Sonny Fortune © Howard A. Gitelson

Sonny Fortune was born in Philadelphia on May 19, 1939. In 1967 he moved to New York. Said Fortune of that move: "Eventually, in order to find out if you really have what it takes, you have to go to the center, and that's New York...you can only do so much in your hometown."

After a brief stint with Elvin Jones and Frank Foster, Fortune joined Mongo Santamaria's group, with whom he remained for over 2 years. He then joining McCoy Tyner with whom he played for 2 1/2 years. Fortune then went on to work independently with his own ensemble and with drummer Buddy Rich, and was featured on the live LP recorded at Rich's Manhattan nightspot, Buddy's Place. In September 1974, Miles Davis offered Sonny a job in his fusion group. Fortune had previously turned down the same offer to stay with Tyner, but now he eagerly accepted the opportunity to move on to something completely new. Fortune stayed with Miles for a year, recording four LPs, Big Fun, Agartha, Pangaea and Get Up With It.

Over the years Sonny has also recorded with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, Oliver Nelson, George Benson and Nat Adderly, to name a few. In June 1975 Sonny formed his own group, marking his debut as a leader with two critically-acclaimed LPs for A&M Horizon, Awakening and Waves of Dreams. He's had many albums released since then including three Blue Note CD's: Four In One, his album of the music of Thelonious Monk; A Better Understanding was released September of 1995; and From Now On, was released in September 1996. In addition to leading his own quartet, the following 10 years saw Sonny playing with the Nat Adderly Quartet and as a featured soloist with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. In 1987-88 he was part of the Coltrane Legacy Band that also featured McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones and Reggie Workman. More than a legacy, Sonny is still here and blowing hard.

Another alumnus of the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine is Chicago pianist Willie Pickens, who turned 75 on April 18, 2006. His contributions to the world of jazz and music education have been immeasurable. The list of musicians with whom he has worked is a veritable who’s who of the industry: Elvin Jones, James Moody, Max Roach, Eddie Harris, Marian McPartland, Roy Hargrove, Bobby Hutcherson and namy more. Chicago Tribune's Howard Reich says, "With his large & complex chords, his great splashes of color and dissonance in the right hand and his barrelhouse octaves in the left, Pickens never let the dramatic intensity flag." The Chicago Reader's jazz critic Neil Tesser said, "Pickens' most exuberant solos all but take flight from the keyboard's runway."

Marlene Rosenberg has emerged as one of the most talented and multi-faceted young bass players on the scene today. She has played professionally throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and Japan, performing with innumerable jazz luminaries, such as Kenny Barron, Frank Foster, Stan Getz, Albert "Tootie" Health, Joe Henderson, Marian McPartland, Cedar Walton,Wallace Roney, David "Fathead" Newman, Monty Alexander, Kevin Mahogony, Frank Morgan Frank Wess, Joe Williams and Nancy Wilson, to name a few. Her stylistic range encompasses everything from traditional Big Band to intimate experimental ensembles. Rosenberg has been involved with the Ravinia Jazz Mentors program in the Chicago public high schools. She has given workshops on creating melodic bass lines at the International Society of Bassists conference, and currently, is an applied artist and music faculty teaching jazz bass at Northern Illinois University, in Dekalb,Illinois and jazz bass and combo at Roosevelt University, in Chicago.

Sonny Fortune © Howard A. Gitelson

Catch Sonny Fortune with Willie Pickens, Marlene Rosenberg and Kobe Watkins at the Jazz Showcase, July 11th through July 16th.

JAZZ SHOWCASE
59 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone: (312)670-2473

Website:www.jazzshowcase.com