Roy Anthony Hargrove was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved worldwide acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles of jazz in 1998 and 2002. Hargrove primarily played in the hard bop style for the majority of his albums, but also had a penchant for genre-crossing exploration and collaboration with a variety of hip hop, soul, R&B and alternative rock artists. As Hargrove told one reporter, "I've been around all kinds of musicians, and if a cat can play, a cat can play. If it's gospel, funk, R&B, jazz or hip-hop, if it's something that gets in your ear and it's good, that's what matters."
Robert Michael Watson Jr., known professionally as Bobby Watson, is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator.
John Josephus Hicks Jr. was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He was leader of more than 30 recordings and played as a sideman on more than 300.
Curtis Lundy is an American double bass player, composer, producer, choir director and arranger. Lundy is best known for his work as part of jazz vocalist Betty Carter's band.
Carmen Latretta Lundy is an American jazz singer. She has been performing for three decades, with a focus on original material.
Hiram Winard Harper is an American jazz drummer.
Africaine is a collection of 1959 recordings by jazz artist Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. The collection was not released until over 20 years after it was recorded. The album features tenor-saxophonist Wayne Shorter in his first recording with The Jazz Messengers, trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Walter Davis, Jr. and bassist Jymie Merritt.
Blue Soul is an album led by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell recorded and released in 1959 on the Riverside label.
Mutima is the debut album led by bassist Cecil McBee recorded in 1974 and first released on the Strata-East label.
Africa is an album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1987 and released on the Dutch Timeless label.
Gerald Leon Cannon is an American jazz double bassist and visual artist.
Liquid Magic is an album by trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah's Quartet featuring saxophonist Charles Brackeen, bassist Malachi Favors, and drummer Alvin Fielder which was recorded in 1987 and released on the Swedish Silkheart label.
I'll Give You Something to Remember Me By is an album led by pianist John Hicks, recorded in 1987.
Solid! is an album by Eric Alexander, with John Hicks, George Mraz, and Idris Muhammad.
Brianna Thomas is an American jazz singer, vocalist, composer, songwriter, band leader, and percussionist. She was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, United States. She made her singing debut at the age of six. She is the daughter of drummer and vocalist Charlie Thomas. She is known as being one of the best young straight ahead young jazz singers, says music critic and author Will Friedwald. She is known to bring together various forms of American music from bluegrass to jazz in to an original hybrid of jazz/funk/rock and soul. Her voice is said to be strong and her range huge. She incorporates rare music in her repertoire of early female blues and jazz pioneers such as Bessie Smith, Victoria Spivey, Ma Rainey, Ethel Waters, Mamie Smith, and Ida Cox. All About Jazz said of her 2015 debut album, You Must Believe in Love, “Brianna Thomas is the complete package. Through this music she exhibits emotional depth, to-die-for scat skills, incredible pitch control and shading, strong songwriting skills, intuitively elastic phrasing, soulful bearing, and a great range.”
Vietnam: The Aftermath is an album by violinist Billy Bang. It was recorded on April 13 and 14, 2001, at Sorcerer Sound in New York City, and was released later that year by Justin Time Records. On the album, Bang is joined by saxophonist Frank Lowe, flutist Sonny Fortune, trumpeter Ted Daniel, pianist John Hicks, double bassist Curtis Lundy, drummer Michael Carvin, and percussionist Ron Brown. The ensemble is conducted by Butch Morris.
Vietnam: Reflections is an album by violinist Billy Bang. It was recorded on May 18 and 19, 2004, at Nola Recording Studios in New York City, and was released in 2005 by Justin Time Records. On the album, Bang is joined by saxophonist James Spaulding, flutist Henry Threadgill, trumpeter Ted Daniel, pianist John Hicks, double bassist Curtis Lundy, drummer Michael Carvin, percussionist Ron Brown, vocalist Co Boi Nguyen, and đàn tranh player Nhan Thanh Ngo. The ensemble is conducted by Butch Morris.
Beatitudes is an album by saxophonist and composer Bobby Watson and double bassist Curtis Lundy. It was recorded on April 11, 1983, at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was released on vinyl later that year by New Note Records. In 1997, the album was reissued on CD by Evidence Music. On the album, which features five Watson originals, a Lundy composition, and Gigi Gryce's "Minority", Watson and Lundy are joined by pianist Mulgrew Miller and drummer Kenny Washington.
Just Be Yourself is an album by double bassist Curtis Lundy. It was recorded during 1985 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was released on vinyl in 1987 by New Note Records. In 1997, the album was reissued on CD by Evidence Music. On the album, Lundy is joined by saxophonist Bobby Watson, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, pianist Hank Jones, drummer Kenny Washington, and vocalist Carmen Lundy.
Purpose is an album by double bassist Curtis Lundy. It was recorded on October 1 and 2, 2001, at Sound on Sound Studios in New York City, and was released in 2002 by Justin Time Records. On the album, Lundy is joined by saxophonist Mark Shim, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, pianists John Hicks and Anthony Wonsey, and drummer Billy Hart.
