The Second Annual Rhythm in the Kitchen Festival presented by William Hooker and Bob Kalin and the Hell's Kitchen Cultural Center, Inc. ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES ALEX GARCÍA* (drums) Chilean-born drummer/composer Alejandro García studied classical and contemporary Afro-Cuban and jazz percussion at Cuba's Ignacio Cervantes School of Music under the direction of Irakere's drummer Enrique Plá. Fluent in a variety of musical genres, García has also worked with theater companies and on film scores for documentaries in Cuba and Chile. The critic Peter Watrous (The New York Times, Jazz Times) calls his band AfroMantra “one of the foremost Latin Jazz bands in the New York City area, a musical force with a great future.” García has also performed with major groups and artists including Juan Pablo Torres, Juan Carlos Formell, Alex Foster, Frank Colon, and Meme Solis. For info about the group and its recordings, go to www.myspace.com/afromantra and www.afromantra.com OLE MATHISEN (tenor and soprano saxophone) A critically acclaimed saxophonist, Ole Mathisen lives in NYC and is active on the local scene. As a performer, composer, producer, music educator, and arranger, his scope of interest spans classical, jazz, electronic, ethnic, and experimental music, and he draws heavily on his wealth of musical experience for his compositions. Mathisen has worked on over 80 albums, composed several film and TV scores, and has performed and/or recorded with Hiram Bullock, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, Will Lee, LaVern Baker, Cyro Baptista, Kenny Barron, and Hilton Ruiz, to name a few. The Norwegian native attended the Berklee College of Music, which honored him with a Faculty Association Award in 1987. PABLO VERGARA (piano, keyboards) Pianist/composer Pablo Vergara has already made a mark by working with a wide array of artists in different musical contexts. Classically trained in his native Chile, Vergara moved to NY to pursue a Master’s in Jazz Performance at Harlem's City College with distinguished professor Ron Carter. Since then he has performed with jazz greats like Gato Barbieri, Grammy-winner Dave Valentin, and Juan Pablo Torres. Vergara has played with the Chico O’Farrell AfroCuban Jazz Orchestra and the Groove Collective, and has opened for Bob Marley's Wailers and Widespread Panic. Before settling here, he was the pianist and musical director of the All-Stars Latin Band at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco, sharing the stage with such musical legends as Liza Minnelli and Elton John. Learn more at www.myspace.com/pablovergara WALDO CHAVEZ (bass) A graduate of the Berklee School of Music (Boston), Waldo Chavez has spent the last 11 years in NYC playing, recording, and touring with dozens of artists performing in various musical styles. He’s a founder of acclaimed Latin jazz band Timbalaye, and has appeared at major international jazz festivals. His salsa resume is a “who’s who” of Latin artists including Jerry Rivera, Isidro Infante, Frankie Negron, Cano Estremera, Hector Tricoche, Luis Damon, Kevin Ceballos, Brenda K Starr, and La India. Chavez also works with such theater and dance troupes as Pregones, Pepatian, and Neo Labos. ARYAM VASQUEZ (congas, percussion) The Cuban-born percussionist continues to define the melodic style of conga playing by displaying a complete range of technical control and a sharp polyrhythmic style. Co-founder Vasquez not only plays congas for AfroMantra but also serves to drive the band’s rhythm section by playing the batas, timbales, bongos, and other Afro-Cuban instruments. The self-taught musician currently holds the "conguero" chair with the Grammy-nominated band, the Mambo All-Stars, and has played with Cuban master trombonist Juan Pablo Torres for several years. He has worked with music legends Graciela and Patato Valdez, with Malena Burke, former Los Van Van vocalist Israel Kantor, Steve Turre, Hilton Ruize, and Grammy winners Giovanni Hidalgo and Paquito d’Rivera, among many others. MICHAËL ATTIAS* (alto saxophone) All about Jazz calls Michaël Attias "a significant new voice on the alto saxophone." Born in Israel of Moroccan parents, raised in Paris and the Midwest, Attias has lived in NYC since 1994. The saxophonist/ composer currently leads Renku (trio), Twines of Colesion (quintet), and Clinamen (larger group with rotating personnel). He has played as sideman and leader around the world with Mat Manieri, Anthony Braxton, Oliver Lake, Ellery Eskelin, Marc Ribot and Han Bennink, among many others. Recent releases include Renku (Playscape 2005) and Credo (Clean Feed 2006). For more information, visit www.michaelattias.com or at www.myspace.com/michaelattias RUSS LOSSING (piano) Known for his highly personal improvising voice, the pianist, composer, and recording artist Russ Lossing is on the leading edge of the NY jazz scene. The prolific musician has composed over 300 works and 21 film scores. With an international reputation as a world-class improviser, Lossing has played with such key figures as Paul Motian, Dave Liebman, and John Abercrombie, among others. All About Jazz says that his critically acclaimed new piano release All Things Arise (Hat Hut Records) "bridges the worlds of jazz and new music, the pieces feeling as if they arise out of the primal silence of the universe, “ and also calls his latest CD, Metal Rat (Clean Feed) ”a triumph from beginning to end." For more, see www.russlossing.com SEAN CONLY (bass) Sean Conly arrived in NYC in 1994 with a car full of possessions and a few dollars in his pocket. He has since gone on to tour the world and/or record with Freddie Hubbard, Regina Carter, Ray Barretto, Charles Blenzig, Michael Franks, Tom Harrell, Andrew Hill, Nicholas Payton, Cedar Walton, Stefon Harris, James Moody, Mike Stern, Rick Margitza, and Tony Malaby, among many others. From his Harlem home overlooking Central Park, Sean continues to write, perform, and work on his musical evolution. SATOSHI TAKEISHI (drums) The drummer, percussionist, and arranger was born in Mito, Japan, and studied at the Berklee College of Music. He became interested in South American music at school, and moved to Colombia for 4 years, where he forged many musical relationships. Takeishi played in Macumbia, a group combining traditional, jazz, and classical music, which appeared with the Bogota Symphony. Takeishi moved to Miami in 1986, worked as an arranger and a producer (Morning Ride on Polygram for jazz flutist Nestor Torres). His musical interests continued to grow, and he began to study Middle Eastern music with oud master Joe Zeytoonian. Since settling in NY in 1991, he has played with musicians such as Ray Barretto, Carlos 'Patato' Valdes, Eddie Gomez, Randy Brecker, Anthony Braxton, Herbie Mann, Paul Winter Consort, Rabih Abu Khalil, and the Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band, to name a few. He continues to explore the worlds of multicultural, electronic, and improvisational music. MATT LAVELLE* (bass clarinet/trumpet) Matt Lavelle has the rare distinction of playing the trumpet and the bass clarinet, two instruments which require great dedication and energy to play. His collaborators include William Parker, Sabir Mateen, Steve Swell, William Hooker, Daniel Carter, Roy Campbell, Bob Feldman, and Ras Moshe, among many others. He also leads the trio Spiritual Power and writes all their material; they have just released their self-titled CD on Silkheart Records. Spiritual power, says Lavelle, “is the ability to save or change someone’s life through music and/or the ability to overcome any obstacle with music as the guiding transformational force.” Go to www.myspace.com/mattlavelle and www.myspace.com/trumpetrising for more info. MICHAEL T.A. THOMPSON (drums) A self-taught drummer, Michael T.A. Thompson furthered his studies at the Berklee College of Music where he concentrated in jazz composition and arranging. He has partnered with a wide variety of musical artists including Cliff Smalls, Matt Shipp, Uri Caine, Joe McPhee, Joe Giardullo, Oliver Lake, John Stubblefield, Alex Foster, Sabir Mateen, Daniel Carter, Thomas Chapin, and Roy Campbell Jr., and has worked with such legendary Calypsonians as the Mighty Sparrow, the Shadow, Becket, and reggae artist Owen Gray. In addition, Thompson has recorded for Nickelodeon’s “Blues Clues,” and for many commercials and film scores. HILLIARD GREENE (bass) A professional musician for over 20 years, Hilliard Greene has performed in a wide variety of genres and styles. He has served as Jimmy Scott’s musical director and as concert master for Cecil Taylor’s group "Phtongos." From clubs to festivals across North and South America, on radio and on tv, Greene has also worked with Jacky Terrasson, the Inkspots, Rashied Ali, Leroy Jenkins, Cindy Blackman, Charles Gayle, Don Pullen, Dave Douglas, Greg Osby, Carla Cook, and Josh Roseman, among many others. Along with his solo bass CD Alone, his group, the Jazz Expressions, has released 2 CDs. Greene studied at the Berklee College of Music and at the University of Northern Iowa, and teaches at NYC’s Bass Collective. BOB FELDMAN* (saxophone) A native New Yorker, Bob Feldman has lived in Hell’s Kitchen since 1962. His most recent CD, Triplicity, received 4 stars in Downbeat, and was selected by its editors as one of the best recordings of 2005.The magazine also noted that in 1962 he crossed paths with the legendary Charles Mingus who told him, “I’ve been listening to you every day. It isn’t black. It isn’t white. It’s just you.“ and then invited Feldman to play in his group. He is currently working on a new album with his new band 30J. See www.onesoul-records.com for more info. TONY ROMANO (guitar) Tony Romano has long been active on the music scene as a guitarist, composer, musical director, and teacher. The native New Yorker has worked with a diverse array of talent, ranging from jazz artists Stanley Jordan and Thomas Chapin to pop and Broadway star Deborah Gibson. He has also been a member of Latin legend Joe Bataana’s group for the past 10 years, and has performed throughout the US and around the world. His guitar work has been featured on tv commercials for BMW, Volvo, and K-Mart, on The Learning Channel, as well as on National Public Radio. Tony is adjunct faculty at Five Towns College and at Long Island University, and he has a Master’s in Jazz Performance from Queens College. MATT LAVELLE* (bass clarinet/trumpet) Matt Lavelle has the rare distinction of playing the trumpet and the bass clarinet, two instruments which require great dedication and energy to play. His collaborators include William Parker, Sabir Mateen, Steve Swell, William Hooker, Daniel Carter, Roy Campbell, Bob Feldman, and Ras Moshe, among many others. He also leads the trio Spiritual Power and writes all their material; they have just released their self-titled CD on Silkheart Records. Spiritual power, says Lavelle, “is the ability to save or change someone’s life through music and/or the ability to overcome any obstacle with music as the guiding transformational force.” Go to www.myspace.com/mattlavelle and www.myspace.com/trumpetrising for more info. KEN FILIANO (bass) Ken Filiano leads and composes for his quartet featuring Michael Attias, Tony Malaby, and Michael T. A. Thompson, and has played and/or recorded with Bobby Bradford, Roy Campbell, Joseph Jarman, Wayne Marsh, Butch Morris, and Andrea Wolper, among others. His solo bass CD Subvenire has received unanimous critical praise. MIKE FREEMAN* (vibraphone) Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, and the groups of Joe Cuba put the vibra-phone at the heart of Latin music, and today that tradition drives the music and groups of Mike Freeman. He’s been bringing audiences a heady blend of original music and standards for over two decades. Freeman says “serendipity–the idea of controlled accidents–is an important part of all music. This ability to let unplanned things happen within a certain compositional framework, and yet still have control over what you’re doing, is what keeps music fresh.” You can learn more Mike Freeman’s upcoming recordings at www.jazzvibe.com LITTLE JOHNNY RIVERO (congas) As a young boy in New York, Little Johnny Rivero was drawn to the sounds and rhythms of the conga players in Jefferson Park and on Randall's Island. Rivero began playing percussion at age 10 and joined the Orchestra Colon at 14, recording 2 albums with them. In 1973, he moved to Puerto Rico with his parents, and joined La Sonora Poncena in 1974, first playing the bongos and then the congas. During his 16 years with the band, Rivero traveled the world and made 18 highly respected Latin albums with them. Other credits include work with Bobby Valentin, Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Valentin, Tito Puente, Lucecita Benitez, among other leading artists. In 1997 Rivero shared the stage with his inspiration and idol, Jose Mangual, and is currently traveling the world with Grammy winner Eddie Palmieri. His first solo effort, Pasos Gigantes, has met success with critics and fans alike. Showcasing his arranging and playing skills, Rivero wrote and produced every song on this CD. MAXIMO RODRIGUEZ (bass) The bassist, arranger, and producer Maximo Rodriguez has traveled the world performing with a wide variety of groups, including the Grammy award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Latin music’s first lady, Celia Cruz, and with Jose "El Canario" Alberto. J D PARRAN* (saxophone) Renowned for his solo and ensemble playing, the flutist, saxophonist, and clarinetist J D Parran has appeared here and abroad with leading figures in the world of jazz, rock, classical, and hip hop music. His signature instruments are the rarely heard alto clarinet and the nearly extinct bass sax. Performances on his first instrument, the tenor sax, are heartfelt and soulful. Parran has played on dozens of recordings including J D Parran & Spirit Stage Featuring the Poetry of Shirley LeFlore, The Band’s Rock of Ages, Stevie Wonder’s Do I Do, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy. In his hometown of St. Louis, he was a member of the Black Artist Group (BAG), an arts collective which nurtured African-American experimentalists. Recipient of numerous awards (NY State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts) for his compositions, Parran is a lecturer at CUNY. He also teaches at the Harlem School of the Arts where he has served as Director of Jazz and African-American Music Studies. PETER ZUMMO (trombone) Peter Zummo has been composing for solo and ensemble works since 1967. Critics and colleagues describe him as an important exponent of the contemporary classical tradition, and his works explore influences and approaches of the minimalist, jazz, world music, and rock styles. Zummo has devised pioneering techniques for trombone, valve trombone, dijeridu, euphonium, synthesizer and other electronic instruments, and voice. Among his CD releases are Zummo with an X (New World), Experimenting with Household Chemicals (XI), and Downtown Only (Lovely Music). For over 30-plus years, he has also performed and recorded the work of many major contemporary, jazz, popular, and classical composers. KEVIN NORTON (vibraphone/percussion) The native New Yorker straddles the realms of classical, jazz, blues, Dixieland, and rock. A vital part of NY’s “downtown scene,” he worked particularly in Fred Frith’s band Keep the Dog, with Zeena Parkins, and John Zorn. Norton then began to focus on his own pieces such as For Guy Debord (in nine events) and Change Dance (Troubled Energy), both inspired by radical political philosophy and activism. Last year’s premiere of Water and Fire Suite was commissioned by Meet the Composer and partly supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. He has led or co-led about 20 acclaimed recordings, many of them making year-end “Best of” lists. In 2002 was named a resident composer at MacDowell, the prestigious arts colony. After studies at Hunter College and a Master’s from the Manhattan School of Music, Norton has been an educator and is currently on the faculty of William Paterson University. Check out www.kevinnorton.com DICK GRIFFIN* (trombone) In a career spanning over 30 years, Dick Griffin has performed with some of the legends of jazz and soul including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tito Puente, Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, and Dionne Warwick. His ability to combine playing chords with circular breathing (what he calls “circularphonics”) is unrivaled among jazz trombonists. His recordings include A Dream for Rahsaan (Ruby Records) and All Blues (Amasaya Records). Whether as a composer, a bandleader, or a sideman, whether playing with symphonies, on Broadway, or on television, Griffin is one of today’s most versatile and inventive musicians. For more information, see www.dickgriffin.netfirms.com WARREN SMITH (drums) Warren Smith's reputation as a dynamic leader can overshadow his abilities as a composer, arranger and percussionist. His exemplary technical skills complement his intuition for rhythm and harmony, and he knows when and how to put on the heat and where to be a delicate accompanist. The Chicago-born Smith began playing music professionally at 14, moved to NY, and earned his Master’s of Music at the Manhattan School of Music in 1958. He has played on over 2,000 recordings. His many credits include the original Broadway production of “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music,” playing on Gladys Knight and the Pips’ hit singles, performing with Nat King Cole, Harry Belafonte, Barbra Streisand, and with jazz musicians from Charles Mingus to Miles Davis, to Max Roach and David Murray. His own most recent CDs are Race Cards (Freedom Art) and Cats Are Stealing My $hit (Mapleshade). Smith currently teaches at SUNY Old Westbury, and directs Chelsea Performing Arts-Studio W.I.S., his non-profit performance/rehearsal space in NYC. Read more at www.myspace.com/miffmusic and www.geocities.com/studiowis/ NOAH CRESHEVSKY* (composer) Trained in composition by Nadia Boulanger in Paris and by Luciano Berio at Juilliard, Noah Creshevsky is the former director of the Center for Computer Music and Professor Emeritus at Brooklyn College. His most recent pieces explore the fragmentation and reconstruction of pre-existing music in combination with original synthetic and acoustic materials. The result is a music that obscures the boundaries of real and imaginary ensembles through the fusion of opposites: music and noise, comprehensible and incomprehensible vocal sources, human and superhuman vocal and instrumental capacities. (Source: www.kalvos.org) BETH GRIFFITH (voice) Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times says “It is our good fortune that the extraordinary American soprano Beth Griffith has recently returned to the United States after a 20-year career in Germany.” She has appeared with Sequentia, Musikfabrik, Ensemble 13, L’Art pour L’Art, Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Paris Nouvel Orchestra Philharmonique, and has worked with composers John Cage, Morton Feldman, Mauricio Kagel, and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Her one-hour, solo recording of Feldman’s “Three Voices” was awarded the German Record Critics Prize. MICHAEL MARCUS* (clarinet) Michael Marcus has been active on the NY jazz scene for over 20 years. Since his debut recording in 1991, Under the Wire (Enja), he has been part of the cutting edge in improvised music, appearing in festivals and clubs, nationally and internationally. The recipient of a performance grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Marcus has worked with such figures as Albert King, Bobby Blue Bland, Fred Hopkins, John Patton, and James Carter. Following Soulifications (SoulNote, 2006), Marcus celebrated the 2007 release of The Magic Door (Nottwo Records), a set of original compositions for Bb clarinet. TimeOut NY said that “Marcus writes some of the finest tunes on the avant-garde scene,” and Jim Santella of Allaboutjazz.com declared “From the soul, Marcus creates tone poems that swing.” AARON JAMES* (bass) Hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota, Aaron James has only lived in NY for a year, but his talent has already created a high demand for his bass-playing. He has performed and toured with Junior Mance, T.S. Monk, Kathy Farmer, John Hicks, Greg Bandy, Donald Smith, Salim Washington, Willie Williams, and Michael Marcus. This spring James will record with the Michael Marcus Trio for the elite Italian label BlackSaint/SoulNote. He attended the Manhattan School of Music. JAY ROSEN* (drums) Shortly after his birth in Philadelphia, Jay Rosen’s family moved to Long Island where he grew up. Surrounded by a family of musicians, musical vibrations affected Jay in profound ways. He began guitar lessons at age 8 then moved on to piano. After experiencing Tony Williams play with Sonny Rollins at Carnegie Hall in 1971, Rosen switched exclusively to drums and devoted himself to jazz as a serious course of study. He has been deeply involved in the creative improvisational and new music scenes in NY and beyond since 1990. WILLIAM HOOKER* (drums) Composer, drummer, and poet, William Hooker has released over 20 critically acclaimed CDs. He has received commissions from such organizations as Meet the Composer, the NY State Council on the Arts, Real Art Ways, and has led creative ensembles with artists from highly diverse backgrounds including Thurston Moore, David Murray, David S. Ware, William Parker, DJ Spooky, and Lee Ranaldo. Hooker often reads his poetry during performances as part of the musical compositions. He has toured extensively from Lincoln Center, the JVC Jazz Festival, and Columbia University to many other stages both here and abroad. According to one critic, Hooker “brings dramatic tension and human warmth to avant-garde jazz.” Recent CD releases include The Season’s Fire (with Eyvind Kang and Bill Horist), Live (with Sabir Mateen), Revisit: The Gift, Live at Sangha, and Complexity 2. For more info, check out www.williamhooker.com OKKYUNG LEE (cello) A Korean native, Okkyung Lee has incorporated her classical training with jazz, Korean traditional music, and noise to develop her own voice in contemporary cello. After moving to NY in 2000, she has played with some of new music’s most adventurous improvisers including Derek Bailey, Nels Cline, Sylvie Courvoisier, Mark Dresser, Mark Feldman, Fred Frith, Shelley Hirsch, Susie Ibarra, Eyvind Kang, Min Xiao-Fen, Thurston Moore, Ikue Mori, "Butch" Morris, Jim O'Rourke, Beth Orton, Zeena Parkins, Marc Ribot, Matthew Shipp, Christian Marclay, and John Zorn, to name a few. Her debut CD, Nihm (Tzadik) was met with enthusiastic reviews from Wire and TimeOut NY. Okkyung Lee holds dual BA degrees in Film Scoring/ Contemporary Writing & Production from the Berklee College of Music, and a Master’s in Contemporary Improvisation from the New England Conservatory of Music. Visit her at www.okkyunglee.com RAS MOSHE (saxophone) This Brooklyn-born native was raised in a musical family. Both his grandfather (Ted Barnett) and his father (Ted Barnett II) were saxophonists, and the elder Barnett played in classic bands led by Earl Bostic, Don Redman, Shadow Wilson, and Louis Armstrong. Moshe continues the family tradition, playing with his two ensembles, the Music Now Unit and the Ras Ensemble. He also enjoys performing in groups led by Marc Edwards, William Hooker, Sabir Mateen, Dom Minasi, and Steve Swell, among others, and believes in music's positive effect on personal and social change. Visit him at www.myspace.com/rasmoshe or www.aboptv.com/rasmoshe/ SABIR MATEEN (saxophone) Saxophonist, Bb clarinetist, flutist, and composer has been a musician most of his life. Born in Philadelphia, he started out there as a percussionist and then moved on to the flute. Gradually adding alto and tenor saxophones, Mateen has been through a number of musical transformations. He began playing R & B in the early 1970s, and went on to perform with Cecil Taylor, Sunny Murray, William Parker, “Butch” Morris, Roy Campbell, William Hooker, and Matthew Shipp, among many other leading jazz artists. He has been a member of the cooperative band TEST, and has led his own bands, including the Sabir Mateen Quartet and Movement of the Future Ark. Check out http://home.earthlink.net/~ribas/sabirmateen/ OSCAR MICHEAUX Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951), the first African-American to produce a silent feature-length film (“The Homesteader,” 1919) and a sound feature-length film (“The Exile,” 1931) is not a major figure in American film just for these milestones, but because his oeuvre is a window onto the American psyche as regards race. Though the end products were technically crude due to budgetary constraints, Micheaux is a symbol of the artist triumphing over long odds to bring his vision to the public at large while serving in the socially important role of critical spirit. One of 13 children of former slaves, Micheaux was born in 1884 in Metropolis, Illinois. Inspired by the self-help teachings of Booker T. Washington, Micheaux acquired two tracts of land in Gregory County, South Dakota, in 1905, despite not knowing about farming. His experiences there formed the basis of his first novel, The Conquest (1913), which he later rewrote into his most famous novel The Homesteader (1917) and then made into a film. As a filmmaker, Micheaux was “50 years ahead of his time.” He used the new medium of the motion picture to communicate his ideas in order to rebut racism and to raise the consciousness of African-Americans in an age of segregation and overt legal racism. Working out of Chicago, Micheaux subsequently made more than 30 films over the next three decades, including musicals, comedies, westerns, romances, and gangster films. As the most successful and prolific of black filmmakers, Micheaux was vital to African-American and overall American consciousness by providing a diverse portfolio of non-stereotyped black characters, as well as images and stories of African-American life. The silent film “The Symbol of the Unconquered” (1920) is both a response to “The Birth of a Nation” and a fascinating variation on the traditional race and gender configurations of the western. The plot features a heroic black homesteader in the Pacific Northwest, a light-skinned woman trying to “pass,” and a gang of KKK-like night riders who attempt to drive the homesteader off his valuable land. Long considered lost, “Symbol” has been restored from the only known surviving copy, recently discovered in Belgium; unfortunately, some footage is missing. D.W. Griffith’s flawed masterpiece glorifying the Ku Klux Klan “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) was the most successful film in America until the release of “Gone with the Wind” in 1939. (Sources: imdb.com and The Gene Siskel Film Center) SAYURI GOTO* (piano) A native of Fukuoka, Japan, Sayuri Goto has played piano since the age of 4 and developed a love of jazz as she grew up. After moving to NY in 1997, she studied jazz piano at the New School and the Manhattan School of Music. Currently Goto is a member of Benny Powell’s quintet, Bill Lee’s Mo’ Betta’ Band, and the George Gee Big Band. She is quickly gaining recognition in the jazz world as both an instrumentalist and a composer. In 2005 she produced and released her debut CD Flashback (Fever Pitch), which weaves a rich array of musical influences–classical, Latin, pop, and Japanese folk music–into a highly sophisticated and expressive jazz fabric. Learn more about her at www.sayurigoto.com BENNY POWELL* (trombone) The New Orleans-born Benny Powell is one of the most versatile trombonists and jazz lecturers on the contemporary music scene. The world-class instrumentalist and composer draws upon his vast know-ledge, deep roots in jazz (playing for 12 years with Count Basie and also with Lionel Hampton’s big band), and driving capacity to expand his concept of modern music. Jazz critic Nat Hentoff said that "Benny Powell's playing has always had a flowing coherence. The stories he tells are not fragmentary; they're complete. So too is his writing and arranging." Now Powell has added singer and lyricist to his resume, and recently recorded a CD of his engaging songs. In addition he has played with Randy Weston's band African Rhythms for the past 15 years. Dedicated to keeping the jazz tradition alive, Powell devotes much of his time to education. He is currently a professor at the New School and also conducts clinics at high schools and colleges. ESSIET ESSIET (bass) Considered one of the top bassists in jazz today, Essiet Essiet first received critical acclaim over a decade ago in Bobby Watson’s group Horizon. Born in Nebraska to Nigerian parents, he began studying violin at age10 and switched to bass viol at 14. As a child, he traveled widely with his family and that early exposure to many cultures, folk- ways, languages, and religions fostered his world view of strength through diversity. “Some musicians are purists,” says Essiet, “but I like to mix styles.” Essiet was Art Blakey’s last bassist, playing with him for 2 years and on 3 CDs. He’s also performed with Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, Benny Golson, and the Blue Note All-Stars, to name a few. Essiet also leads IBO, a Nigerian jazz project. CHIP WHITE (drums) The NY-born Chip White began learning percussion and music at age 9, and theory and harmony in high school. He continued studying at Ithaca College and at the Berklee School of Music. He has toured extensively here and abroad, performing with Tom Waits, Carmen McCrae, Mulgrew Miller, Houston Pierson, Etta Jones, and Savion Glover, among others. White co-wrote and produced the jazz musical “Manhattan Moments” with choreographer Kathy Sanson. His first CD as leader/composer came out in 1994 (Harlem Sunset, Postcards). “Music, for me,” he said, “is a liberating force, and I want to write and play music that will make people feel better by opening them up to their own thoughts as well as to mine.” Music and Lyrics is his most recent CD. He’s also written “I’m Just the Drummer in the Band,” a book of poems he plans to record. Check out www.chipwhitejazz.com * Hell's Kitchen resident For information about the festival, contact info@hkculturalcenter.org