The original (Boston – New England) Jazz 5tet of CHARLIE KOHLHASE in a Special REUNION Concert
One of the most important, active, original, creative musicians in our Boston metro area and with a national reputation—and how about his weekly radio show on WMBR-fm—bringing back to musical life the members of this modern Jazz 5tet that Charlie formed back in 1989. And each other musician is still playing in their own environments, leaders in their right in New England, N.Y, nationally around the globe!
“As a mainstay in Boston’s jazz scene, saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase has helped cultivate the city as one of America’s most fertile hotbeds for creative music.” (John Murph, Jazz Times Magazine)… “Kohlhase’s own themes are as action-packed as a comic book and as spontaneous in feel as graffiti.”
Their long-awaited live 2-CD set, “Play Free Or Die,”has been released on the Boxholder label to critical acclaim. Kohlhase also leads the CK5, a second quintet that recently released its live debut, “CK5 Live!” Charlie’s two newest bands, Explorer’s Club and Saxophone Support Group, are charting new territory. Explorer’s Club, another quintet for Kohlhase, builds upon his long relationship with New England saxophonist Matt Langley. SSG is an ever-changing quartet to octet of local sax luminaries.
Alto, Tenor and baritone saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase (b. 11/28/56, Portsmouth, NH) has been a part of Boston’s jazz scene for more than thirty years. In 1989 he formed the Charlie Kohlhase Quintet, a band that worked around Boston and toured nationally for a dozen years. Kohlhase has recently been leading two ensembles: the Explorer’s Club, an octet with two reeds, trumpet, tuba, piano, guitar, bass and drums and the Saxophone Support Group, a woodwind octet that plays saxophone-oriented compositions by Julius Hemphill, Steve Lacy, John Tchicai and Kohlhase. 2009 saw the release of the Explorers Club CD “Adventures” on Vermont’s Boxholder label. Kohlhase also co-led groups with the late, great Danish/ Congolese saxophonist John Tchicai for New England tours in 1993, 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2006. Charlie was a member of Boston’s Either/ Orchestra from 1987 to 2001, playing throughout North America, Europe and Russia. Recent sideman activities have included work with the Makanda Project, a large ensemble dedicated to performing unrecorded compositions by the late woodwind player/ composer Makanda Ken McIntyre, bassist Kit Demos’ Flame-Tet and trumpeter Daniel Rosenthal’s Quintet.
Subtle yet dynamic (and playful), internationally renowned and a flexible drummer, Matt Wilson gained a strong reputation with his debut recording as a leader, a 1996 set for Palmetto that prominently features tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman. Today, Matt IS a drummer of choice of so many musicians, both veterans and new talent, his bio and discography grows endless… Matt started playing drums in grade school; he studied at Wichita State University and spent time in the Midwest, both as a freelancer and as a teacher. In 1987 he moved to Boston, where he was soon playing with the Either/Orchestra and the Charlie Kohlhase Quintet. In 1992 Wilson relocated to New York, where he has since played with Redman, Cecil McBee, Lee Konitz, Fred Hersch, Tim Hagans, Ingrid Jensen, and others, appearing on a couple dozen records as a sideman. Other headlining dates include 1998's Going Once, Going Twice and 1999's Smile. Arts & Crafts followed in early 2001. After releasing another quartet album with 2003's Humidity, Wilson returned to his Arts & Crafts ensemble with 2004's Wake Up! (To What's Happening.
Matt Langley is from Eliot, Maine: a Musician, a Teacher, a Graphic Designer/Web Geek and a student of all that and more. He’s been playing the Saxophone since he was a teenager. He teaches saxophone, clarinet and flute as well as beginners on trumpet, trombone and piano. As a member of the Shaker Road School music department in Concord, NH, He has been honing his skills as a youth band instrument and piano instructor since 2010. As a member of the Portsmouth (NH) Music and Arts Center Faculty, he works with youth jazz ensembles, adult beginner and intermediate jazz ensembles, improvisation classes and private study on saxophone and improvisation. He is also a member of the faculty of the Concord (NH) Community Music School. Matt is currently performing with a number of groups in the Maine, New Hampshire area. In Ears ‘n Eyes is dedicated to exploring the connection between aural and visual art. Langley has recorded with Ron Carter, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Chris Wood, Roswell Rudd & others
John Carlson is a jazz trumpet soloist, composer and teacher/clinician. He has achieved international recognition through tours and recordings with Slavic Soul Party, Grammy-nominated Either Orchestra, the Machito Orchestra, the Palladium Orchestra (Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Machito), the Ken Shaphorst Ensemble, the David Berkman/John Carlson Duo and Friendly Fires. Co-leader of Dharma Nau, Perfumed Scorpion and Free Range Rat, Carlson is also a member of the Frank Carlberg/Nicholas Urie City Band, William Gagliardi Quintet, Citizen Quintet (Rob Reddy) and Slavic Soul Party. Carlson has been a featured soloist and performed and/or recorded with a wide assortment of jazz artists including Bob Brookmeyer, Julius Hemphill, Sam Rivers, Chocolate Armeteros, John Tchicai, Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Tito Puente, Mike Stern, Cab Calloway, Burton Green, Butch Morris, Warren Smith, Billy Hart, Jay Rosen, Douglas Yates, Joanne Brackeen, Matt Wilson, Armen Donelian and John Medeski.
A veteran of the New England Jazz scene, bassist John Turner has performed and recorded with such other luminaries such the Ether/Orchestra, Scott Hamilton, Roswell Rudd, Lee Konitz, the Tommy Dorsey Orch., members of Ornette Coleman’s band, and, Magic Disk-Jay Geils, Blues Time; plus White Heat and Dave Bryant, and, is an on-going member of Room Full of Blues,.
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