Gordon Webster

Pianist Gordon Webster has been living in New York City for three years. He has performed with Grant Green Jr., Wycliffe Gordon, Donny McCaslin, Ron McClure, Chris Potter, Joel Frahm, and Jim Black among others. His playing has been showcased in various New York City venues including the Blue Note, The Cutting Room, Cleopatra's Needle, Makor, Mannahatta Lounge, Kavehaz, St. Nick's Pub, Night and Day, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. Webster graduated from the Manhattan School of Music Masters Degree in jazz studies program in 2006, and has studied privately with Kenny Barron, Garry Dial, Sonny Bravo, Ari Heonig and Samir Chatterjee. He has performed in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Australia, and throughout the United States and Canada at international jazz festivals, jazz clubs, and dancing events including lindy exchanges, workshops and camps. Originally from Ottawa, Webster began studying music at the age of four. In 1993 he moved to Toronto where he earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto in 1999. His first trio recording, as a leader, "Three We" was released in 2000 with sidemen Duncan Hopkins and Kevin Dempsey. Other recording credits include Canadian jazz releases with Chris Robinson, Kim Addison, Rita di Ghent; groove/fusion projects KITE, Jukejoint and Gruvoria; a recent duo album with Rochester trumpeter Mike Kaupa, and brother Mike Webster's fall 2005 release Leading Lines featuring bassist John Benitez (Eddie Palmeri, Chick Corea, John Scofield) and trumpeter Mike Rodriguez (Ray Barreto). Gordon has taught jazz improvisation and piano at Jazzworks summer camp in Ontario, Canada for four years, and has appeared in educational concerts for children with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in collaboration with conductor Boris Brott. In addition to his ongoing creative pursuits as a jazz musician, Gordon developed a passion for lindy hop and blues dancing over the past six years, which has become a significant influence in his life since 2001.

http://www.myspace.com/gordonwebstermusic

Solomon Douglas Quartet

Solomon Douglas is a jazz pianist and bandleader, whose various bands have played at more than fifty exchanges, camps, workshops, and other events in North America, Asia, and Australia in the past eight years. His experience as a swing dancer and dance instructor gives him an understanding unique among musicians of the music that blues dancers and swing dancers like to dance to!

His influences as a pianist include Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris, Count Basie, and Thelonious Monk. The Solomon Douglas Quartet plays a mixture of musical styles including blues, old-school swing, and groovy mainstream swinging jazz with tinges of bop and soul-jazz.

The George Gee Swing Orchestra

While he was a Freshman at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, George Gee launched his Make-Believe Ballroom program (named after the vintage Martin Block show) on the college radio station - and told everyone who'd listen about his dream of leading his own big band. In an era when punk, new wave and heavy metal ruled, some first thought that George was revisiting the past. Twenty-five years later, it is delightfully clear that George was just way ahead of his time!

The only Chinese-American Swing big band leader, George Gee is unique in so many ways. The snap in his fingers, the shuffle in his step and that unbridled joy he radiates and spreads like ecstatic wildfire to all his world-class musicians make immediate and permanent impressions on audiences, musicians, and dancers - even seasoned press! It must be in his blood - since he was a kid, all George ever wanted to do was lead his own big band.

A native New Yorker, George always loved music. He grew up with rock'n'roll and R&B - but also developed a powerful passion for Swing - especially for the big band styles of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Louis Jordan, Frank Sinatra, Cab Calloway and other legends. At renowned Stuyvesant High School, George wowed the crowds with his flashy bass showmanship in the school's jazz band.

His college radio show was a huge hit! The station asked George to interview his idol - William "Count" Basie - before a campus concert. That extensive, exclusive conversation would change George's life forever. The next day, he assembled his own 17-piece big band - the Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra! Staffed by student players, the band quickly became the darling of the campus community. Throughout the 1980's, George spread his swing gospel throughout the Pittsburgh tri-state region - from rowdy frat houses to black-tie society galas, corporate events and top nightclubs. But George knew what he needed to do next.

He returned home to New York City in 1990, and summoned top New York-based musicians - young and older veterans of the world's most legendary big bands - and Latin and pop giants - to continue living his dream. With each performance, George's powerhouse 17-piece Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra continues to set new standards - elegantly balancing the genuine big band tradition with exhilarating modernism. His 10-piece Jump, Jive & Wailers, formed in 1998, puts a new twist on big band favorites and delivers all-out rollickin' roadhouse boogie! With this group, which George lovingly calls his "Economy Big Band," they have been able to travel around the United States and the world headlining swing and lindyhop dance events.

George also revels in his stature as a veritable Ambassador of Swing. George is a much sough-after authority on the evolution of the art. He has lectured at the New School University, led clinics and master classes - and is a popular source for newspaper, magazine, TV and Internet reports. George also served as a primary expert for the 2000 nationally broadcast BRAVO documentary "This Joint is Jumpin'", featuring extensive interviews throughout the two-hour film.

Throughout 2005, George is celebrating his Silver Anniversary in the "Big Band Business", and looks forward to an even brighter and more illustrious future. "People have asked me lately what I’ll do now that the 'swing fad' that grew a few years back has subsided. The question makes me smile, because when I started in 1980, everyone thought swingin' was about as much fun as pullin' teeth! We've traveled a long road - many long roads - and I'm proud to say that today, swing music, jazz, and the Big Band art form are not only alive and well, but enjoying their widest popularity since their heydays." Still full of joy and energy, this diminutive gentleman of swing and his merry music makers are ready for new adventures in the next quarter-century!

Editors note: Currently, "The Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra" is more commonly known simply as "The George Gee Swing Orchestra" and/or "The George Gee Big Band."

http://www.georgegee.com/index.html

Harlem Blues Project

Saron Crenshaw learned to play guitar at the age of ten. He is an extremely talented guitarist who travels the country playing Jazz and Rhythm and Blues. In the 70's and 80's he made his living playing bass for several bands in New Jersey, New York and South Carolina. He has shared stages with talented recording artists such as Lee fields, Roy Roberts, Denise lasalle, Bobby Rush, Jessie James, Tyrone Davis, and Chuck Roberson. Saron's love is The Blues and he has been inspired by some of the greatest singers and players of all time, B.B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy to name a few. Saron plays a Gibson "Lucille" model guitar signed by B.B.King himself. He is a powerful entertainer and is never afraid to take his performance straight into the audience.

Jerry Dugger, the bassist, is a Harlem native. He is a twenty seven year veteran of the New York City Blues scene. His band TheBlackPearls have held court in the Blues clubs of New York City for the last fifteen years. Jerr'’s talents are not limited to the bass, as he is also a talented singer songwriter / guitarist. Jerry takes his vocal cues from The Holmes Brothers, Ray Charles, Keb' Mo', B.B. King and Jimmy Reed. Jerry is famous for making his audience part of his act, foot stomping and audience participation are a regular part of his performance as he wants them to have the best Blues experience possible.He has two recordings available, the first with his former band Slapmeat Johnson and the Titans and the second with his new band TheBlackPearls. Jerry has worked with The Holmes Brothers, James Cotton, Eddie Kirkland, Little Milton, and Hubert Sumlin.

Barry Harrison, the drummer, is a Brooklyn native. Barry's father Donald Harrison, also a drummer, worked with Ronald Anderson and The Versatiles. Donald started teaching Barry during his junior year of high school. Soon Barry was subbing for his father with Anderson. Barry shortly became a sought after drummer on the New York City scene, landing the drummers seat in the legendary Johnny "Clyde" Copeland Blues Band. Barry spent five and a half years with Johnny Copeland, and after his passing went on to spend six years working with his daughter, Shemekia Copeland. Barry has also worked with Sonny Rhodes, Eddie Kirkland, Phil Guy, and Lonnie Shields.



Junior Mack, guitarist / singer, is a New Jersey native, self taught, he has been playing guitar since the age of nine. Influenced by Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Jan Akkerman, and Wes Montgomery, he deftly displays these influences, although the foundation of his playing lies in the soulfulness of Gospel and Blues. Vocally, his influences are all Gospel, The Soul Stirrers, with Sam Cooke, and Paul Foster, The Sensational Nightingales, with Reverend Julius Cheeks initially provided the vehicle for Juniors delivery. later on he discovered Greg Allman and now they are all wrapped up into Junior Mack. An opportunity to play for the late Pops Staples and the encouraging reaction from both Pops and Mavis Staples was the first in a chain of events that drove Junior to present his interpretation of the Blues to a wider audience. Junior has sat in or worked with The Allman Brothers Band, Derek Trucks, Robert Randolph, Dickey Betts , and Honeyboy Edwards. Junior has also recorded an excellent CD, Live Adventures.

http://myspace.com/harlembluesproject

DJ's

Steven (Dr. Feelgood) Watkins

Steven started dancing in 1998, and his BLUES DJing stuff began at his other adopted home - St Louis during Cheap Thrills 2004. Since then, you Dr. Feelgood has been thrilled to spread/share his love for the BLUES with a handsome mix of smooth, sultry, gritty music, coupled with a great sense of musical timing in order to take dancers on a serious journey. Rest assured if it were up to him, there would be no venues...every dance hall would feel like a "Joint". Oh, those sexy good looks help too!

Greg Avakian

Greg Avakian has been teaching swing since 1992. He and his partner, Laurie Zimmerman have been dancing together for over 9 years. They specialize in Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, and Blues Dancing. In addition, Greg is a popular DJ, having spun music for dancers at exchanges, competitions, and other events across the USA, in Canada and Europe. Greg has also been the DJ Coordinator for the American Lindy Hop Championships. His style mixes classic swing with very groovy blues and other sweet & funky stuff.

http://www.geocities.com/swingboypa/

Scott Bloom

Scott "Son of a Preacher Man" Bloom, a San Francisco local, has been swing dancing for years; and discovered blues dancing at a lindy booty party four years ago. He then started DJing at various house parties, worked his way up to be the house DJ for RA blues for two years, and currently found a home at Friday Night Blues. His brand of blues music, with a funky soulful twist, seems to strike a chord with the San Francisco crowd.