Leon Dorsey (Bio)
Bassist/Composer/Arranger Leon Lee Dorsey is indeed a triple-threat, handling bass-playing, composing and arranging tasks with equal aplomb. Never have these gifts been more abundantly evident than on his latest CD release, “Song Of Songs”. Joined by Bryan Carrott-vibes, Carlton Holmes-piano, and Vincent Ector-drums, Dorsey and his intuitive cohorts take the listener on an adventure through nine tracks that alternately shine, soothe, smolder and burn, all while swinging incessantly as well as maintaining a supreme sense of melody throughout.
Leon Lee Dorsey’s fluid and ubiquitous bass has energized Jazz masters Lionel Hampton, and Art Blakey with his Jazz Messengers, as well as Grammy winning Jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson. In addition he has performed under the baton of conducting legends Lukas Foss and Robert Fountain. In September 1999 he made his solo recital debut at Lincoln Center.
A composer and arranger, he has performed with jazz luminaries that include: Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, John Lewis, Kenny Clarke, Jon Hendricks, Gloria Lynn, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Dorothy Donegan, Stanley Turrentine, George Benson, Ellis Marsalis, Neena Freelon and Terumasa Hino. He has also performed in big bands with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Benny Carter, the Duke Ellington Orchestra and Charlie Persip’s Superband.
Other career highlights include working with Frank Sinatra at Carnegie Hall, guest appearances at the White House under Presidents Reagan and Clinton and performing with Joe Williams and the operatic diva Marilyn Horne. He has graced jazz festivals throughout the world and recorded with Lionel Hampton, Art Blakey, Arthur Prysock, Freddie Hubbard, Dakota Staton and numerous other jazz artists.
Completing his Doctorate in Classical Double Bass under the distinguished Ron Carter at the Grad Center of City University of New York with, Dorsey holds Masters Degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the Manhattan School of Music and two Bachelor of Music Degrees from Oberlin College.
Although his talents encompass the entire spectrum of music, jazz is this exciting young man first love. Says Dorsey, “Jazz requires the highest level of knowledge, study and training across the board”. Holding his convictions, Dorsey says he owes it all to God.
leonleedorsey.com.
Grady Tate (Bio)
Grady Tate, (born January 14, 1932 in Durham, North Carolina),is a hard bop and soul-jazz drummer and singer.
He has played with Lional Hampton, Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, Lena Horne, Astrud Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Blossom Dearie, Chris Connor, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Cal Tjader, Peggy Lee, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Tom Rapp, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Stanley Turrentine, Charles Earland, Quincy Jones, Stan Getz, and Wes Montgomery.
Tate has a baritone voice and has released many albums as leader and vocalist.
During the 1970s he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet. In 1981 he played drums and percussion Simon and Garfunkel's Concert in Central Park.
Tate moved to New York City in 1963 and gained the position of drummer in the band of Quincy Jones.
Grady Tate's drumming helped to define a particular hard bop, soul jazz and organ trio sound during the mid 1960's and beyond. His slick, layered and intense sound is instantly recognizable for its understated style in which he integrates his trademark subtle nuances with sharp, crisp "on top of the beat" timing (in comparison to playing slightly before, or slightly after the beat). The Grady Tate sound can be heard prominently on the many classic Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery albums recorded on the Verve label in the 1960s.
Grady Tate was the drummer on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for six years.
Grady Tate's popularity as choice sideman of accomplished musicians is due to his remarkable intuitiveness and ability to make any style of music swing tastefully, and his interpretation of many different genres of music, in which he creates his own unique style of jazz grooves- i.e: Latin jazz, reggae jazz, rock jazz, funk jazz, etc. One album that demonstrates Mr. Tate's mastering of several musical styles may be heard on Jimmy Smith's Go For Whatcha Know (1986), which also features a vocal track by Grady Tate. An example of his virtuosic drumming abilities may be heard on Stan Getz's Sweet Rain (1967).
Among his most widely heard vocal performances are the songs "I Got Six", "Naughty Number Nine", and "Fireworks" from Multiplication Rock and America Rock, both part of the Schoolhouse Rock series.[1]
He has been on the faculty of Howard University since 1989.
George Coleman (Bio)
George Edward Coleman (born March 8, 1935 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American hard bop saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, known chiefly for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s.
Coleman taught himself to play the alto saxophone in his teens, inspired (like many jazz musicians of his generation) by Charlie Parker. Among his schoolmates were Harold Mabern, Booker Little, Frank Strozier, Hank Crawford and Charles Lloyd.[1] After working with Ray Charles, Coleman started working with B.B. King in 1953,[2] at which point he switched to tenor saxophone.[3] In 1956 Coleman moved to Chicago, along with Booker Little, where he worked with Gene Ammons and Johnny Griffin before joining Max Roach Quintet 1958-1959. Coleman recorded with organist Jimmy Smith's Houseparty (1957), with Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Eddie McFadden, Kenny Burrell, and Donald Bailey. Moving to New York with Max Roach in that year, he went on to play with Slide Hampton (1959–1962), Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, and Wild Bill Davis (1962), before joining Miles Davis Quintet in 1963-1964.
His most famous albums with Davis (and the rhythm section of Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass) and Tony Williams (drums)) are Seven Steps to Heaven (1963), A Rare Home Town Appearance (1963), Côte Blues (1963), In Europe (1963), My Funny Valentine (1964) and Four & More, both live recordings of a concert in Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York in February 1964. Shortly after this concert, Coleman was replaced by Wayne Shorter. The following year, he played on Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage (1964), with Ron Carter and Tony Williams, generally considered to be one of the pianist's finest albums. He played with Lionel Hampton (1965–1966), also in 1965 and performed on Chet Baker's The Prestige Sessions, with Kirk Lightsey, Herman Wright and Roy Brooks.[5] Charles Mingus (1977–1978), Shirley Scott (1972), Clark Terry, Horace Silver, Elvin Jones (1968), Ahmad Jamal (1994, 2000) and many others.
Coleman also appeared in the film "Freejack", the 1992 science-fiction film with Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger and Anthony Hopkins; and 1996’s "Preacher’s Wife" with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston.
Coleman is still recording. His CD as co-leader, Four Generations of Miles: A Live Tribute to Miles, with bassist Ron Carter, drummer Jimmy Cobb and guitarist Mike Stern was released on Chesky Records in October 2002 and concentrates almost exclusively on the 1950s repertoire of Miles Davis. Tracks include: "There Is No Greater Love," "All Blues," "On Green Dolphin Street," "Blue in Green," "81," "Freddie Freeloader," "My Funny Valentine," "If I Were a Bell," and "Oleo." He recently was heard on Joey DeFrancesco's 2006 release Organic Vibes, along with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, Billboard's Top Jazz Album.
