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the musicians
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additional participants |
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James Moody No one musician spent more time
with Dizzy Gillespie than James Moody. He first appeared with Dizzy's
big band in 1947 and continued to perform with him untill 1992. Aside
from being one of the premier saxophonists in jazz, his flute playing is
legendary. He is world renowned for his masterpiece of jazz improvision
"Moody's Mood for Love". Dizzy once said, "Playing with James Moody is
like playing with a continuation of myself".
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Jimmy Heath has long been recognized as a brilliant
instrumentalist and a magnificent composer and arranger. He has
performed with nearly all the jazz greats of the last 50 years, from
Howard McGhee, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis to Wynton Marsalis. |
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Paquito D`Rivera Born in Havana, Paquito is regarded
by many as the most creative Cuban jazz musician in exile. He is also
considered one of the finest clarinetists in the world. First heard with
the band Irakere, he has released over sixteen CDs as a leader. Paquito
was a founding member of Dizzy's United Nation Orchestra. In 1997
Paquito's "Portraits of Cuba" received a Grammy award for best Latin
Jazz CD. |
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Clark Terry One of contemporary music's most famous
innovators, is justly celebrated for his great technical virtuosity,
swinging lyricism and good taste. He is a master story-teller whose
spellbinding musical "tales" leave audiences thrilled and always wanting
more. His astonishing career included stints with Charlie Barnet,
Charlie Ventura, Eddie vinson, Count Basie, The Tonight Show and eight
years as a featured soloist with Duke Ellington. |
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Roy Hargrove was born in Dallas, Texas, and was
discovered as a potential jazz talent when Wynton Marsalis visited his
high school. One of his biggest influences was saxophone player David
"Fathead" Newman, who played with the Ray Charles Band at Hargrove's
junior high school. |
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Jon Faddis Regarded by many to be the greatest
trumpet player in jazz today, Jon has appeared with Charles Mingus,
Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, and Sarah
Vaughan, among others. His close relationship with Dizzy included
serving as musical director of Dizzy's 70th Anniversary Big Band and the
original United Nation Orchestra. As the director of the Carnegie Hall
Jazz Band, Jon continues Dizzy's legacy of innovation as a composer,
educator and musician. |
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Randy Brecker One of the leading trumpeters in jazz
for over two decades, Randy's musical history is a varied and rich one.
From associations with Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, and Joe Henderson, to
his first call studio career in which he has recorded countless discs,
to the fusion of Larry Coryell, Blood, Sweat, & Tears, and Dreams, to
the Brecker Brothers Band (which he co-leads with his brother Michael),
Randy continues to collaborate widely while extending his impressive
solo career. |
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Claudio Roditi Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
Claudio came to the United States to study jazz at the Berklee College
of Music where he later joined the faculty of the School of Contemporary
Music. He was a member of Dizzy's United Nation Orchestra and has played
and recorded with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Tito Puente, Paquito
D`Rivera, Slide Hampton and Herbie Mann, among others. As a leader
Claudio has released over fifteen CDs. |
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Bobby Watson Trained formally at the University of
Miami and then earned his 'doctorate' as musical director of Art
Blakey's Jazz Messengers, the ultimate 'postgraduate school' for
ambitious young players. Along the way, he worked with such notable jazz
artists as Max Roach, Louis Hayes, George Coleman, Sam Rivers and Wynton
and Branford Marsalis, as well as vocalists Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves,
Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, and Carmen Lundy. |
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Benny Green Born A student at Berkeley High School in
the early 80s, Benny paid his dues with the bands of Art Blakey, Betty
Carter and Freddie Hubbard from 1983 to 1990. In 1992, he joined Ray
Brown's trio, and his reputation spread as he became a vital member of
that group. In 1993, Oscar Peterson bestowed upon Green the Prot'g
Prize, and he later teamed up with Peterson on Telarc's Oscar and Benny
(CD-83406) in 1998. Now based in New York, Green travels widely as the
leader of his own trio. |
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Renee Rosnes Born in Canada, Rosnes moved to New York
in 1985 and has played and/or recorded with a wide variety of artists
including Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, J.J. Johnson, Jon Faddis, James
Moody, the group Out of the Blue, Gary Thomas and Robin Eubanks. In
addition, Renee Rosnes has recorded several excellent sessions for Blue
Note as a leader. |
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Cyrus Chestnut One of the great new voices on piano,
Cyrus worked in the bands of Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Betty
Carter, and Terence Blanchard/Donald Harrison before launching his own
solo career. Cyrus toured Japan with Dizzy in 1990, and has released
four solo albums for Atlantic Jazz since 1994. Aside from leading his
own trio, Cyrus often works with the opera star, Kathleen Battle. |
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Kenny Barron Over the last three decades, Kenny has
become one of the most sought after jazz pianists around. Aside from the
four years he spent with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet he has also worked
and recorded with the bands of James Moody, Lee Morgan, Roy Haynes,
Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard,Yusef Lateef, Stan Getz, Sonny Stitt,
Buddy Rich and Ron Carter. He is currently a full professor with tenure
at Rutgers University. |
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John Lee From 1984 to 1992, John served as Dizzy's
bassist, playing in the small groups, Dizzy's 70th Anniversary Big Band
and the United Nation Orchestra. A composer, producer and teacher, John
has played in the bands of Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, McCoy Tyner, Larry
Coryell, Joe Henderson, and is currently a member of the Fantasy Band.
Other credits include appearances with Gil Evans, Jon Faddis, Jimmy
Heath, Fredie Hubbard and Claudio Roditi. |
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Ignacio Berroa A graduate of Havana's National
Conservatory of Music, Ignacio was Cuba's most famous drummer before
moving to New York in 1980. He was a member of Dizzy's quartet from 1981
to 1983 and rejoined the quintet, Dizzy's 70th Annivesary Big Band and
the United Nation Orchestra in 1987. McCoy Tyner, Gonzalo Rubalcaba,
Tito Puente, Eliane Elias, Michel Camilo and James Moody are among his
numerous credits. |
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Dennis Mackrel In 1981, at 19 years of age, Dennis
moved to New York City and landed a gig as the drummer in a New York
Broadway orchestra. His Broadway credits include "The First" and "A
Chorus Line". During January of 1983, Dennis joined The Count Basie
Orchestra on the personal recommendation of Joe Williams and worked
alongside Mr. Basie until his death in April, 1984. |