REGGIE WASHINGTON

Born into a musical family in 1962 on Staten Island, New York, Reggie Washington’s first musical experiences were with his older brother, the renowned drummer, jazz historian and noted radio personality Kenny “The Jazz Maniac” Washington. Initially drawn to congas and bongos, Reggie performed with his brother Kenny in talent competitions and clubs around New York, billed as “The Washington Brothers.” Reggie later studied cello before switching to acoustic bass in the school orchestra and eventually coming in contact with the electric bass guitar through his brother’s friend, Marcus Miller (who would later gain fame playing, producing and recording with the likes of Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, David Sanborn and Wayne Shorter). As Reggie recalls, “Marcus and Kenny would sit up and listen to records and eat food all night long, then get up in the morning and go to school. Being four years younger, I just sat in the corner and watched them the whole time. Marcus had his electric bass there and would let me fool around on it. He would also show me a few things, and I just took to it really quickly.”

Reggie studied upright bass at the Henry Street Settlement with teacher Paul West, who had studied with Washington’s all-time favorite jazz bassist, Sam Jones. “I love Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, Oscar Pettiford, Scott LaFaro and all those cats. But Sam Jones just had a certain thing that I especially liked. His note selection was different from everybody’s.” Washington played his very first session on electric bass in 1982 (a John Purcell session with pianist Kenny Kirkland, saxophonist Joe Ford, guitarist Marvin Horn and drummer Buddy Williams). He continued to focus exclusively on the electric bass through the ‘80s, getting some pointers along the way from other noted electric bassists at the time such as Kim Clarke, Melvin Gibbs and Rev. Bruce Johnson. “They all poured all kinds of information into my head,” says Reggie, “and it proved to be really helpful to me, then and now.”

At the urging of his brother Kenny, Reggie began re-investigating the upright bass in the late ‘80s while continuing to play electric bass on sessions and gigs. In 1989, he joined Steve Coleman’s Five Elements and subsequently recorded more than a dozen sessions with the alto saxophonist and M-Base co-founder over the next 15 years. Another important connection during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s was with revered drummer and bandleader Chico Hamilton. As he says, “Chico is part of the fabric of musical history. He’s the last of a few originals still around... him and Roy Haynes. But Chico taught me more about cultural exchange -- how to conduct myself as a black man in Europe, how to conduct myself with dignity and class. And above all, he taught me to respect the bandstand, to respect the music, to respect who we are and what we’re contributing and putting out into the world. Chico was the consummate pro. He always played with fire and his attitude was: “When you come to the bandstand, it’s time to hit. You can be tired, you can be drunk, you can be sick, you can be jetlagged or whatever, but when you hit the bandstand you come up there and be professional.”

Aside from holding down the groove for Steve Coleman’s Five Elements, Reggie has also played for such notable groups as Roy Hargrove’s RH Factor, Branford Marsalis’s Buckshot LeFonque and Olive Lake’s Steel Band. His extensive list of credits includes work with African drum master Babatunde Olatunje, calypso star Mighty Sparrow, jazz singer Cassandra Wilson, R&B singer D’Angelo, guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly, pianist Uri Caine, trumpeter Lester Bowie, clarinetist Don Byron, alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe, the World Saxophone Quartet, Mike Mainieri’s Steps Ahead, saxophonist Jacque Schwarz-Bart, bassist-vocalist Meshell N’degeocello and cabaret diva Ute Lemper. In 2006, he stepped out as a leader himself for the first time in his career with "A Lot of Love, LIVE!", on the Jammin’colorS label. The CD has received stellar reviews internationally & accolades from journalists & colleagues worldwide in the music business. It is being played on U.S.A. & European radio to touch a wider & more diverse audience.

Since 2005, Reggie has been based in Belgium and tours with his band TRio TRee through Europe, the U.K. in the U.S.A to very receptive and appreciative audiences. Bass Player magazine presented Reggie in its August 2007 issue entitled “The Eternal Internal” by journalist Bill Milkowski. In 2008, Reggie was among the winners of the Rising Stars electric bassist category in Down Beat magazine’s International Critics Poll. He was also featured in the April 2008 issue of Jazz Times magazine in an article entitled “Overdue Ovation; Groove Instincts.”

“My music represents the cutting edge of jazz today,” says Reggie. “It’s a healthy musical mix paying homage to our forefathers and exploring our craft by journeying down new roads to help pave the way for the future. For me, our music must evolve, and I feel I’m among the select group of musicians/artists/stylists capable and dedicated to keeping jazz and all music alive and strong.”

Below for Reggie's presskit, endorsements and links.

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JEF LEE JOHNSON

Jef Lee Johnson is a true American original and a true American gift to the musical world. While he may not be a household name, the Philadelphia- based guitarist-singer-songwriter is known as a musician’s musician. Over the past 25 years he has built an impressive track record as a ubiquitous studio session man, producer and solo artist. Since first appearing on 1985‘s Twinkling of an Eye by violinist and fellow Philly native John Blake, Johnson has recorded with a vast array of artists, from Jeff Beck, Roberta Flack, George Duke, Aretha Franklin, Al Jarreau, Teddy Pendergrass and Mariah Carey to Stanley Clarke, McCoy Tyner, Pieces of a Dream, James Carter and Jamaaladeen Tacuma. He had a brief stint during the ‘80s as a member of Paul Schaffer’s “World’s Most Dangerous Band” on The David Letterman Show and in the ‘90s was a member of drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson’s Decoding Society.

The product of a musical family, Johnson’s earliest influences included Herb Albert, Eric Dolphy and the Vanilla Fudge, reflecting his eclectic musical nature. As a teenager, Johnson discovered jazz-fusion and Chicago blues and became committed to pursuing the guitar. Initially playing in local garage bands with friends, he ultimately graduated to the ranks of accomplished studio musician, routinely doing sessions in New York and touring throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Johnson’s debut as a leader, Blue, came in 1996. He followed in 1998 with Communism and in 2000 with The Singularity. Other notable recordings as a leader include 2001‘s Hype Factory, 2003‘s double-disc Things are Things and 2007‘s Thisness. Johnson recently released his eleventh album entitled Longing Belonging Ongoing, a two-disc collection of 30 tracks featuring a wide array of songs showcasing his vocal abilities with a few instrumental tunes thrown in for good measure. Released under the moniker “aka Rainbow Crow,” Johnson covers a cross section of musical influences and styles ranging from Jimi Hendrix to the Grateful Dead. He has again maintained his individuality and artistry, offering flawless guitar complimented by a vocal style that is engaging, deep and passionate. It is equally impressive to note that Johnson played all the instruments and did all the vocal tracks himself in the confines of his home studio. Standout songs include the sultry “Gods Gone By,” the Hendrix style of “Silicone or Saline” and “The Moon Keeps Telling Me Things”, the funk laden “What’s In A Name,” the jazz-fusion of “Imposter” and the groovy pop sound of “The Gift.”

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HERVE SAMB

Born in Senegal, guitarist and composer Hervé Samb discovered his musical passion at the age of 9 years old. Fascinated by the traditional rhythms of his heritage and the progressive music of the African American culture, Samb was determined to develop his own music as a force of Panafrican expression and identity. His first band, The Hervé Samb Quintet, was a Blues-driven ensemble. Together they performed at prestigious Senegalese events and venues like the Saint Louis Jazz Festival, sharing the stage with Lucky Peterson and McCoy Tyner. Samb soon met fellow guitarist Pierre Van Dormael, who not only became his mentor, but also inspired him to seriously pursue Jazz. Completely self-taught, Samb perfected his awareness of harmony and his original technique through urban jam sessions. In August 1998, he arrived in France and soon caught the attention of some of the hottest Parisian musicians. It is the beginning of an international carreer : Amadou & Mariam, David Murray, Me´shell Ndegeocello, Phaoroah Sanders, Cheikh Tidiane Seck, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, World Saxophone Quartet, Richard Bohringer to say a few. Continuing his musical journey, Samb has begun to record and tour with his own band. His last project CROSS OVER, completely driven by original compositions is a homage to the world’s diversity. Through a harmonious mix of genres, CROSS OVER tells the story of many lands, people and cultures. Herve Samb appears to be a synthesis of the traditional Senegalese rhythms, the free Jazz blues and modern Rock that all deeply influenced the artist. Loyal to his art, Samb matches improvisation and synchonisation to redefine the musical color of the African groove.

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OLIVER LAKE STEEL QUARTET

"It’s all about choices", states modern Renaissance Man Oliver Lake to explain his expansive artistic vision. An accomplished poet, painter and performance artist, Lake has published a book of poetry entitled Life Dance, has exhibited and sold a number of his unique painted- sticks at the Montclair Art Museum, and has toured the country with his one-man performance piece, Matador of 1st and 1st. But it’s his extraordinary talents as composer, saxophonist, flautist and bandleader that have brought him world-renown. Although his greatest reputation exists in the world of jazz, Lake’s amazingly eclectic musical approach is best expressed by his popular poem SEPARATION: put all my food on the same plate!

Whether composing major commissioned works for the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra and theBrooklyn Philharmonic; creating chamber pieces for the Arditti and Flux String Quartets, the Amherst Sax Quartet and the San Francisco Contemporary Players; arranging for pop diva Bjork, rocker Lou Reed and rap group A Tribe Called Quest; collaborating with poets Amiri Baraka and Ntozake Shange, choreographers Ron Brown and Marlies Yearby, Native American vocalist Mary Redhouse, Korean kumongo player Jin Hi Kim, and Chinese bamboo flute player Shuni Tsou; doing unique performances with MacArthur Award recipients, actress/ author Anna Devere Smith and writer/law professor/political commentator Patricia Williams; sharing thestage with hip-hop artist Mos Def and pop star Me’shell Ndegeocello; or leading his own Steel Quartet, Big Band and cooperative ensembles the World Saxophone Quartet and Trio 3; Oliver views it all as parts of the same whole. dixieland, be-bop, soul, rhythm & blues, cool school, swing, avant-garde jazz, free jazz, rock, jazz rock

Extremely few artists could embrace such a diverse array of musical styles and disciplines. Lake is not only able to thrive in all of these environments, but does so without distorting or diluting his own remarkable artistic identity. Part of this is due to his experience with the Black Artists Group (BAG ), the legendary multi-disciplined and innovative St. Louis collective he co-founded with poets Ajule and Malinke, and musicians Julius Hemphill and Floyd La Flore over 35 years ago. But in reality, Oliver’s varied artistic interests go back even further than that.

Born in Marianna, Arkansas in 1942, Oliver moved to St. Louis at the age of two. He began drawing at the age of thirteen (and paints daily, using oil, acrylics, wood, canvas, and mixed media), and soon after began playing cymbals and bass drum in various drum and bugle corps. At 17, he began to take a serious interest in jazz. Like many other members of BAG and its Chicago-based sister organization, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), Lake moved to New York in the mid-’70s, working the fertile ground of the downtown loft scene and quickly establishing himself as one of its most adventurous and multifaceted artist.

A co-founder of the internationally acclaimed World Saxophone Quartet with Hemphill, Hamiet Bluiett and David Murray in 1977 (and recently celebrating its 30th anniversary with an album of Jimi Hendrix pieces for Justin Time Records), Oliver continued to work with the WSQ and his own various groups - including the groundbreaking roots/reggae ensemble Jump Up - and collaborating with many notable choreographers, poets and a veritable Who’s Who of the progressive jazz scene of the late 20th century, performing all over the U.S. as well as in Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Africa and Australia.

While he has continued to tour regularly with his own groups, collaborations and guest appearances - in the last three months of 2003, he performed in Europe, Japan andvarious U.S. cities - Oliver recognized the changing trends and new challenges facing creative artists, especially those working in the jazz tradition. Always a strong proponent of artist self-empowerment and independence, in 1988 Lake founded Passin’ Thru, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit, dedicated to fostering, promoting and advancing the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of jazz, new music and other disciplines in relation to music.

Under his artistic direction, Passin’ Thru has commissioned new works, sponsored performances by emerging artists, documented works by prominent artists, and has established on-going educational activities not only in its home base of New Jersey and New York, but also in Florida, Minnesota, Arizona and Pennsylvania, along with occasional activities in other locales all over the U.S. The organization also operates Passin’ Thru Records, which has recently issued its 12th recording (Dat Love by the Oliver Lake Steel Quartet). In addition to Oliver’s albums, ranging from solo to big band, Passin Thru has also issued recordings by the late, legendary multi-reed master Makanda Ken McIntyre, piano great John Hicks and the first recording by Lake’s mentor, St. Louis tenor sax giant Freddie Washington. A 13th album by renowned trombonist Craig Harris is scheduled for release in the spring of 2004.

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