05/07 - Friday :: Winard Harper Group

Winard Harpers Sextet's Myspace

Featuring: Winard Harper (drums/balafon/percussion), Jon Notar (piano), Stacy Dillard (Tenor Saxophone), Josh Evans (Trumpet), Alioune Faye (African Percussion), & Ameen Saleem (Bass).

Drummer Winard Harper is passionate about jazz. "This music is powerful," he says. "It can do a lot of good for people. If they'd spend some time each day listening to it, we would see many changes in the world." "Early on," Harper continues, "I transcribed a couple of Max solos, but I really just loved listening to him. He was a big influence as well as Art Blakey, and more so than anybody, Billy Higgins. The joy and the passion and his love of playing really made an impact on me. I could see similarities between myself and him, and then we became such great friends. A lot of the concept of my band was inspired by Billy. A lot of the African influences and different instruments I use in the band, Billy was always exploring as well."

Piadrum recording artist Winard Harper is one of the hardest working drummers in jazz today, not only leading his very exciting and hard-swinging sextet, but also continuing as an in-demand sideman. When not touring with his band, Harper continues to work and record with such artists such as Joe Lovano, Avery Sharpe, Steve Turre, Wycliffe Gordon, Frank Wess, Ray Bryant, and Jimmy Heath. His newest CD, Make It Happen, goes further than any of his previous six releases to highlight his talent as drummer, composer and bandleader.

Web Site: Myspace

Featuring:: Derrick James (Alto Sax), Xavier Perez (Tenor Sax), James Weidman (Piano), Mike McGuirk (Bass), & Jaimeo Brown (Drums)

The 38 year-old native New Yorker Derrick James has performed jazz with emotion and spirit. Being the son of a gospel singer and grandson of a jazz trombonist, Derrick has been immersed in music from birth and at the age of nine began to play the saxophone. Later, he attended Berklee College of Music, Long Island University, and the University of Maimi. Derrick has not only devoted his entire life to playing the sax--- but has subsequently embarked on a career that soon had him requested by and sharing stage, TV, and studio with the likes of: Chaka Khan, Billy Cobham, Acoustic Alchemy, George Duke, Prince, Gino Vanneli, Donna Summer, Gloria Estafan, Red Holloway, Barry Finnerty, Onage Allen Gumbs, Lenny Castro, Jimmy Woody, Adam Nussbaum, Harvey "S", Whitney Houston, Nat Reeves, Drew Gress, Michael Bland, Dom Romau, Keith Copland, Ira Coleman, Poogie Bell, Benny Bailey, Birelli Lagrene, Michael Formanek, Julian Joseph, Kaus Dolinger, Anthony Porrone, Brad Mehldau, Buddy Williams, Pete Yellin, Jimmy Cobb, and Moes Allison