The Grammy Award winning bassist Christian McBride has been at the forefront of jazz since he emerged as part of the talented generation of players that took the genre by storm in the early 1990s. Born in 1972 in Philadelphia, Christian began playing electric bass at age 9, mentored by his father and great uncle. After studying both jazz and classical music at Philadelphia’s High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Christian was awarded a partial scholarship to attend the Juilliard School in New York City in 1989. Almost immediately upon his arrival in New York, McBride began working with saxophonist Bobby Watson's Horizon and started working at clubs with John Hicks, Kenny Barron, Larry Willis and Gary Bartz. After one year at Juilliard, McBride decided to leave school to tour with trumpeter Roy Hargrove. From that moment, McBride began a remarkable ascent to the top ranks of the music industry; many top jazz artists recognized his virtuoso status, such as trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, Superbass (with Ray Brown and John Clayton), Pat Metheny, Joshua Redman and many others.

During the 1990s, Christian recorded close to 150 albums as a sideman for such artists as Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, Roy Haynes, Benny Green, Kathleen Battle, Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck, Jimmy Smith, Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, George Duke, and many more, as well as appearing onscreen in Robert Altman's 1940s period film, Kansas City. Signed to Verve in 1994, McBride released four records as a leader, including Gettin' to It, Number Two Express, A Family Affair and SCI-FI.

In the new century, McBride continued to expand his scope of live and recorded performances with Sting, George Duke, Chick Corea, Chris Botti, John Scofield, Jim Hall, and dozens more. In 2004, he won a Grammy Award for his participation on McCoy Tyner’s Illuminations, and he undertook his first pop Musical Directorship for Carly Simon’s Christmas show featuring gospel royalty BeBe Winans. In 2006, McBride performed with the Godfather of Soul, James Brown at the Hollywood Bowl, and in 2007, he recorded with and acted as Musical Director for Queen Latifah, presented Charles Mingus’ “Epitaph” in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, and performed with Sonny Rollins and Roy Haynes at a 50th Anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall.

Confounding the purists by embracing the funky and electrified sounds of his youth, McBride has also pushed the boundaries of jazz with the Philadelphia Experiment (with The Roots’ drummer and high school classmate ?uestlove, Uri Caine and Pat Martino) and has released two recordings, Vertical Vision and Live at Tonic with his own group, the Christian McBride Band. Christian has also cultivated new sounds with his eclectic, anything-goes-electro-acoustic Christian McBride Situation, which can include DJs as well as traditional instruments.

Christian McBride is also a devoted jazz educator and mentor. He is the Artistic Director at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass summer program, the Co-Director of The Jazz Museum in Harlem, and is Creative Chair for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Past Artistic Director and residency positions include stints at the Henry Mancini and Brubeck Institutes, the Berklee College of Music, and Stanford Jazz Workshop.

McBride is also a talented composer/arranger and has written dozens of tunes and has received commissions from such entities as Jazz at Lincoln Center ("Bluesin' in Alphabet City," performed by Wynton Marsalis with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra) and the National Endowment for the Arts (“The Movement, Revisited,” a dramatic musical portrait of the civil rights struggle of the 1960s written and arranged for quartet and a 30-piece gospel choir.)

Beginning in 1994, Christian has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival five times: with Ray Brown, Pat Metheny, the Brubeck Institute, the Christian McBride Situation, the Christian McBride Quintet, and with Dave Brubeck in 2002, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the “Real Ambassadors.”

Geoffrey Keezer - piano and keyboards

Geoffrey has been immersed in music his entire life. Born into a musical family, with both parents teaching music, he began studying piano at the age of three. In 1989, at the age of 18, after completing his first year at the Berklee School of Music, Geoffrey was faced with two job offers. One with Miles Davis, the other with Art Blakey. He chose the latter, and his career was off to a fast start.

Geoffrey has worked with virtually all of the living legends of jazz and has appeared on countless recordings both as a leader and as an accompanist. His professional career has spanned many projects and genres. In 1992, for example, Geoffrey performed Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra under the direction of John Mauceri. In addition to his 11 solo releases and constant touring, Geoffrey has also been commissioned to compose several pieces for public performance, including Palm Reader for the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Listen Look for the Saint Joseph Ballet, Variables, a set of variations for piano and string quartet written especially for the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego, and Southeast Alaska Suite, commissioned by the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra.

Geoffrey continues to work in partnership with world class musicians from all genres. His 1998 release, Turn Up The Quiet, featured Grammy winning vocalist, Diana Krall along with Joshua Redman and Christian McBride. His partnership withworld renowned classical artist, Barbara Hendricks as bandleader/arranger produced It’s Wonderful — Tribute to George Gershwin with subsequent touring in Europe and Japan. His two releases in 2003, Falling Up and Sublime: Honoring the Music of Hank Jones, were both collaborative efforts. Sublime is an ambitious set of duets with Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Benny Green and Mulgrew Miller. Falling Up features several pieces where Geoffrey worked in tandem with master Hawaiian Slack Key Guitarist, Keola Beamer.

Praise for Geoffrey's artistry comes from all sides. Time magazine wrote that Geoffrey possesses "a refreshingly open-eared sensibility in the modern manner, and he has more than enough virtuosity and sheer musical wit and intelligence to weave all of his apparently disparate strands of influence into an original and compelling whole." His peers speak glowingly about his artistry as well. Hawaiian guitarist, Keola Beamer reflects "Geoffrey has a beautiful, spatial style that I immediately fell in love with the first time we played together in San Francisco." His fans also echo their admiration for his artistry. Surf to any online CD shop and read the glowing reviews of his releases submitted by purchasers worldwide.

Geoffrey's newest release, Wildcrafted, captures the fire and raw energy of Geoffrey’s trio, live in concert at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. Geoffreys’ unlimited potential as a composer, arranger, and musician are all on showcase.Wildcrafted features five fresh original pieces, nestled in with finely polished and newly arranged Jazz chestnuts, a celestial Okinawan work of art, and even a new arrangement of a composition by pop singer, Björk.

Geoffrey Keezer continues to be in high demand, as an artist: performing, composing and arranging. He works worldwide doing commissioned works, recording projects, performances and cross cultural collaborations.

Terreon Gully - drums

A native of East St. Louis, Illinois, Terreon, or “Tank” as his colleagues affectionately call him, began his musical journey performing drum set as a child in church. Pursuing his love for music, Terreon joined the world renowned Lincoln Senior High School Jazz Ensemble under the leadership of Director Ronald Carter. Furthering his education, Terreon attended the University of Houston in Houston, Texas, where his mentor Marvin Sparks, Director of Percussion Studies, introduced him to the wide world of percussion. While attending the university Terreon met his future wife Ramona Houston, Ph.D. In 1996, Terreon graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance. Being exposed to various genres and aspects of the music industry throughout his life, Terreon naturally progressed into a career in music. Upon graduation, Terreon moved to Atlanta to explore the possibilities of music in the Southeast. He later moved to New York City in 1998, where he now lives and continues his musical journey.

Terreon’s artistic uniqueness lies in his distinctive sound, authenticity and creativity. A sensitive, colorful and innovative drummer, Terreon mixes different textures and tones on the drums and cymbals to produce breathtaking colors and images. A versatile musician, Terreon approaches each genre in its authentic context, yet complements it through incorporating various styles in an ingenious manner to create an interesting and innovative sound. His distinctive sound combined with his approach to music complements his expressive creativity.

Terreon performs and records extensively. When not busy with The Christian McBride Band, Stefon Harris, or Yerba Buena, Terreon finds time to squeeze in working with such artists as Burning Spear, Lauren Hill and Roy Ayers to name a few. Known for his authenticity and versatility, Terreon performs in a variety of genres and musical settings, working with the best. From reggae pioneers, hip hop icons, to jazz legends, Terreon has performed, toured, and recorded with many artists, among them: the Benny Green Trio, Charlie Hunter, Real Live Band, Diane Reeves, Abbey Lincoln, Marc Cary, Russell Gunn, Lizz Wright, Jackie Terrason, and Common as well as a host of other artists. In addition to live performances, Terreon is known for his exceptional work in the studio, recording for albums, films, and commercials.

Terreon is an exceptional musician with a remarkable personality. Committed to performing on the best equipment that enhances his sound, Terreon endorses Premier drums, Sabian cymbals, Remo drumheads, ProMark drumsticks, and LP Percussion. Devoted to his musical development, Terreon continues to enhance his artistic talents. A young, talented, and dedicated artist with a reputable character, Terreon is the epitome of professionalism and musicianship.

Ron Blake - tenor and soprano saxophones and flute

Ron Blake has been an integral part of the New York jazz scene for the past ten years. The rich language of jazz is still his home, but these days Blake is also finding new roles for his saxophone voice. On Lest We Forget, his debut CD for Mack Avenue Records, Blake celebrates the classic Hammond B-3 organ trio sound in an innovative setting, performing songs made popular by some of the legendary musicians associated with the instrument. Blake called on the talents of long-time friend and celebrated bassist Christian McBride to produce the CD, which also features Hammond B-3 specialist Joey DeFrancesco and drummer Greg Hutchinson as the core of his band.

Lest We Forget, his 1st self-produced recording for Ron Blake Productions, pays tribute to three musicians – Stanley Turrentine, Charles Earland, and Grover Washington, Jr. - whose music transcended time and category and appealed to vast audiences during their lifetimes. The CD’s ten tracks, including Turrentine’s “Minor Chant,” Earland’s “More Today Than Yesterday,” (the cover of the Spiral Staircase song which earned Earland his greatest popularity) and Washington’s huge hit, “Mr. Magic,” provide a perfect platform for Blake’s distinctive sound and lyrical style of playing. On that track, as well as on such diverse selections as Michel Legrand’s “You Must Believe In Spring” and the traditional, Latin flavored “Asalto Navideño,” producer McBride contributes support on both acoustic and electric bass. Guitarist David Gilmore joins the band on four tracks, including Washington’s “Happenstance.” Lest We Forget also introduces the talents of a young trumpet player from the Virgin Islands (Blake’s own birthplace), “Rawshawn Ross, who is featured on five tunes, including the high-energy “Mighty Burner.”

A member of the Christian McBride Band since 2000, Ron continues to explore a wider range of musical styles with the very talented bassist and composer, as evidenced on McBride's latest release, Vertical Vision (Warner Bros). As a featured soloist with the new band Yerba Buena, which was named IBE Best New Alternative Latin Band of 2002, Ron returned to instruments he'd played during high school and university; the flute and baritone sax.Yerba Buena contributed two tracks to MCA's Red Hot Riot (2002), a compilation dedicated to the music of Fela Kuti, on which Ron joins musical forces with such diverse artists as Meshell N'degeocello and Common.

Born on September 7th in the Virgin Islands, Blake began playing the guitar at the age of eight.Two years later, after listening to his father's many recordings (a lot of Miles Davis, Jimmy Smith, Cannonball Adderley, and King Curtis), he began playing the alto saxophone. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, Blake entered Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied primarily with classical saxophonist Dr. Frederick Hemke, and where he was awarded the Presidential Award for outstanding artistic and academic achievement. While still in college, Blake won first place at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition performing on baritone sax as a member of the Evanston Saxophone Quartet, which was the first saxophone quartet to win that classical competition.

Ron's early dreams of a professional career in jazz would begin to take shape in the summer of 1987, when he was in St. Thomas teaching in summer music programs. At the 1st Virgin Islands Jazz Festival he met and played with the great Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Hutcherson, Gary Bartz, Jimmy Hamilton, and others. It had a tremendous impact on him, and he subsequently received an NEA Grant to study with Gary Bartz prior to arriving in New York some years later.

Upon graduation from Northwestern, Ron immersed himself in Chicago's jazz scene, where he further honed his skill, performing with Von Freeman, Wilbur Campbell, Jody Christian, and Willie Pickens, among others. During this period he also began taking interest in the tenor saxophone, working with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra and performing with such artists as Nancy Wilson, Louis Bellson, and Clark Terry.

In 1990, Ron left Chicago and moved to Tampa, Florida after being appointed Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of South Florida (USF). During a two-year stay at USF, he maintained an active performing career, leading the faculty jazz quartet as well as performing with the Florida Symphony Orchestra. He made frequent trips to New York City, sitting in with Branford Marsalis at the Village Vanguard as well as performing with pianists Mulgrew Miller and Kenny Kirkland.

Moving to New York City in 1992, Ron joined the Roy Hargrove Quintet (through 1997), and quickly became one of the most sought after jazz saxophonists in America. He has performed at most major jazz festivals and clubs internationally, and has been fortunate to share the stage with such jazz greats as Johnny Griffin, Arthur Taylor, Stanley Turrentine, Jimmy Smith, Bobby Hutcherson, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Roy Haynes, and Ray Brown. Ron has made over thirty jazz recordings with his contemporaries as well as with jazz masters Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Jimmy Smith, and Arthur Taylor. He was also a member of the Art Farmer Quintet for seven years.

In 1998, Ron and drummer and fellow Virgin Islander Dion Parson released 21st Century (Tahmun), which received critical acclaim worldwide. As the leader of the Ron Blake Quartet, which featured Shedrick Mitchell on piano, Rueben Rogers on bass and Greg Hutchinson on drums, Blake continued to inspire and innovate. His debut recording with that band, Up Front & Personal, released in 2000, included eight highly original songs, either composed, arranged or co-written by Blake, which amplified his Caribbean heritage and emphasized the breadth of knowledge of various jazz styles. Up Close and Personal also includes the tune "Waltswing!" by Blake’s mentor Johnny Griffin, who appears on the CD as a special guest.

Inspired by their passing from the music scene within a ten month span, on Lest We Forget, Ron Blake has paid fitting tribute to both the memory and ongoing legacy of three jazz greats, and in doing so, has taken another step toward insuring that his own legacy be built.

1994, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005

	Friday Night - September 19, 2008 / 10:30pm
	Dizzy's Den (Christian McBride Band)

	Saturday Night - September 20, 2008 / 9:20pm
	Arena / Jimmy Lyons Stage (Christian McBride Quintet)

	Saturday Afternoon - September 20, 2008 / 1:00pm
	Arena / Jimmy Lyons Stage (with Next Generation Jazz Orchestra)

	Sunday Night - September 21, 2008 / 7:30pm
	Dizzy's Den (Christian McBride Quintet)