CHICAGO JAZZ QUARTET

About the Artist

Benjamin Lewis, pianist, has played in clubs and concerts around the U.S., from New York to Los Angeles. A 1999 Jazz Ambassador who toured West Africa with the LBS Trio, Lewis has also performed with the Orchestra of the Americas at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the American Orient Express “Jazz ‘n' Blues” train tour. Artists and ensembles with whom he has performed include Steve Cole, Aretha Franklin, Vinnie Calieuta, Grazyna Auguscik, the Tito Carillo Quartet, the Bacchus Latin Jazz Trio, Jazzambo, Samba Samba 2000, the Jackie Allen Duo, the Alison Ruble Quartet, and Kimotion Ensemble. Lewis can be heard on the recordings The Men in My Life (Jackie Allen, 2002); Mozaic (Matt Geraghty, 2002); Mirage (Marc O'Conner, 2001); Here and Now, There and Before (Neal Alger, 2001); The Whale and the Elephant (Kari Nelson, 2000); and many others.

Matt Lewis, vocalist and trumpeter, has performed with major artists including Bob Mintzer, Vinnie Calieuta, Byron Stripling, Marlena Shaw, and Nancy Wilson. He has appeared with the Stitely Orchestra, the Vintage Swing Orchestra, the Chuchito Valdez Afro-Cuban Ensemble, Swing Shift, the Georgia Frances Orchestra, and Jazzambo. Lewis toured India, Sri Lanka, and West Africa as a 1998 and 1999 Jazz Ambassador. He performed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, as clubs and concerts throughout the U.S. In addition to performing and recording for Chicago-based theater companies, Lewis has been the resident artists at the Ravinia Festival of Music since 2001. he can be heard on the recordings Flower Thieves (Midnight Circus, 2002); Pictures with Laura Dougherty (Waterdog Music, 2002); Kimotion Ensemble Tracking with Vinnie Calieuta (Omik Music, 2001); Lewis Brothers Group: Live and in Concert at WPC (Lewis Bros. Music, 1998); Laksar Reese Quintet featuring Matt Lewis (Birdland Productions, 1998).

Lorin Cohen, bassist and Chicago native, has played with Monty Alexander, Johnny Griffin, Von Freeman, Danilo Perez, Dave Kikoski, Bob Sheppard, Joe LaBarbara, Chuchito Valdes, and Ed Shaugnessey. In December of 2002, Cohen toured Italy with William Russo's Chicago Jazz Orchestra and master clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. He continues to tour with Ryan Cohen's Quintet. As a member of trumpeter Orbert Davis' group, Cohen performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival and debuted a jazz concerto with Davis and the Chicago Sinfionetta at Chicago's Symphony Center in the fall of 2003. In April of 2000, Cohen participated in Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead at the Kennedy Center where he worked with Terence Blanchard, John Pattitucci, George Cables, Carmen Lundy, and Nathan Davis. In June of 2000 he attended the Ravinia Festival's Steans Institute where he studied and performed with David Baker, Rufus Reid, and James Moody. A 1995 graduate of Northwestern University, he has also studied at the Manhattan School of Music. In 1998 Cohen was named a Blue Note Scholar at the Skidmore Jazz Workshop. As a jazz educator, Cohen lectures and performs as a member of Musicalive and Urban Gateways music education programs in Chicago area schools.

Michael Raynor, drummer, is based in Chicago and has worked with legendary saxophonist Von Freeman for 14 years, appearing on his latest release The Improvisor. He has toured extensively with vocalist Kurt Elling and plays on two of his Grammy nominated recordings for Blue Note Records. Other artists with whom Raynor has performed include Freddie Hubbard, Eric Alexander, Ira Sullivan, Steve Coleman, Sam Rivers, Bob Sheppard, Chico Freeman, and Jon Hendricks. He has also performed at international festivals in Holland, Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany, the Czech republic, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Jamaica, Canada, and the U.S. Raynor has served as adjunct faculty at Roosevelt University.

Past Performances

August 10, 2004

Chicago Jazz Quartet (pianist Benjamin Lewis; vocalist Matt Lewis; bassist Lorin Cohen; drummer Michael Raynor) highlighting vocal jazz, kicks off its Kennedy Center / Department of State Jazz Ambassadors tour to East Asia.

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