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THE LARRY BROWN QUINTET

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 "Straight-ahead jazz at its best, with a forthright approach to well chosen material, supported by first rate soloists and a rock-solid rhythm section."

- JazzReview.com

 

“Larry Brown is a pianist whose rendering of ballads is particularly moving."

- Washingtonian Magazine

 

 ​“An artist deserving of greater exposure” and “evokes the master touch."

- The Washington Post

Pianist Larry Brown leads one of the most accomplished straight-ahead jazz groups in the Mid-Atlantic area, having performed at

  • An Die Musik

  • Blues Alley

  • The Meyerhoff

  • The Kennedy Center

  • The Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival

  • East Coast Jazz Festival

  • Baltimore-Washington Jazz Fest

  • Alexandria Jazz Festival

  • Martha’s Vineyard Jazz Festival

  • Twins Jazz

  • Bohemian Caverns

  • The King Of France Tavern

  • Montpelier Arts Center

  • Chris’ Café

  • The New Haven Lounge

  • Caton Castle

  • Keystone Korner

  • Strathmore Mansion

  • The Black Rock Center for the Arts

MEET THE QUINTET

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Larry Brown

As an undergraduate at Towson University, Larry studied with Stan Kenton’s favorite arranger/composer, Hank Levy. He performed with and composed for the lauded Towson University Jazz Ensemble. With a Bachelors Degree in Music Theory Larry attended graduate school at Catholic University, where he received his Master of Music degree after studying Composition and Electronic Music with the legendary Emerson Myers. Recognized with Wammie Awards for Best Jazz Group for 2006, 2008, and again for 2009, Larry also received a Wammie for Best Jazz Recording in 2002 for his CD “The Long Goodbye”, recorded at National Public Radio, npr. Larry has appeared on the national jazz cable channel BET On Jazz show “Jazz Discovery” where he won in the instrumentalist category, and has appeared on their show “Jazz Scene” as a featured artist. Larry has also received several Wammie nominations for Best Jazz Instrumentalist, and Best Jazz Recording (“Peace”, “Dryden Street Sessions”).  A post be-bop jazz pianist, Larry lists his major influences as Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, and Miles Davis.

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Doug Matthews

Doug Mathews, a Florida native, studied Electric and Double Bass at Valencia Community College in Orlando and at Berklee College of Music in Boston. in 1982 Doug returned to the Central Florida area and began playing shows at Walt Disney World and corporate events. This added to the list of church, recording, project bands and jazz and club date gigs he was already been involved in. His last full time gig at Disney was with the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. Doug was also Sam Rivers’ regular bassist from 1994 until Sam’s passing in 2011 and continues to run the Rejuvenation Orchestra (the former “Rivbea Orchestra”) He performed with Mr. Rivers at numerous international jazz festivals, clubs and recorded 2 Grammy nominated CDs with the Rivbea New York All-Star Orchestra. Doug has worked with a wide range of artists from Petula Clark, Ira Sullivan and Lynne Arriale to Steven Bernstein and Karl Berger. He is currently freelancing mostly jazz gigs.

Daniel has been a successful educator and musician since 1976. He has a flexible and common sense approach to teaching and playing.

Selected Musical Highlights:
Toured with: Larry Coryell Quartet, Arturo Sandoval Quintet, Natalie Cole reed 1 and featured soloist Maynard Ferguson tenor soloist Michael Wolff with Badal Roy

 

Selected Engagements:
Elvin Jones, Jimmy Smith, Sam Rivers, New York Fusion Ensemble,
NY Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra ,Wayne Andre Big Band, Aretha Franklin,
Dr.Lonnie Smith, Adam Nussbaum, Edward Simon, Woody Herman Orchestra.

 

Selected Recordings:
Maynard Ferguson

STORM, LIVE AT THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL.
Scott Whitfield: LIVE FROM BIRDLAND NYC & A TRIBUTE TO NATADDERLY.
Larry Coryell

Barefoot Man: Sanpaku
Michael Ross: Ginger
Daniel Jordan: Pure Joy

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Dan Jordan

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Scott Dickinson

Trumpeter/Composer Scott Dickinson has had the opportunity to share the stage with major artists such as Michael Feinstein, Larry Coryell, Alphonse Mouzon,
Richie Cole, and many others. He has also been a finalist in several performance
competitions including the National Trumpet Competition, The International
Trumpet Guild Competition, and the Chicago Union League Jazz Competition. He holds degrees in jazz performance and composition from the University of North Florida, Depaul University, and the University of Miami. Scott performs throughout Florida and beyond with a range of ensembles, some of which include the Scott Dickinson Trio, the Dr. Phillips Jazz Orchestra, and the Sam Rivers Rejuvenation Orchestra. In addition to teaching arranging and orchestration at Full Sail University in Winter Park Florida, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife
and three children.

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Claudio Berardi

Claudio Berardi immigrated from Italy with his family when he was five years old.  They settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut--a hotbed of music activity in those days.  At ten years old, Claudio discovered the excitement of playing drums and began to study in earnest with some of the area’s finest percussionists. Later, at the University of Bridgeport CT, he was the featured drummer in the Music Department’s Big Band workshop. By his early teens, he was already playing professionally in several area combos and
big bands. Soon after high school, he began touring the USA and Caribbean with Gene Hull and various other musical organizations, gaining valuable experience backing up such celebrities as Vic Damone, Sandler and Young, Bob Hope, and many others.
 
As a member of the pop combo the Hi-Lites, Claudio performed on the Mike Douglas National TV Show with Kaye Ballard. In Las Vegas, he played main show rooms at the Sahara and Frontier hotels. He played the Playboy Club hotels and many of the Caribbean’s best resorts.
 
When Claudio gave up traveling and settled down with his own young family, he worked to develop a long career in the insurance business. But all the while he continued to play weekends in the Connecticut area. He became a regular in backing up local Broadway shows (even being on stage as an actor in a couple of comedies), played with the area’s top rock-pop band, and accepted random recording engagements. 
Claudio moved to Florida upon retirement in 2010 and is currently a full-time “retired” musician whose specialties are jazz, big band, R&B, pop, and shows.

The group’s four CDs receive airplay all over the country, as well as in Brazil, Canada, Russia, and Japan. The band, which reprises the hard-bop style of the legendary Blue Note era, was recognized by the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) as the Best Jazz Group for 2009. The group’s celebrated release, “Hard Bop Café” was recognized by WAMA as the Best Jazz Recording for 2006 with a Wammie award.

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