 DAVID
VALENTIN ALL STAR QUINTET – Renown David
Valentin, was born of Puerto Rican parents in 1952 in New York City. His love for music started
quite early; playing
bongos
and
congas
before he was 10 and even working Latin clubs in New York by 12. His talent and interest took
him to the well respected High School
of Music and Art in New York City, where he began studying
percussion. Valentín changed to flute
and complemented his formal education at school with private
classes under master flutist Hubert Laws. The early influences
on Valentín’s development as a flutist came from Latin artists
such as Richard Egues but was tempered by American jazz
musicians including James Moody, Frank Wess, Joe Farrell and, of
course, his mentor, Hubert Laws. Valentín soon began
working as a professional musician in Latin bands, developing an
unusual technique that featured blowing in a manner that sounded
like percussion. Other unique developments by Valentín included
singing into the flute and using non-standard flute instruments
such a bass flute and a variety of flute developed in Colombia. He applied his techniques
to a wide variety of music genres, ranging from
jazz
and R&B to
salsa
and
merengue. Valentín released his
debut album in 1977 with Ricardo Marrero and also appeared on a
recording by Noel Pointer. He was the first artist to sign with
the GRP label, respected for its talented pool of Jazz artists
and technical leadership in digital recording techniques.
Valentín produced 16 recordings for GRP, and became the best
Latin jazz instrumentalist in the market. To
his artistic credit, Valentín is also a composer, arranger, and
band leader in addition to being the most celebrated Latin
flutist today. He selected as the leading jazz flutist by Jazziz
magazine readers for seven years running. Click to Hear a sample
track
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 THE
TATIANA MAYFIELD & ERSKINE HAWKINS QUINTET - Smooth,
refreshing, and unique is how many have described the sound of
the Mayfield & Hawkins Quintet, lead by the 21-year old jazz
vocalist from Fort Worth, Texas.
Mayfield is a
University
of North Texas
student working on a degree in Vocal Jazz Studies where she also
is a member of the UNT Jazz Singers ensemble. Some of the best
moments in her career so far include receiving a National
Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) Award for Jazz
Voice in 2006, performing in the Jazz By the Boulevard festival
in Fort Worth in 2007, and
performing on the “Showtime At The Apollo” television show in
2004. The Quintet is making its mark in the
Dallas/Fort Worth area, often
performing at several well-known restaurants as well as local
events. The band also consists of North
Texas jazz students: Erskine Hawkins on piano, Joel
Cross on guitar, Asher Barreras on bass, and Brendan O’Neill on
drums. Click to Hear a sample track
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 Shane
Philen
- A professional saxophonist since 1992, Shane has devoted his
talent and experience as a performer, instructor, band leader,
and arranger throughout the
United States
and in several countries. He has recorded numerous projects for
Integrity Media, Inc. and has performed and/or recorded with
Louis Bellson, Big Daddy Weave, The Coasters, Darrell Evans, Ken
Folberg Big Band, 4Him, King Pelican, Mandisa, the Moscow Sax
Quintet, New Song, Bob Shultz Big Band, The Temptations, Truth,
Ayiesha Woods and various local artists and ensembles, and he
has also performed on cruise lines and in local theater
productions. Currently, Shane is a music educator in the Mobile
County Public School System as Assistant Director of Bands at
Theodore
High School. He is also
active in the recording industry as a soloist, arranger,
and producer with Live Horns (www.livehorns.com), and he
performs with is own group in the Mobile, AL
area where he resides with his adoring wife Tabitha and their
two precious children.
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