Jazzísimo

Virginia Mayhew, tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger, has been an active participant in the New York jazz scene for nearly two decades. A native of San Francisco, where she worked in a variety of musical settings from classical to jazz with artists from Earl Hines to Frank Zappa, Ms. Mayhew came to New York in 1987. After enrolling in the New School’s jazz program she was awarded its Zoot Sims Memorial Scholarship. She has worked with such renowned artists as Toshiko Akiyoshi, Kenny Barron, Dena DeRose, Dottie Dodgion, Terry Gibbs, Larry Goldings, Slide Hampton, Brad Mehldau, Leon Parker, Norman Simmons, Lew Tabackin, Clark Terry, and Joe Williams. Ms. Mayhew appeared at the 2000 Kennedy Center Mary Lou Williams Women In Jazz Festival as part of the Sharp Five Quintet. Her release, No Walls, was chosen by critics’ picks 2001 by JAZZIZ magazine and as one of the “Top Ten of 2001” by Cadence Magazine.

Allison Miller, a 28-year-old drummer, began playing the drums at the age of ten. After graduating from West Virginia University with multiple honors, she began her career in New York City as a freelance musician. She has performed and recorded around the world with such artists as Natalie Merchant, Kevin Mahogany, Al Grey, Leon Parker, and the band Betty. The Los Angeles Times cited Ms. Miller, a Fall 2000 Kennedy Center-Department of State Jazz Ambassador to Africa, for her “superb drumming.” As a drum instructor, Ms. Miller has had her lessons published in Drum Magazine.

Daniel Kelly, pianist and composer, works in jazz, Afro-Cuban, and electro-acoustic avant-garde music. He has performed with drummer/bandleader Bobby Sanabria, and is the pianist for Eye Contact, the New York-based band of bassist Harvie S. Mr. Kelly has performed at jazz festivals including Moers (Germany) and Tbilisi (Republic of Georgia), and in New York at the Blue Note. Along with poet and storyteller David Gonzalez, he has been selected as a Lincoln Center Institute repertory artist. He was a featured composer at the 2002 NOW Music Festival Capital University, where he performed with his ensemble, Duets with Ghosts. As a leader, Mr. Kelly has released two CDs, World and Duets with Ghosts. As pianist for Eye Contact, he has toured Europe and Asia and is featured on Eye Contact’s CD New Beginning.

Harvie S. (a.k.a. Harvie Swartz), bassist, producer, bandleader, composer, and educator, can be heard on hundreds of CD’s as a sideman, eight as a leader, and 15 as a co-leader. He has performed with Mike Stern, John Scofield, Chick Corea, Michael Brecker, Tom Harrell, Lee Konitz, Puncho and the Latin Soul Brothers, Kenny Barron, and Billy Taylor. Since he began studying Afro-Cuban music in 1994, he has also become an active member of the Latin jazz scene. His Afro-Cuban band Eye Contact plays New York City clubs including Birdland and Blue Note and the JVC well and other jazz festivals throughout the Northeast. Eye Contact has released two CD’s, Havana Mañana and New Beginning and will release its latest CD in the fall of 2003. He currently holds the jazz bass instructor position at the Manhattan School of Music.

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8/26/03: Jazzísimo

Jazzísimo –Virginia Mayhew, tenor saxophone; Allison Miller, drums; Harvie S, bass; and Daniel Kelly, keyboards. This Kennedy Center-Department of State Jazz Ambassador ensemble performs Latin Jazz as a kick off to touring Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, India, and Bangladesh.

Jazzísimo

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