Ravi Coltrane – tenor and soprano saxophone
Ravi Coltrane is a critically-acclaimed GRAMMY®-nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. In
the course of a 20 plus-year career, Mr. Coltrane has worked as a sideman to many, recorded noteworthy
albums for himself and others, and founded a prominent independent record label, RKM.
Born in Long Island, the second son of John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane, Ravi was named after Indian
sitar legend Ravi Shankar. He was raised in Los Angeles where his family moved after his father’s death
in 1967. His mother, Alice Coltrane, was a significant influence on Ravi and it was he who encouraged
Alice to return to performance and the recording studio after a long absence. Subsequently, Ravi
produced and played on Alice Coltrane’s powerful Translinear Light, released in 2004.
Ravi has released six albums as a leader. His latest, Spirit Fiction, was released in June of 2012 for the
Blue Note label. Additional credits include performances as well as recordings with Elvin Jones, Terence
Blanchard, Kenny Barron, Steve Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Jack DeJohnette, Matt Garrison, Jeff “Tain”
Watts, Geri Allen, Joanne Brackeen, and The Blue Note 7, among others. He is a co-leader of the
Saxophone Summit with Joe Lovano and Dave Liebman.
Ravi lives in Brooklyn, NY and maintains a fast paced touring, recording, composing and performance
schedule. He leads the effort to restore the John Coltrane Home in Dix Hills, Long Island, and presides
over important reissues of his parent’s recordings.
Raul Midón – guitar and vocals
Singer-songwriter and guitarist Raul Midón has earned renown as one of music's most distinctive and
searching voices. He is "a one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a
chorus," according to the New York Times. Midón has collaborated with such heroes as Herbie Hancock
and Stevie Wonder, along with contributing to recordings by Jason Mraz, Queen Latifah and Snoop Dogg
and the soundtrack to Spike Lee's She Hate Me. The New Mexico native, blind since birth, has released
seven albums since 1999, including the hit studio productions State of Mind (Manhattan/EMI, 2005), A
World Within a World (Manhattan/EMI, 2007) and Synthesis (Decca/Universal, 2009). Midón's most
recent release is the captivating CD/DVD Invisible Chains – Live from NYC. Attuned listeners can hear
the inspirations of Donny Hathaway and Richie Havens in his work, as well as Sting and Paul Simon. But
Midón's questing musicality makes him, as the Huffington Post put it, "a free man beyond category."
A vibrant presence on screen, Midón can be seen in the documentary on Hancock's star-studded album
Possibilities, and he is featured collaborating with soul icon Bill Withers in the documentary Still Bill.
Midón has also demonstrated his progressive techniques by performing for the series of TED Talks. Ever
since being told as a child that his blindness meant that "you can't do this, you can't do that," Midón has
lived a life devoted to shattering stereotypes. His new album, Don’t Hestate, has the singer-guitarist
adding producer-engineer to his portfolio of talents, with special computer software for the blind enabling
him to engineer sessions on his own in his home studio. This project – which includes collaborations with
Withers, R&B singer-songwriter Lizz Wright, Cameroonian jazz bassist Richard Bona and GRAMMYwinning jazz singer Dianne Reeves – underscores why People magazine called Midón "an eclectic
adventurist."
Nicholas Payton – trumpet
Multi-instrumentalist and trumpet master, Nicholas Payton, is one of the greatest artists of our time.
Hailed as a virtuoso before he was even out of high school, his talent and skill has earned him praise and
accolades, as well as insured his place in musical history. When he was barely in his 20s, Nicholas
Payton made his major-label recording debut as a leader with From This Moment (Verve). Since then,
Payton has consistently committed himself to developing his distinct voice.
Nicholas was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, into a musical family. He showed a talent for music at a
very early age and by the age of 12, he was a member of the All-Star Brass Band that performed and
toured extensively. During his high school years, Payton attended the New Orleans Center for Creative
Arts to study with Clyde Kerr Jr. and after graduation attended the University of New Orleans where he
studied with Harold Battiste and Ellis Marsalis.
His classic Verve recordings include From This Moment (1994); Gumbo Nouveau (1995); the GRAMMYwinning Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton (1997); Payton’s Place (1998); Nick@Night (1999); and Dear
Louis (2001); Sonic Trance (2003, Warner Bros.); Into the Blue (2008, Nonesuch); Bitches (2011, In+Out
Records). Nicholas now records for his own imprint, Paytone Records™, where he has released Numbers,
and the iconic Sketches of Spain. Payton released #BAM Live at Bohemian Caverns (2013) his first
recording for his then-newly-formed label, BMF Records.
As is evident, Nicholas spans a multitude of musical genres having composed and arranged, performed
and recorded with his own groups in many settings, including solo, duo, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, 21piece big band, as well as with a full orchestra on his 2012 work, The Black American Symphony.
Significant collaborators include projects with Trey Anastasio, Ray Brown, Ray Charles, Daniel Lanois,
Dr. John, Stanley Jordan, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Joe Henderson, Zigaboo Modeliste, Marcus Roberts,
Jill Scott, Clark Terry, Allen Toussaint, Chucho Valdes, Dr. Michael White, Nancy Wilson, and many
others. He is credited on over 120 recordings as a composer, arranger, special guest or sideman.
Nicholas has performed at major concert halls and festivals worldwide, and some of his television and film
credits include Kansas City (Robert Altman, director); original music featured in HBO’s Treme Seasons 2
and 3, and on FX Channel’s The Americans; Nick @ Night; Icons Among Us documentary; the GRAMMY
Awards; The Tonight Show; The Tonight Show Brazil; and EBS TV (Korea). He appears in the final
episode of HBO’s Treme as an actor and musician.
Nicholas has also served as Distinguished Artist and Visiting Lecturer at Tulane University and has taught
master classes, clinics and workshops at over 40 institutions, including Berklee College of Music, The
Connecticut Forum (with Beverly Sills, Bobby Weir and Trey Anastasio), Cornell University, Institute of
Superior Arts (Havana, Cuba), Loyola University, Northwestern University, Oberlin College and
Conservatory, Skidmore College, Stanford University, Thelonious Monk Institute, and many more.
Gerald Clayton – piano, musical director
Over the course of eight years, with three albums as a leader, several studio projects as a sideman, and
countless worldwide performances, pianist and composer Gerald Clayton has established himself as a
leading figure in the up-and-coming generation of jazz artists who are fluent in the range of styles that
make up today’s jazz lexicon. Hailed by The New York Times for his “huge, authoritative presence,”
Clayton is well on his way toward etching his own enduring mark in the long and rich tradition of jazz.
Born in the Netherlands in 1984 and raised in Southern California, Clayton took his first piano lessons
before age seven with the full support and encouragement of his father, the acclaimed jazz bassist,
composer and bandleader, John Clayton. Music was a central part of his life from as long as he can
remember and it became a lifetime commitment. Clayton attended the L.A. County High School for the
Arts and then enrolled at the USC Thornton School of Music. In the midst of his third year at USC, he
temporarily relocated to New York to study at the Manhattan School of Music.
In 2006, Gerald received the second place prize in the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz
Piano Competition. Around that time, he was introduced to trumpeter Roy Hargrove when they were both
featured artists at a performance of the Henry Mancini Orchestra.
The association resulted in three years of extensive touring with Hargrove between 2006 and 2009, and
appearances on Hargrove’s recordings, Earfood (2008) and Emergence (2009). Gerald also appeared on
recordings by several other artists, such as Diana Krall, Ambrose Akinmusire, Kendrick Scott, Melissa
Morgan, Terell Stafford and Dick Oatts, and more recently Michael Rodriguez, Dayna Stephens, Terri
Lyne Carrington, and the Clayton Brothers Quintet, led by his father and his uncle, saxophonist Jeff
Clayton. Gerald continues to perform regularly with the Clayton Brothers.
In 2009, he released Two Shade, his debut album as a leader with bassist Joe Sanders and drummer
Justin Brown, and Gerald received a 2010 GRAMMY nomination for ‘Best Improvised Jazz Solo’ for his
rendition of Cole Porter’s “All of You.” Sanders and Brown have remained with him for his two subsequent
records, and in 2011, Gerald received a second GRAMMY nomination, this time for Best Jazz
Instrumental Composition, for his piece “Battle Circle” featured on the Clayton Brothers recording, The
New Song and Dance. Clayton released his sophomore album, Bond: The Paris Sessions in 2011, and
received his third GRAMMY nomination, this time for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. Life Forum was
released in April 2013 on Concord Records, and is his most ambitious project to date.
Joe Sanders – bass
Joe Sanders has made a name for himself through his versatility, dedication, and steady pulse. He is
without doubt, one of the most sought-after young bass players of his generation. He has played,
recorded, and toured with many great musicians — including Ravi Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy
Heath, Wayne Shorter, Dave Brubeck, Mulgrew Miller, Geri Allen, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Karriem Riggins,
Nicholas Payton, Roy Hargrove, Gerald Clayton (whose album Two Shade was nominated for a 2010
GRAMMY); Geoffery Keezer, Lionel Loueke, Aaron Parks, Chris Potter, Ambrose Akinmusire, Christian
Scott, and Taylor Eigsti.
Joe’s first teacher, Catherine McGinn, is a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and guided
Sanders throughout middle school and high school. In 2002, he attended the Brubeck Institute to study
under the tutelage of Christian McBride. After two years with McBride and the many other jazz masters
who passed through the Institute, Sanders felt ready to head to New York, and through gigs and jam
sessions, Sanders’ name was heard more widely in the city. In 2005, Sanders moved to Los Angeles to
attend the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute, under Artistic Director Terence Blanchard. While at the
Monk Institute, Sanders honed his skills even further and embraced new musical concepts brought on by
Blanchard. He was also challenged by others who were brought into the Monk Institute to share their
concepts such as Jason Moran, Benny Golson, Wynton Marsalis, Stefon Harris, and Lewis Nash, to name
a few. During this time, Sanders took one-on-one lessons from exceptional bassists who have always
inspired him to keep moving forward, including John Clayton, Bob Hurst, Ron Carter, and Charlie Haden.
Upon graduation from the Thelonious Monk Institute, Sanders returned to New York City. Recently, he
placed second in the finals of both the International Society of Bassists Jazz Bass Competition and the
Thelonious Monk Institute’s International Jazz Bass Competition. He leads his own band, Joe Sanders’
Infinity, and tours extensively in Europe and the States with Gerald Clayton Trio. He currently lives in
Paris.
Gregory Hutchinson – drums (January and February dates)
Gregory Hutchinson is one of the most highly-respected musicians of our time. A musician’s drummer,
he is rooted in the jazz tradition, and is able to approach all styles of music with supreme accuracy and
imagination, decorating compositions with his natural feel and mind-blowing innovation. Jazz Magazine
describes him as “the drummer of his generation.”
Born in 1970, the Brooklyn native began to nurture his passion for music at the very young age of three.
By the age of 12, he was arriving early and staying late at school each day to practice. After high school,
he was accepted to the Manhattan School of Music, where Justin DiCioccio became his mentor.
DiCioccio’s former students had been Omar Hakim, Kenny Washington, Marcus Miller, and Steve Jordan.
His professional career began while he was still in college, when he was introduced to Red Rodney. He
quickly became known as a young phenom in the jazz community, sharing the stage with Betty Carter
and Ray Brown, while Hutchinson was still in his early twenties. He is one of the few musicians today who
had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the great originators of jazz. Since then, he has worked
with a who’s who of the jazz world including Dianne Reeves, Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, John
Scofield, Roy Hargrove, Charles Lloyd, Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr, Joshua Redman, Christian
McBride, and Maria Schneider, and many others. His time signatures and beat compositions have won
him praise from the hip hop community as well, leading him to collaborate with powerhouses Common,
super producer Kareem Riggins, and Questlove of the Roots.
His experience and technique make him one of the most exciting musicians to watch and hear. He has
the creative power to not only nurture, but challenge the very art of drumming. Dianne Reeves describes
him as “pure genius,” and jazz critic Gary Giddins described his drum work as “elegant and dancing."
Taking inspiration from one of jazz’s icons, Hutch says: “I want to sing on the drums the way [Charlie
Parker] sings on the horn.”
Kendrick Scott – drums (March dates)
Drummer and composer Kendrick Scott was born in Houston, Texas in 1980 and grew up in a family of
musicians. By age eight, he had taken up the drums and he later attended Houston’s renowned High
School for the Performing and Visual Arts, a school which has produced an impressive array of musical
talent, including Scott’s Blue Note label mates Jason Moran and Robert Glasper, as well pop star
Beyoncé, and many others. While still attending HSPVA, Scott won several DownBeat magazine student
awards, as well as the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Award from the International Association of Jazz
Educators. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music, where he majored in
music education. “Kendrick Scott has become the Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, and Tony Williams of his
generation,” says Terence Blanchard. “He’s a brilliant mind bringing innovation to the music at the same
time as creating a safe place for young talent to develop and grow.”
Scott has toured with Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, The Crusaders, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Elling, and
Terence Blanchard, also appearing on several of the trumpeter’s Blue Note albums including Flow (2005),
A Tale Of God’s Will (2007), and Magnetic (2013). Kendrick has released three albums as the leader of
his group, Oracle: The Source (2007) and Conviction (2013), and his 2015 Blue Note debut, We Are the
Drum.
Scott is also member of the Blue Note Records 75th Anniversary all-star band that includes Ambrose
Akinmusire, Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge, Lionel Loueke, and Marcus Strickland.