Max Bennett, Bass,1928, DesMoines, IA
As a teenager Max played the trombone and then the guitar. When in his early twenties, Max switched to bass, and began his career with Herbie Fields in1949, and then went with Georgie Auld's band two years later. After serving in the army, Max joined Stan Kenton for a couple of years in the mid '50s. In 1957 he accompanied Ella Fitzgerald, touring as part of the Jazz At The Philharmonic series. For the next fifteen years Bennett chiefly worked in Hollywood as a studio musician. In the early' 60s he began working with the electric bass guitar which became his primary instrument. Max first worked with Quincy Jones in 1968, continuing the association until 1980. He played with L.A. Express (Tom Scott's group) between 1972 and 1977. From this period on he returned to his activities as a studio musician and also played with The Crusaders. Max plays both double bass and electric bass guitar, each with a warm, even tone. Max composed many of the charts that were played by the L.A. Express and Freeway, two groups he had worked with in the past.
Archie Shepp, saxophone, 1937,Ft.Lauderdale, Fla
Archie, saxophonist, playwright, and teacher, grew up in Philadelphia where he studied music. He also studied dramatic literature at Goddard College, graduating in 1959. While looking for theatrical work in New York, he played alto sax in various bands to help pay the bills. Under the influence of John Coltrane, he began to play the tenor sax and performed in several avant-garde groups. He was a sideman in Cecil Taylor's quartet during the early '60s, and served as co-leader of a quartet with Bill Dixon from 1962 to 1963. From the mid '60s on, Archie led his own groups, which included such prominent sidemen as Roswell Rudd, Bobby Hutcherson, Beaver Harris and Grachan Moncur lll. From 1969 to 1974 Shepp was a member of the faculty of black studies SUNY, Buffalo. In 1974 he began teaching at the University of Mass, and four years later he was appointed associate professor. During the '80s, Archie once again became active as a performer and toured the U.S. and Europe. Over the years Shepp has continually developed and expanded his style and technique. Starting in the mid sixties he made use of powerful poems evocative of life in the black gettos (Malcom, Malcom, Semper Malcom). He simplified his style radically during the first part of the 1970 however, as he started playing rhythm and blues. Archie Shepp is an activist who speaks through his music.
Charles Earland, Organ/Soprano Sax, 1941, Philadelphia, PA
Charles began studying the alto sax while in high school, where his fellow students were Pat Martino, Lew Tabackin, and Bobby Timmons. While attending Temple University he was the star soloist with the school band, and shortly afterward began working with Jimmy McGriff. By 1963 he was leading his own band and playing the organ after a number of organists had left his group in quick succession. Charles's first big job as an organist was with Lou Donaldson (1968-69), mostly playing his own compositions. His association with Donaldson was a huge success, and led to Charles's signing a long-term contract with Prestige Records. In 1970 he began touring extensively as a leader of his own group, playing soprano sax, synthesizer, and electric piano as well as the organ. Charles has appeared at the Newport and Montreux jazz festivals, among others. In 1974 he played on the soundtrack of the movie, "Dynamite Brithers", and continued to perform with groups of his own for the rest of the decade.
