Josh Ginsburg (photo by Courtney Winston)

Mark Gross,alto sax
Josh Ginsburg,acoustic bass
Eric Kennedy, percussion
Lafayette Gilchrist, piano



These musicians all developed from the Baltimore Metro area and went on to make names for themselves. Having worked and recorded with some of the top musicians in the world, tonight will present their own works!



JOSH GINSBURG
Baltimore-born, Brooklyn, NY resident JOSH GINSBURG, has performed and/or recorded with Kenny Barron,Terence Blanchard, Tom Harrell, Bobby Watson, Harold Mabern, Ralph Peterson, Vanessa Rubin, Craig Handy, Mark Whitfield, Winard Harper, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Eric Alexander, and many others.

Josh was a member of Jazz Ahead at the Kennedy Center and of the Thelonious Monk Institute's Jazz Colony at Snowmass. He studied with Jackie McLean at the Hartt School of Music and graduated from the Mannes/New School University in New York City, having studied with Reggie Workman and Buster Williams.

MARK GROSS
Two-time GRAMMY AWARD WINNER Mark Gross swings and sings with soul and rhythm along today's jazz vanguard. He constantly pushes the music forward, while staying true to the elements of the classic sound. Mark Gross has recorded on over 40 notable jazz recording, including GRAMMY winning projects by the Dave Holland Big Band - 'What Goes Around' on ECM Records, and 'Overtime' on Dare 2 Records. Mark has recorded 2 cd's under his own name to date.
(please see discography).

His consistently professional musicianship has led to live and recorded efforts with many of his fellow pacesetters in jazz music. Mark has toured and played all over the world several times with many great jazz artist. Mark has toured the world with the Duke Ellington Orchestra , Philip Harper, Nat Adderley, Dave Holland, Mulgrew Miller, Nicholas Payton, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wynton Masalis,Dizzy Gillespie, Nancy Williams, Jimmy Heath, Diizy Gillespie Alumni Big Band, Tom Harrell Big Band, Frank Foster and the Loud Minority Freddie Hubbard, Donald Harrison, Mark Whitfield, Joe dukes, Captain Jack McDuff, Joe Chambers, Neal Smith,Regina Carter, Lionel Hampton, Stephon Harris, Don Braden, Vincent Gardner, Lenora 'Zenzalai' Helm, Marlon Saunders, SEPIA, Jann Parker and the Mark Gross Quartet to name a few. His professional relationships with these musicians and others have been long lasting and far-reaching.

Mark has performed on Broadway several times, as well. He performed in 'FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE' (1992-1993) based on the music of Louis Jordan. 'KAT AND THE KINGS' (1999-2000). This musical explores the joyous sounds that were born out of oppression during the 1950's in Cape Town, South Africa; APARTHEID. This is a rollicking rock-'n'-roll musical. Mark has also added to the exciting musical that showcased music of the same title, 'SWING' (2000-2001).

Mark credits his prolific sound to the rich appreciation for Gospel music that resounded through his parent's Baltimore home. Mark's father is still the Pastor of his hometown church Mt. Zion C.O.G.I.C.. After developing his interests in classical music at the Baltimore School for the Arts, Mark studied one semester at Howard University and four years at Berklee College of Music. Mark has been consistently creating distinctive music Berklee College of Music awarded him a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance. Two of Berklee's best professors, Joe Viola and Bill Pierce, help fine tune Mark's musicianship. Upon his graduation in 1988, Mark Gross began his professional musical caravan in JAZZ.

Mark Gross plays the Yanagisawa 9933 silversonic alto saxophone, SELMER Super Action 80 Series III soprano saxophone, and uses VANDOREN reeds and mouthpieces exclusively.

http://www.markgrossmusic.com
kingsupr20@aol.com
http://www.yanagisawa.com
:http://www.vandoren.com

LAFAYETTE GILCHRIST
Baltimore-based pianist Lafayette Gilchrist returns to An die Musik Live following his sellout concerts at the Blue Note in NYC and a new album entitled, Towards The Shining Path. Having made waves up and down the East Coast with his debut, The Music According To Lafayette Gilchrist, his sophomore effort presents an evolved musical vision that's at the cutting edge of the progressive jazz movement. Gilchrist, who was brought to HYENA by Living Colour guitarist, Vernon Reid, also serves as the pianist in David Murray's nonet and quartet. Upon the release of his debut album, which was Gilchrist's first national exposure as a leader, he was immediately hailed for his sweeping compositions that are rooted in jazz tradition yet equally alive with flourishes of funk, go-go and hip-hop. The Philadelphia Weekly put it best when stating, "Within Gilchrist's music, rhythms dance like a spider pouncing on melodic prey, resulting in Ellingtonian horn reveries, Monkish piano lines, bliss-inducing bass bumps and rhythms that range from hip-hop thrusts to New Orleans blues shuffles."



ERIC KENNEDY
Eric Kennedy began performing music at the age of three. He is a drummer, percussionist, vocalist, songwriter/composer and educator with more than 20 years of experience here and abroad.

As a musician he has performed, toured and recorded with jazz legends such as Curtis Fuller, Richard Wyands, Gary Bartz, Yusef Salim, Charles Davis, Bunky Green, Ronnie Mathews, John Hicks, Larry Willis, Eddie Gale and Lisle Atkinson among others. His compositions can be found on recordings by the collective group Dreamworld, Kelly Shepherd, Steve Carrington, Al Maniscalco and other projects as well as the soundtrack to the independent film The Big Muddy.

He spent 2003 touring the nation with the 25th anniversary Broadway musical revue Aint Misbehavin. He will perform in the play Lady Day at Emerson Bar and Grill presented by Arena Stage in Washington DC, Spring 2006 Season.

In April 2004, Eric was the 2nd place winner in the fifteenth annual Billie Holiday Annual Jazz Vocal Competition/Showcase.

As an educator he has taught all ages in the classroom, workshops clinics and private lessons. Teaching highlights include the Eubie Blake Cultural Arts Center, Mount Royal Elementary and Middle School Symphonic Program, the Peabody Conservatory of Music and the Rytmisk Konservatorium Gastar Musikhogskolan in Malmo, Sweden in workshops uniting Scandinavian and Eastern European musicians to study, compose and perform and new music. In the winter and spring of 2004, Eric composed solo music, worked and performed with world renowned deaf educator and choreographer Yola Rozynek and the dance company of Gallaudet University.

He is also a cofounder of Dreamworld. Dreamworld is a collective jazz ensemble that united fathers, sons, godchildren, teachers and students (ages 20 to 80) to perform, teach and give workshops sharing the history of American music with others while learning from one another. Eric studied music and art in the Baltimore City School System. He took lessons in drum, voice and music education with Jamal and Odell Wilson at the Delwar Studio in Baltimore, Maryland. He has received invaluable information from time spent with several master musicians. He studied improvisation and voice in the workshops of world famous pianist/teacher Barry Harris, Voice with Timmy Shepherd and Drum and percussion with his uncle Dennis Kennedy, Donna Distefano, John Locke, Johnny Polite and Leroy Williams.

He is currently teaching percussion in the Baltimore school system , writing new music, forming an ensemble, arranging music for a play and workshop on the history of New Orleans, preparing the guideline for an arts and trade skills program for teens, co author of an upcoming jazz awareness book for young children, accepting private students and the member of several jazz and folk ensembles including new group the Joel Holmes Trio.