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Abraham Burton – of Belizean descent, grew up in the vibrant streets of Greenwich Village along with childhood friends Eric McPherson and Nasheet Waits. Abraham’s inevitable gravitation towards music was ignited during a time when jazz clubs, then swarmed with Patrons, frequently featured jazz giants like Art Blakey, Max Roach, Richard Davis, McCoy Tyner, Barry Harris, Billy Higgins, Freddie Waits, Sonny Rollins and Elvin Jones. Determined to explore the jazz idiom Burton attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of the Music & Performing Arts, under the tutelage of master music instructor Justin Dicioccio. In 1989 Burton was chosen by Dicioccio to be the alto man in an All star quintet that was awarded best jazz combo by Downbeat Magazine. In addition, Burton received an award for outstanding soloist. In the same year Burton entered and won the McDonalds Jazz Combo Competition in trio fashion with Eric McPherson. Abraham pursued further development in an apprenticeship under the watchful eye of the legendary jazz great, Jackie McLean at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music, where Abraham received his Bachelor in Music and Performance, graduating with honors. It was here, through intense studies with McLean, that Abraham discovered the importance of jazz history. ”McLean instructed me to study the lineage...” perhaps knowingly preparing Abraham for the next chapter in his musical endeavors. Abraham’s professional career as a musician was initiated with the renowned drummer Arthur Taylor. During his five years with Taylor’s Wailers Burton claims ”I learned so much about music with A.T. He taught melody and the importance of space, phrasing and swinging ...listening and playing together, group sound you know...” Burton recorded on Mr. A.T. and Live at the Village Vanguard on Verve Records, began touring throughout Europe and performing at notable New York clubs such as: The Village Vanguard, The Blue Note, Sweet Basil, Condons and Birdland. He went on to form his own band in ’94 entitled The Abraham Burton Quartet which recorded Closest to the Sun, The Magician and Cause and Effect, the latter being a collaboration with drummer extraordinaire Eric McPherson, on the Enja Records label. The group’s talent received worldwide acclaim, paving the way for frequent engagements overseas, touring and giving performances in countries such as Austria, Portugal, Norway, Israel, France, Italy, Malaysia, Germany, Greece, Spain, Slovenia, Holland, Japan, England, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Virgin Islands. The group has also been showcased at venues such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, The Moors Jazz Festival, The JVC jazz Festival, the Panasonic Jazz Festival and Pori Jazz Festival. Abraham attributes much of his success from experiences acquired performing, touring and recording with masters and being affiliated with numerous and notable musicians such as Roy Haynes, Louis Hayes, Walter Bishop jr., Horace Tapscott, Kenny Barron, Jimmy Smith, John Hicks, Santi Debriano, Bill Saxton, Gary Bartz, Victor Lewis, Michael Carvin, Mulgrew Miller, Steve Nelson, Cindy Blackman, Ray Drummond, Terumasa Hino, Billy Hart, Peter Washington, Conrad Herwig, Steve Davis, Grisella Oliphant, Rein De Graff, Nasheet Waits, Eric McPherson, Eddie Henderson, David Murray, Antoine Roney, James Carter, Yosuke Inoue, James Hurt, Marc Cary, Sam Newsome, Duane Eubanks, Winton Marcellus, Roy Hargrove, Wallace Rooney, Donald Edwards, Mark Whitfield, Cyrus Chestnut and Christen McBride. Since 1998 Burton has been a part of the Mingus family. He has recorded and toured throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States playing in all three bands (Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty and the Mingus Orchestra) along side some of the greatest musicians of our time. In more resent years, Burton has reunited with his childhood crew Nasheet Waits and Eric McPherson, forming a unique trio entitled Ethereal Base. This experience features the highly sensitive and rhythmically hypnotic exchanges between Waits and McPherson while the boundless sound of Burtons saxophone weaves then sores above the driving force of the drums creating and releasing tensions. Truly a must see extravaganza. Burton is still very active touring and recording with the Abraham Burton Eric McPherson quartet, a fiercely dynamic group featuring David Bryant, a young adventurous pianist with an enormous sense of maturity and Dezron Douglas, one of the most musical and sought out bassist today. Throughout the years, Abraham Burton has developed a reputation as a seasoned musician as well as an explosive soloist. Combined with an unmistakable sound and style that is compelling, his music simply demands the attention of the listener. |
Born and raised in New York, Eric was immersed in music from birth on: Richard Davis, his godfather and an icon among jazz bassists, was present at his birth. It was Richard who suggested he be named after Eric Dolphy. Before Eric was three months old, his mother – a superb dancer – cho reographer deep in the jazz scene – was taking him, strapped to her back, to rehearsals and performances. Her wide orbit of friends included lots of drummers, major jazz artists like Max Roach, Michael Carvin, Charles Moffett and Freddie Waits. Small wonder that Eric was beating on pots and pans before he could walk. At three, he told Elvin Jones, another household friend, that he was definitely going to be a drummer. By the time Eric was eight, he was teaching himself to play on a drum set borrowed from Charles Moffett. At twelve, he started seven years of formal drum studies under Michael Carvin, a master drummer and a brilliant teacher. Within the year, he was jamming with another kid, Abraham Burton (now a major saxophonist). Together, they started doing street performances at anti-apartheid rallies, soon to be joined by young Nasheet Waits (now an up and coming drummer). A year later they were performing on-stage at Barry Harris’ Jazz Cultural Theater. About the same time, Eric was admitted to New York’s prestigious LaGuardia High School of the Arts, a school for gifted students. Soon he was selected for the New York All City High School Big Band, making his Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center debuts with the Big Band – and winning several Outstanding Soloist Awards. Upon graduating, his mentor Michael Carvin recommended Eric to Jackie McLean. That led to a full scholarship for attending the Jackie McLean Institute at the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford. While still a student at Hartt, Jackie invited Eric to join the Jackie McLean Quintet – along with Rene McLean, Alan Palmer and Nat Reeves. For the next 15 years, until Jackie’s recent death, Eric was his drummer, following in the distinguished footsteps of drummers Michael Carvin, Billy Higgins, Jack DeJohnette and Tony Williams. Over those years, Eric recorded two CDs with Jackie and performed with him at major venues and festivals all over the Far East, Middle East, Latin America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the U.S. In addition to his touring and recording with Jackie McLean, Eric has also performed with a wide range of major jazz figures, including Pharaoh Sanders, Andrew Hill, Richard Davies, Claudia Acuno, Jason Moran, Greg Osby and Avishai Cohen. |
Since moving to New York City in 1993 Carlo De Rosa has had the opportunity to work with many great artists in the Latin and Jazz World. This has led to diverse musical and cultural experiences and has allowed Carlo to work with a wide variety of artists such as Ray Barretto, Ravi Coltrane, William Cepeda, Bruce Barth, Dave Valentin, Ed Thigpen, Nick Brignola, Mickey Roker, Steve Turre, Miguel Zenon, Hilton Ruiz, Ralph Alessi, Candido Camero, Jason Moran, Papo Vasquez and the NYC Ballet. He collaborates and performs with many other great artists including: Vijay Iyer, Allison Miller, Ingrid Jensen, Sam Newsome, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Mark Shim, Luis Perdomo, Dave Allen, Chembo Corniel, Lucian Ban, Andrea Brachfeld, Amir ElSaffar, Elio Villafranca, and Victor Prieto. As a US Jazz Ambassador in 1999 Carlo traveled to South Africa, Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Other performances abroad have led him to countries as varied as France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Estonia, Russia, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Argentina, Chile, Romania, Slovenia, Denmark, England, Scotland and Ireland. His New York Club engagements have included the Blue Note, Birdland, Zinc Bar, 55 Bar, Smalls, Visiones, Fat Cat, Knitting Factory, Detour, Smoke, Kavehaz, Sweet Rhythm, Jazz Standard, Nuyorican Poet’s Café, Tonic, Satalla, CBGB’s Lounge, Barbes, Zebulon, Iridium, Jazz at Lincoln Center Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Cornelia Street Café, La Lanterna Caffe – Bar Next Door, Makor, Town Hall, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Jazz Gallery. Outside of NYC Carlo has performed in venues such as: the Painted Bride, Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus, Chris’ Jazz Café, The Philadelphia Art Museum and the Deer Head Inn (PA); One Step Down, Blues Alley, Twins, Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Meyer Auditorium and the Kennedy Center (DC); Justin’s and the Rosendale Café (NY); Churchill Grounds Jazz Café (GA); FireflyCafé (MI.) and Scullers (MA). In addition, he has performed at the Verizon Jazz Festival/NYC; JVC Jazz Festival/NYC; Williamsburg Jazz Festival/NYC; Freihofer’s Jazz Festival/Saratoga, NY; Parnu Jazz Festival/Estonia; Miami Jazz Festival/Florida; Hartford Jazz Festival/Connecticut; Jefferson City Festival/Missouri; Cape May Jazz Festival/New Jersey; Kinsale Fringe Festival/Ireland; Earshot Jazz Festival/Seattle, WA; Bucuresti Jazz Festival and Brasov International Jazz Festival/Romania; Izzven Jazz Festival Maribor/Slovenia; Cape Town International Jazz Festival/South Africa; Imaxina Sons Festival De Jazz De Vigo/Spain; Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival and Washington Jewish Music Festival/Washington DC; Jazz in the Square Festival/Syracuse, NY; The London International Jazz Festival/London, UK. Having given clinics and master classes around the globe, Carlo is no stranger to the classroom. Since earning his Masters Degree at Manhattan School of Music he has developed teaching affiliations with the Drummers Collective, National Guitar Workshop, Henry Street Settlement and Long Island University. Proficient, creative, clearly an in demand bassist, Carlo De Rosa is earning a reputation of very high standards. He has received a number of awards and possesses an extensive pedagogical experience. |
Pianist/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist David Bryant is a world-class artist. Few musicians today match the versatility, originality, and sensitivity that he brings to the music. He combines an extensive knowledge of the jazz tradition and other diverse musical idioms, as well an individualistic approach and sound. After listening to albums such as Marcus Strickland’s Of Song and Steve Davis’ Outlook; it is no surprise that Mr. Bryant is quickly rising to the top of the jazz scene. David Bryant was born 1983 in Brooklyn, NY. As a member of a family that encouraged a strong musical upbringing, David started playing piano at age 4. By age 8, he was already competing and ranking in some of the New York area’s most prestigious youth classical piano competitions, such as BACA and the Queens College Festival of Music Competition. David also began playing cello and trumpet, performing with youth symphonies and chamber music programs on all three instruments. As a result of his dedication, he was accepted to New York’s prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts. It was here that David became interested in jazz. While at LaGuardia, David quickly became an integral part of the Senior Jazz Band and combos as well as the All-City Jazz Band. He won the ”Outstanding Soloist” award at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition, as well as being invited to participate in the Monterey Jazz Festival. His senior year he was selected to the Grammy Foundation’s All-American Jazz Big Band. In 2001, he received a scholarship to study at the New England Conservatory. He made the most of this opportunity quickly becoming a rising star on Boston’s jazz scene. As well as joining the Boston Jazz Reparatory Orchestra (BJRO), he performed weekly at Wally’s Jazz Café and Jordan Hall while also performing at Ryles and the Regatta Bar. In 2005 he graduated with a degree in Jazz Performance and a distinction in music. After moving back to New York, David established himself as a musical force. He is featured as a sideman on albums such as Outlook by Steve Davis, Jade Tongue by Jen Shyu, Continuum by Eric McPherson, Of Song by Marcus Strickland, Future by McPherson & Abraham Burton, as well as being featured on The Leatherheads Soundtrack. He has also played with the likes of Christian McBride, Ravi Coltrane, Roy Haynes, Dave Holland, Wynton Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Louis Hayes, Steve Coleman, Kenny Wheeler, Bob Brookmeyer, and Jimmy Heath. In these and other groups, he has performed extensively in festivals, halls, and clubs throughout the world, including; North Sea Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, Stockholm Jazz Festival, Canary Islands Music Festival, Jazz on the River in St. Petersburg, Guimaraes Jazz Festival in Portugal, Monterey Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, House of Blues and Jazz in Shanghai, as well as many other venues internationally. David currently resides in Brooklyn. He is currently working on his own recording projects which feature his skills as a composer, electronic musical producer, and multi-instrumentalist. |
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