Ben Allison

Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music traditions, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole.

With his groups The Ben Allison Band, The Easy Way Trio, Man Size Safe, Peace Pipe, and Medicine Wheel, Ben has toured extensively throughout the world, winning fans and building new audiences with an adventurous yet accessible sound and a flair for the unexpected.

In 2005, 2008 and 2013, Ben was a featured composer, arranger and performer with Jazz Sinfonica, an 80-piece orchestra based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The orchestra performed Ben’s compositions Little Things Run the World, Riding the Nuclear Tiger, Roll Credits, Green Al, and others from his various albums.

Ben performed his Carnegie Hall debut as a leader in February 2012.

Called “one of today’s best young jazz musicians” by the Boston Globe and a “visionary composer, adventurous improviser, and strong organizational force on the New York City jazz scene” by JazzTimes, Ben has released 11 albums — The Stars Look Very Different Today (2013, Sonic Camera Records) and  Action-Refraction (2011), Think Free (2009), Little Things Run the World (2008), Cowboy Justice (2006), Buzz (2004), Peace Pipe (2002), Riding the Nuclear Tiger (2001), Third Eye (1999), Medicine Wheel (1998) and Seven Arrows (1996) on Palmetto Records — all of which showcase Ben’s forward-thinking vision as a bassist, composer, arranger, producer, and mixing engineer, as well as his hands-on approach to his craft.

7 of Ben’s albums have reached #1 on the CMJ national jazz radio charts, often remaining in the top 10 for many weeks, garnering him 8 SESAC National Performance Awards. His album Action-Refraction was named one of the Best Albums of 2011 (of any genre) by NPR and Time Out New York. His albums have consistently been named as among the best of the year by publications such as Billboard, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Village Voice, Jazz Times, Jazz Journalists Association, Downbeat Critics Poll, All About Jazz, Coda (Canada), Jazzit (Italy) and Jazz Review (UK), among many others.

Ben currently serves on the Board of the New York chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) where he chairs the Advocacy Committee and is currently in his second term as Vice President. He has met with state and federal Senators and Representatives on subjects ranging from intellectual property rights, to technology and arts funding. In June 2012, Ben testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in support of performing rights. His testimony was reported on by the BBC, Billboard, Bloomberg and the New York Times among many other national and international news outlets. In 2015, Ben organized and moderated the first ever Grammy Town Hall in NYC, which featured an expert panel and keynote address by legendary producer Tony Visconti. He has appeared on radio programs produced by WBGO and WNYC where he has discussed issues relating to music piracy and intellectual property rights and is an active member of the NY state coalition NY is Music.

Ben has been cited in the Downbeat Critics Poll “Bassist” category (2010-2015), “Composer” category (2010-2015) and won the “Rising Star Bassist” category in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He’s also been cited in the “Rising Star Album,” “Rising Star Acoustic Group,” “Rising Star Arranger,” and “Rising Star Jazz Artist,” categories since 2003 as well as the “Bassist” category of the 2005-2014 Downbeat Readers Poll.

Amy London

Amy London is known and loved in New York City jazz and Broadway circles for her effortless sound, impeccable musicianship and depth of emotion. Her most recent CD on Motema, The Royal Bopsters Project, features a vocal jazz quartet with Ms London as the leader and soprano; Holli Ross, swinging alto; the legendary Darmon Meader, tenor; and bright newcomer Dylan Pramuk, bass. Together they arranged and recorded 12 songs, including 4 with the late bop master Mark Murphy, and one each with Annie Ross, Jon Hendricks, Sheila Jordan and Bob Dorough. This remarkable project received 4 and 1/2 stars in Downbeat, a video feature in the Wall Street Journal, rave reviews in JazzTimes and other jazz periodicals, and was on the Best CDs of 2015 lists of Downbeat, JazzTimes, All About Jazz and Talkin’ Broadway. The CD release event in September 2015 was celebrated by a sold out 6 night run at Birdland.

Ms. London’s two previous critically acclaimed CD’s on Motema as a leader, ‘Let’s Fly’ and ‘When I Look In Your Eyes’ feature some of the world’s top jazz musicians, and have led her to engagements in Russia, Italy, Turkey, France, Brazil, England, Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Canada, as well as cities across the US.

As a jazz educator, Amy London has been teaching voice since 1984. She has been faculty at New School University’s Jazz BFA program since 1992, and is one of the principal architects of the highly successful vocal department there. In early 2014, Amy launched the Vocal Jazz Academy at Jazz House for Kids, in Montclair, NJ, at the invitation of Christian McBride and Melissa Walker. In the Fall of 2016, she will join the renowned vocal faculty of the BFA jazz program at City College, CUNY, NYC. She has also led vocal jazz workshops nationally and internationally, for the IAJE, JEN and a variety of summer jazz camps. Ms. London received her BA in Opera from Syracuse University, under the tutelage of bass-baritone Donald Miller, as well as vocal coaching at age 16 from Milt Wiener, the former music director of WLW radio in Cincinnati, who also coached Doris Day and Rosemary Clooney.

Sherrie Maricle

Sherrie Maricle leads her big band DIVA, her quintet FIVE PLAY and The DIVA Jazz Trio. From Carnegie Hall, she performs with The New York Pops and from celebrated stages everywhere, she is the music director for Broadway star Maurice Hines. As a teacher Sherrie has created and runs the Musical Magic hospital outreach program for The Ronald McDonald House New York. She also operates a private drum set and percussion studio, serves as a conductor for The New York Summer Festival and is an active clinician for Yamaha Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Aquarian Drum Heads and Vic Firth Drum Sticks. Sherrie is also a busy freelance performer and a published composer/arranger.

With her three bands Sherrie has performed at many of the world’s most acclaimed music venues and major jazz festivals throughout the United States and abroad. DIVA has been featured on the soundtrack for NBC’s 2014 Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular; on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood; and on TCM’s televised broadcast of the 25th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center. In 2009 Sherrie and her trio were guests on Marian McPartland’s world-renowned NPR show Piano Jazz, and in 2012 DIVA was featured prominently in the award-winning film The Girls in the Band.

Sherrie has received several awards and honors which include a 2013 Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Music Direction, Resident Production for Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life at Arena Stage, the 2009 Mary Lou Williams-Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award, a 2013 State Department grant for FIVE PLAY to tour Vietnam, a tour grant from Arts International, The Kennedy Center Alliance Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Arts, a grant from Meet the Composer, a Doctoral Fellowship from New York University, the 2006 New York City Music Educator’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Music Education, and was selected New York University “Music Teacher of the Year” in both 1997 and 2000.

Alvester Garnett

Alvester Garnett has appeared on Great Performances on PBS in a tribute to Kurt Weill along with Betty Carter, a live record with Teddy Edwards, the CD’s Earth Stories with Cyrus Chestnut and Who Used To Dance with Abbey Lincoln. He also played on James Carter’s In Carterian Fashion. Other recorded performances include Stefon Harris’ A Cloud of Red Dust on Blue Note records and Abbey Lincoln’sWholly Earth. He has also performed at many notable Jazz Festivals. Some of them are the JVC Jazz Festivals of NY and Paris, The Newport Jazz Festival, The North Sea Jazz Festival, The Vienne Jazz Festival, The Montreux Jazz Festival, The DuMaurier Jazz Festival, The Nice Jazz Festival, The San Francisco Jazz Festival, The Monterey Jazz Festival, and The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Mr. Garnett has also worked in the bands of many other great artists. The list includes Roy Hargrove’s Quintet, Benny Golson, Al Grey, Stefon Harris, Wynton Marsalis and Lincoln Center’s Jazz For Young People Concerts, James Carter’s Quartet and Quintet, Lou Donaldson’s Quartet along with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jackie Terrason’s Trio, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Rodney Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Clark Terry, Eric Reed, Wycliffe Gordon, Sherman Irby, Pharaoh Sanders, Jimmy Witherspoon, Milt Hinton, Marcus Printup, Greg Osby, John Hicks, Wes Anderson, Teddy Edwards, Ellis Marsalis, Ron Affif, Jeff Clayton, Ronald Westray, Fabio Morgera, Werner "Vana" Gierig, Dr. Michael White and the Richmond Symphony. Currently Mr. Garnett resides in Maywood New Jersey, where he continues to grow musically and performs throughout the country and internationally with his wife, the jazz violinist Regina Carter.

Marc Ribot

Guitarist and activist Marc Ribot has established himself as a major part of the music community through his diverse interests, projects, performances with a wide array of musicians, and his activism on behalf of the recording industry and intellectual property rights. Mr. Ribot has released over 20 albums over the course of his 35 year career, and worked with some of the most famous musicians of our time, including Brother Jack McDuff, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Chuck Berry, Joe Henry, Allen Toussaint, Norah Jones, Akiko Yano, The Black Keys, Jeff Bridges, Jolie Holland, Elton John/Leon Russell and many others. Mr. Ribot is also an important voice in the movement to protect the intellectual property rights of musicians, including fighting to amend and update the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and finding ways to address technologies impact on the music industry in general.