Gerald Wilson, Composer/arranger, 1918, Shelby, MS
Gerald, widely known as a composer, arranger, and band leader actually started his career in music as a trumpet player. When he was 14 he moved with his family to Detroit where he studied music in high school. In the late '30s he spent four years in Jimmy Lunceford's band as a soloist, arranger and composer. He later made his home on the West Coast where he performed with Les Hite and Benny Carter. In 1944 he organized his first big band, a group that lasted until 1947. This band included star musicians like Snooky Young and Melba Liston. Wilson did not play jazz in the 1950s, but formed a new band that played commercial music regularly until the late '60s. The orchestra was widely acclaimed for the caliber of it's musicians, it's arrangements, and the quality of Wilson's fresh compositions. During the 1960s spent a great deal of time writing for films and television, and for such singers as Al Hibbler, Johnny Hartman, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald. He has taught at San FernandoValley State College, California State University, Northridge, and UCLA.
Dave Liebman, Flute/Sax, 1946, New York, NY
When still a teenager in the early 60s, Dave studied theory and composition with the influential Lennie Tristano, and saxophone and flute with Charles Lloyd. He played rock with the rock group "Ten Wheel Drive" in 1970 before going to work with the great Elvin Jones for several years. The mid '70s found Dave with Miles Davis. During his association with Miles, he also formed his own group, Lookout Farm. With this group Liebman artistically blended a bop style inspired by the work of John Coltrane with elements of traditional Indian music. The jury is still out on the result. In the late '70s his group was playing a fusion of jazz and popular funk. He also toured Australia with Chick Corea, where he later taught. During the '80s Dave returned to the bop style he knows so well, with the group, Quest, which he co-led with Richie Beirach. Today, Dave Leibman is playing some of the most modern jazz/fusion music being performed.
Lonnie Plaxico, Bass, 1960, Chicago, IL
Lonnie first came to public attention with Wynton Marsalis's group in 1962, after gaining early jazz experience with Chet Baker, Sonny Stitt, and Junior Cook. He also worked with Dexter Gordon, and Hank Jones before joining Marsalis. In the 1980s Lonnie spent several years with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and then worked with Donald Harrison and Terrence Blanchard. In the late 1980s,and most of the '90s because he is an excellent sight-reader, he established himself as a top-flight studio bassist, in demand particularly with M-Base adherents Steve Coleman, Greg Osby and their UK desciple Steve Williamson. Lonnie has also worked with Cecil Brooks, Jack DeJohnette and Marvin "Smitty" Smith in addition to a host of other well-known musicians, such as Bud Shank, David Murray, Robin Eubanks, and Don Byron.
Bireli Lagrene, Guitar, 1966, Saverne, France
Bireli's father and grandfather were both guitarists, and Bireli took up the instrument as a young child. By the time he was in his early teens he was improvising in a swing style influenced Django Reinhardt. His first album ,"Routes to Django" (1980), showed a strong technique and a keen musical awareness, and soon brought him wide recognition. In a short time he was appearing at jazz festivals in this country and in Europe. He performed with Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, and Stephane Grappelli, and in 1984 took part, with Larry Coryell and Vic Juris in a famous tribute to Django Reinhardt that took place in New York. In 1986 Bireli was playing jazz-rock with Jaco Pastorius during a tour of Europe. On record and in live performances he continues to develop his faultless and spectacular technique, which takes in modern musical trends as much as it harks back to Reinhardt.
