Tony Leone Quintet

Drummer Tony Leone grew up in Hartford CT, where he attended the Hartt School of Music and studied under alto sax legend, composer and bandleader Jackie McLean. He is currently a member of the Classic American Rock Band, Little Feat and has performed and or recorded with a wide variety of musicians including:Illinois Jacquet, Lou Donaldson, Slide Hampton, Harold Mabern,George Coleman, Levon Helm, Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead,Shooter Jennings, Chip Taylor and singer, Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes. <br>He is also a founding member of the band, Ollabelle, whose Americana Roots eponymous debut was released on Sony DMZ in 2004 and garnered much critical acclaim. <br /><br />"Something about the sound Mike DiRubbo elicits from the alto saxophone - deep, dark, immense, with a machete edge that denotes a ready-for-anything urban sensibility - immediately grabs the ear. It’s a sound familiar to the cream of New York’s hardcore jazz community since the mid-'90's" writes Ted Panken. <br>Today, in an age where media-created young lions are more interested in downloads than down beats, alto saxophonist/composer/bandleader/educator Mike DiRubbo is the real deal. Ever since he arrived in New York two decades ago, DiRubbo has reigned supreme as one of the most durable and dynamic musicians of his generation. That bold statement is augmented by the aural evidence of his work with the brightest jazz stars including Tony Reedus, Larry Willis, Eddie Henderson, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Dwayne Burno, Peter Washington, Carl Allen, John Hicks and Cecil Payne, and as a solo artist, with seven critically-acclaimed CD’s as a leader. <br>On his instrument DiRubbo has it all: from Benny Carter’s mastery of melody and Johnny Hodges’ ballad mellow tones to Charlie Parker’s light-speed fluency. But what truly sets DiRubbo apart from the rest was his apprenticeship under the legendary alto saxophonist/educator Jackie McLean. <br /><br />Steve Davis is widely regarded as one of today's leading voices on the trombone. After graduating from The Hartt School's Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz ('89), Davis first gained widespread recognition in 1990 upon joining as the last to join the Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Steve’s first record dates would be Blakey's last, including One For All (A&M), the title track penned by Davis. <br><br>Over the years since, Davis has worked with a broad range of jazz luminaries such as his first mentor Jackie McLean, Chick Corea, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Cecil Payne, Harold Mabern, Larry Willis, Freddie Hubbard & The New Jazz Composers Octet, Slide Hampton's World of Trombones, Horace Silver, Cedar Walton, Hank Jones, Rene McLean, Nat Reeves, Avishai Cohen, Roy Hargrove & Willie Jones III. Raised in Binghamton, New York, Steve has performed at major venues around the world including appearances at the North Sea, Montreal, Vienne, Montreaux, Newport, JVC, Detroit, Chicago & Playboy Jazz Festivals, The Jimmy Fallon Show with Stevie Wonder and at The White House Tribute to Ray Charles (PBS). Davis appears on over 150 recordings, including 20 as a leader. His 2022 release "Bluesthetic" (SMOKE Sessions) includes an all-star band featuring Steve Nelson, Peter Bernstein, Geoff Keezer, Christian McBride & Willie Jones III playing a program of Steve's originals. "Bluesthetic'' garnered rave reviews and spent months atop the JazzWeek Radio Charts. Other notable releases include Say When: Celebrating J.J. Johnson, Think Ahead, and Correlations (SMOKE Sessions), For Real and Gettin’ It Done (Positone). During 2019, Steve appeared on Chick Corea's Grammy Winning Spanish Heart Band album, "Antidote" and toured Europe with the group. Davis also continues to work regularly with the collectively-led sextet One For All (feat. Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, David Hazeltine, John Webber & Joe Farnsworth), bassist Nat Reeves' State Of Emergency & Blue Ridge Bands, as well as playing with John Lee's Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Ron Carter and Christian McBride big bands and The Queens Jazz Orchestra. Steve’s original composition, “Optimism" appears on the McBride Big Band’s Grammy Award winning release Bringin' It (2018). <br><br>Davis performs and has recently recorded with his wife, vocalist Abena Koomson-Davis on her 2024 jazz debut "Where Is Love" (WJ3 Records) which also features his son, guitarist Tony Davis. Steve & Abena appear together on Natalie Merchant's 2023 release, "Keep Your Courage" (Nonesuch). Steve’s latest release, Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones Vol. 1 (2023) captures never before heard sessions with the legendary pianist in one of his final recordings, and also features bassist Peter Washington. In addition to playing regularly in NYC, Steve maintains an active presence on the vibrant local CT jazz scene. A long-time educator, Steve has guided a broad range of emerging musicians at the Hartt School's Jackie McLean Jazz Studies Division, University of Hartford, CT where he was recently honored for over 30 years of service and as '23 Alumni Of The Year. In Fall '22, Prof Davis left Hartt to join the Berklee College of Music Brass Dept. as Full Professor. Other prestigious educational affiliations have included the San Francisco Conservatory's RJAM faculty, Jamey Aebersold’s Summer Jazz Workshops, Skidmore Jazz Workshop, Jazz in July at UMASS Amherst, Stanford University Jazz Workshop. <br><br>www.stevedavismusic.com <br /><br />“He can focus the intensity in a tune as well as any pianist in mainstream jazz.” – New York Times <br><br>“a nimble and inventive keyboard artist who couldn’t play an inelegant note if he wanted to.” – Chicago Tribune <br><br>“One of the most fluent and flexible pianists of his generation.” – BMI Music World <br><br>“Weiss has a rich palette of composing devices at his command” – Downbeat <br><br>“Warmth, integrity and above all, originality” – JazzTimes <br><br>“Combines the wonder of spontaneity with a workmanlike acknowledgment of his materials: art and craft in delightful balance.” – Chicago Reader <br><br>“About as close to perfection as a recording can get” – Jazz Improv <br><br>“This music lives and breathes freshness and exhilarating originality.” – Jazz Journal <br><br>Since arriving in New York in 1982, pianist, composer, arranger and educator Michael Weiss has forged a formidable career working in the bands of jazz legends Johnny Griffin, Art Farmer, The Jazztet, Slide Hampton, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath Quartet, the Heath Brothers, the George Coleman Quartet, Charles McPherson, Jon Hendricks, Lou Donaldson, Junior Cook/Bill Hardman Quintet, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Mingus Epitaph Orchestra. Weiss' fifteen year association with Griffin yielded four recordings and annual tours. <br><br>He has also performed with Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Clark Terry, Clifford Jordan, Curtis Fuller, Phil Woods, Pepper Adams, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, David Newman, Gerry Mulligan, Nancy Wilson, Randy Brecker, Tom Harrell, Wynton Marsalis, Gary Bartz, and other high profile jazz recording artists. <br><br>As a band leader, Weiss has headlined at the Village Vanguard, the Detroit Jazz Festival, Smithsonian Institution, and major New York venues such as the Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Bradley’s, Iridium, Sweet Basil, Smoke and Dizzy's Club CocaCola. Reviewing his Vanguard debut, the New York Times wrote that Weiss "demonstrated a strong sense of leadership and organization" exhibiting "sensitivity and logic, along with crisp control." <br><br>Television appearances include CBS-TV’s Nightwatch and PBS’ Live From Lincoln Center: The City of Jazz. NPR radio appearances include PianoJazz with Marion McPartland, Making the Music with Wynton Marsalis, Jazzset, and the Jazz Piano Christmas Special. <br><br>Weiss' latest release is Homage, his second for the Cellar Live label. His other recordings as a leader are on the CrissCross, SteepleChase, DIW and Sintra labels. Weiss also appears on recordings of Johnny Griffin, Frank Wess, Charles McPherson, Steve Grossman, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Ronnie Cuber, Louis Smith and Dick Oatts. <br><br>Weiss was the grand prize winner of the 2000 BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute's Composition Competition presented to him by Wayne Shorter. Weiss was also a 1989 prizewinner in the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Piano Competition. <br><br>Weiss is deeply committed to jazz education, having held faculty positions at Indiana University, Hartt College of Music and Queens College. In his master classes and residencies, Weiss draws on his long and varied bandstand experience to directly address the standards and performance practices required of a professional jazz musician. <br /><br />After having performed throughout the world with some of the jazz world’s biggest names as a tenor saxophonist, Michael Karn has once again crisscrossed the globe as a top call bassist. Growing up in Rochester NY, Michael became obsessed with the tenor saxophone and in 1984 entered New York University’s jazz program to study with modern tenor great, Joe Lovano. In 1988 Michael entered the New York scene, and for more than 20 years worked with artists such as Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Charles Earland, and Toshiko Akiyoshi while recording two albums as a leader on the Criss Cross Jazz label. <br>In 2007 Michael began to seriously pursue the bass and within a couple of years was working with some of New York’s best musicians, including tenor great Lew Tabakin and a concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall with jazz vocal legend Jon Hendricks. In 2010 Michael began playing with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (VJO) and quickly established himself as the band’s first call sub. In addition to numerous Monday nights at the Village Vanguard, Michael has traveled with the VJO throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. In February 2012 Michael performed with NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath’s big band, as part of a concert at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Since then Michael has played with Jimmy and his equally legendary brother, and fellow Jazz Master Albert “Tootie” Heath on numerous occasions including engagements at the Blue Note, the Village Vanguard, and the 2013 Chicago Jazz Festival. In 2015 Michael had the opportunity to travel to Japan with yet another jazz legend, vocalist/pianist Freddy Cole, performing for a week at Tokyo’s Cotton Club. And most recently Michael began working with guitarist/vocalist, John Pizzarelli and in a short time has appeared with him throughout the the U.S. and Canada. Highlights with Pizzarelli’s quartet include weeklong engagements at two of New York’s top jazz clubs, Birdland and the Jazz Standard, as well as Washington D.C.’s legendary Blues Alley. With John and his wife, singer Jessica Molaskey, Michael participated in a concert at Northridge California’s Valley Arts Center which was recorded for broadcast on Pizzarelli and Molaskey’s syndicated radio show, Radio Deluxe. Michael also appears on Molaskey’s upcoming Joni Mitchell themed c.d. <br>In addition to these great artists Michael has also performed/recorded with George Coleman, Frank Wess, Houston Person, Bob Wilber, Joe Lovano, Bennie Wallace, Walt Weiskopf, Harry Allen, Craig Handy, Grant Stewart, Eric Alexander, Ken Pleplowski, Harold Mabern, Barry Harris, Johnny O’Neal, Mike LeDonne, David Hazeltine, Michael Weiss, Bucky Pizzarelli, Gene Bertoncini, Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Cobb, Al Foster, Victor Lewis, Lewis Nash and Dennis Mackrel.