed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
In his role as a poet Michael has been published in The Note and Inscape, and received the Rachael Sherwood Poetry Prize by the English department at Cal State Northridge. He is the author of Experiencing Jazz: A Listener’s Companion, and Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener’s Companion.
He is a professor who has taught at Pasadena City College, the University of Miami, and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Drummer Michael Stephans continues to pursue his career in jazz.
To mark the 100th birthday of legendary trumpeter Thad Jones, saxophonist Mark Buckingham and the “Thad Jones Legacy Orchestra” will present a variety of tunes to celebrate one of Jazz’s most influential arrangers! Featuring London’s finest Jazz musicians, the band will revisit Thad Jones’s contribution to the Count Basie Orchestra, his own compositions within the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra and the Danish Radio Big Band as well as tributes written in memory of the master by other celebrated composers. From “Shiny Stockings” to “Big Dipper” and “A Child is Born”, expect to hear all the classics as well as some obscure gems!
Listening to trumpet and flugelhorn player Mr. Julius Baroš is a very good opportunity to make your Prague visit an experience. Let yourself be embraced with good jazz and snap your fingers to swinging jazz or ballads, projected by scintillating tones of Mr. Baroš. His playful melodic lines and imaginative improvisation flowing out of his horn and with his excellent backing group will make any jazz standard stomp your feet. Just open your ears and let the music do the rest by joining a jazz cruise along the Vltava River.
Celebrate Jazz Journalist Association (JJA) Jazz Hero Award Recipient Eugenie Jones for her community work in jazz promotion, education, and outreach !!!
Eugenie Jones is an award-winning American singer/songwriter, producer, and legacy activist. Her 2022 release Players ranked #30 on Jazz Week’s Top 100 Albums for 2022. She was also a first-round Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy® contender and ranked #7 on Jazz Week’s Top 50 charts.
On her independent label, Open Mic Records, Jones has successfully produced three projects and has earned recognition as an Earshot Jazz Vocalist and the Year Award recipient while also being the first-ever vocal recording artist to receive the Earshot Jazz Recording of the Year Golden Ear Award.
As a warm, engaging singer with an electric stage presence, 2022 found Jones praised by jazz legends and favorably reviewed in every major jazz publication, including DownBeat, JazzTimes, Jazzlz, and many others.
KNKX Radio’s Robin Lloyd will present the award on behalf of JJA.
