Tony award-winning actress Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics in Broadway's most popular musicals throughout her illustrious career. While Peters is best known for her work in the theatre, her career doesn't end at the footlights. She boasts an impressive list of television credits ranging from performing arts specials to appearances in variety shows. A performer of... read full bio
What is nearly as unlikely as the success of The Brian Setzer Orchestra--a true, 17-piece Big Band fronted by an electric guitar--is that no one has jumped on the bandwagon. The reason, suggests Brian Setzer, is simple: ""This isn't like punk rock, where anyone could pick up a guitar and play loud. The level of musicianship required is pretty high.""... read full bio
"Trumpeter Chris Botti is a gifted instrumentalist, a talented composer, and a charismatic performer who--since the release of his first solo album in 1995--has created a series of recordings that have made him a virtual genre-of-one in the realm of contemporary jazz. Through his singular combination of lush atmos-pheres and thoughtful improvisations, Chris Botti has earned both critical acclaim and... read full bio
Four-time Grammy Award-winning Bassist, singer and composer Esperanza Spalding first began playing in small jazz and blues venues around Portland, Oregon. Since moving East, Ms. Spalding has regularly worked as a freelance bassist and singer, both locally and internationally. Ms. Spalding has worked with many notable Grammy-winning artists, such as guitarist Pat Metheny and singer Patti Austin. She has also... read full bio
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively since then, often playing over 200 concerts per year. Each of the current members of the quartet has... read full bio
Kem is an American singer, songwriter, and producer of RnB and soul music. He has stated that his music is geared to listeners that love his soul/jazz adult contemporary sound and lyrical content rather than the mainstream hip-hop-dominated RnB crowd. He used his American Express to write, produce, and pay for his self-released debut album, "Kemistry," while also playing top... read full bio
Born on the island of Cuba, Paquito D'Rivera began his career as a child prodigy. A restless musical genius during his teen years, Mr. DRivera created various original and ground-breaking musical ensembles. As a founding member of the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna, he directed that group for two years, while at the same time playing both the clarinet and... read full bio
The Dukes of Dixieland blow traditional jazz and Dixieland into the 21st Century, weaving strands of pop, gospel, and country with authentic New Orleans soul. The Dukes have worn their New Orleans jazz heritage proudly as globe-trotting jazz ambassadors from the heart of the Big Easy. They are the oldest continuing Dixieland jazz band and have sold out such venues... read full bio
"Featuring 10-12 musicians, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia and New Zealand, South America and North America. Pink Martini made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival and its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony under the direction of Norman Leyden.... read full bio
Actress and singer Emmy Rossum joined the Metropolitan Opera Children's Chorus at age 7, made her film debut in the Appalachian music drama Songcatcher at age 14, and scored a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Christine in the movie Phantom of the Opera at just 17. Rossum's film credits include Mystic River, The Day After Tomorrow, and Beautiful... read full bio
Robert Glasper is an American jazz musician and record producer from Houston. He is extremely talented on the piano and this can be shown in his album Black Radio, which won the Grammy Award for best R&B Album. Robert first developed his musical sound in church which is where he learned about harmony and gospel music. Since Robert Glasper appeared... read full bio
Ben Folds is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. For five years, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. After the group temporarily disbanded, Folds performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world. The group reunited eleven years later. Folds has also collaborated with musicians such as William Shatner,... read full bio
Grace Kelly is an unquestionable musical prodigy who has captivated the jazz world with her sold-out shows, 14 critically acclaimed albums, and resume that includes appearances at the Hollywood Bowl and as the house band for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"—all before she even reached her mid-twenties. She was just elected as the newest member of the Berklee College... read full bio
Singer/songwriter and producer Bilal is known for his vast vocal range, genre crossovers, and live shows. He was discovered by Aaron Comess, from the Spin Doctors, who helped him record a demo that got him a record deal with Interscope. He released his debut album, 1st Born Second, which featured contributions from high-profile producers such as Dr. Dre and J... read full bio
With two Grammy Awards already under their belts, Jazz/Funk group Snarky Puppy is up for yet another Grammy Award- this time for their new album, Culcha Vulcha. After creating music and performing for ten years, Snarky Puppy became a driving force in jazz music. Their musical range extends to many genres, having won Grammys in both the R&B and Contemporary... read full bio
Charlotte Cardin is a singer and songwriter from Montreal. Her sound is an eclectic mix of pop, electronic, and jazz. The singer got her start on the first season of the TVA singing competition La Voix as a Top 4 finalist. Later, she was featured on Garou’s album ‘Au milieu de ma vie’, and appeared with Garou on The Voice:... read full bio
Medeski Martin & Wood produce a mixture of jazz, funk, and noise, creating a sound that breaks genre boundaries. The artists use a mixture of instruments to play their sounds. The band got together in the 90s and since, they have found an undeniable chemistry that awes stages around the world. Their alternative mix of music draws in listeners from... read full bio
Samara Joy is a jazz vocalist who has made a big impact in the music industry in a short amount of time. Born into a musical family, Joy grew up surrounded by music and honed her skills with the support of her family. Her voice is characterized by a warm and centered contralto register, with an understated yet confident delivery.... read full bio
Dave Koz came out of nowhere after he made it onto the Billboard contemporary jazz charts, and stayed there for several weeks. Koz played on Arsenio Hall's show and pop audiences. Koz plays instrumental pop covers and some upbeat tunes, and generally sticks to the fusion production formula. His sessions are available on CD and have been regularly released since... read full bio
In Big Band history, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is recognized as one of the best all-around dance bands. It could swing with the best of them, and no other band could come close to Tommy's when it came to playing ballads. Tommy Dorsey, ""The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing"", was a master at creating warm, sentimental, and always musical moods –... read full bio
