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Trumpeter Sean Jones Leads DownBeat’s “Rising Stars” on June 26th |
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Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor
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Wednesday, 25 June 2008 |
 Sean Jones © Andrea Canter
Barely 30, Ohio native Sean Jones was raised on gospel music and was attracted to the trumpet as a fifth grader when he encountered the music of Miles Davis. But it was classical training in high school and college that solidified his technique and the experience of teaching elementary school music that inspired him to want to share his music. As a student he won two awards from DownBeat as well as a scholarship to Rutgers. With four acclaimed recordings (including the 2007 release Kaleidoscope), Jones now finds himself atop a growing list of young trumpet masters, holding the lead trumpet chair for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and a professorship in jazz studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
 Jeremy Pelt
Hardly a “second” trumpeter, Jeremy Pelt is regarded as one of the top brass players of his generations. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Pelt gained early experience as a member of the Mingus Big Band. More recently he has performed with the Roy Hargrove Big Band, The Village Vanguard Orchestra and the Duke Ellington Big Band. Currently, he is member of the Lewis Nash Septet and The Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band featuring Louis Hayes.
Well into his 40s now, alto saxman Greg Osby might seem to be the old timer in this group of “rising stars,” and in fact his star has been soaring for the past two decades. After completing studies at Howard University and the Berklee College of Music, Osby quickly established himself in New York as a top performer and composer. He’s recorded a handful of albums for Blue Note, including the new live recording, Public. In addition to his own ensembles, Osby has appeared with the renowned World Saxophone Quartet.
Tenor saxophonist Marcus Strickland cut his teeth with Roy Haynes’ Fountain of Youth Band before taking off to form his own ensembles with drummer/brother E.J. Strickland. A graduate of the New School, Strickland also worked with Lonnie Plaxico early in his career, and has performed or recorded with The Carnegie Hall Big Band, The Mingus Big Band, the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Tom Harrell Big Band, Milt Jackson Big Band, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Reggie Workman's African American Legacy Band, Eric Reed, Ravi Coltrane, Russell Malone, Freddie Hubbard, Nnenna Freelon, and Robert Hurst.
Wycliffe Gordon is considered on of the top trombonists working on the jazz scene. A recent recipient of the ASCAP Vanguard Award, he honed his chops with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Gordon’s many honors include the Jazz Journalists Association 2002 and 2001 award for Trombonist of the Year and the Jazz Journalists Association 2000 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Trombone. A nominee for the 2003 Jazzpar Prize, Gordon is also a gifted composer, arranger and educator, currently serving on the faculty of Julliard. Among his performance projects, Gordon tours with his quartet and has recorded with the Wynton Marsalis Quartet, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and appears on 9 recordings as leader or co-leader. The youngest U.S. Statesman of Jazz, 41-year-old Gordon also tours internationally as a music ambassador for the U.S. Department of State.
Voted Rising Star in the 2006 and 2007 Downbeat Critics Polls, 51-year-old guitarist Dave Stryker has over 20 albums to his credit as leader or coeleader over a career now spanning three decades. Early on, he played with Jack McDuff, Stanley Turrentine and Kevin Mahogany. The Omaha native currently coleads the Stryker-Slagle Band with saxophonist Steve Slagle and leads his own organ trio.
 Dan Nimmer © Mary Jane Photography
A recent graduate of the Berklee College of Music, bassist Luques Curtis has quickly become a seasoned artist, working with Gary Burton’s New Generation band, Steve Turre, Eddie Palmieri, Paquito D’Rivera and more.
With undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, drummer Obed Calvaire has performed with major jazz artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Danilo Perez, Bobby Watson, Mark Murphy, Stefon Harris, Buster Williams, Steve Turre and the Clayton Brothers Quintet. He has also performed with the Village Vanguard Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band and the Bob Mintzer Big Band.
Host Jason Koransky is currently editor of DownBeat, a post he has held for ten years. A contributor to DownBeat, the Chicago Tribune and Rolling Stone, he has a degree in journalism from Northwestern University and is a former trumpet player.The presentation of Downbeat's Rising Stars provides a rare opportunity to hear many of the most creative musicians on the national scene on one stage. Don't miss this performance at Orchestra Hall on Thursday, June 26th. Tickets still available.
FFI, visit www.minnesotaorchestra.org or call for tickets ($45/$65) at 612-371-5656. |
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 Monday, 01 December 2008
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