Ali Ryerson With a career spanning nearly five decades, jazz flutist Ali Ryerson has consistently ranked among the top flutists in the Downbeat Jazz Poll for well over a decade. Born in 1952 in New York City, Ali grew up in a musical family. Her father, Art Ryerson, was a renowned jazz guitarist who got his start with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, and later became a top studio player in NYC, recording with everyone from Louis Armstrong, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan, to Frank Sinatra. Ali Ryerson has carried on the family tradition, becoming an international touring/recording artist, with performances ranging from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to the Blue Note (NYC and Japan), plus festival appearances worldwide. Ryerson has released over two dozen albums on major jazz labels, including Concord Records, DMP, Capri, and legendary jazz producer Bob Thieleโs final jazz label, Red Baron. When Ryersonโs groundbreaking Jazz Flute Big Band released their debut CD, Game Changer on Capri Records, the album hit the โTOP 10โ on the US Jazz Charts for six straight weeks....
read more
Ali Ryerson With a career spanning nearly five decades, jazz flutist Ali Ryerson has consistently ranked among the top flutists in the Downbeat Jazz Poll for well over a decade. Born in 1952 in New York City, Ali grew up in a musical family. Her father, Art Ryerson, was a renowned jazz guitarist who got his start with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, and later became a top studio player in NYC, recording with everyone from Louis Armstrong, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan, to Frank Sinatra. Ali Ryerson has carried on the family tradition, becoming an international touring/recording artist, with performances ranging from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to the Blue Note (NYC and Japan), plus festival appearances worldwide. Ryerson has released over two dozen albums on major jazz labels, including Concord Records, DMP, Capri, and legendary jazz producer Bob Thieleโs final jazz label, Red Baron. When Ryersonโs groundbreaking Jazz Flute Big Band released their debut CD, Game Changer on Capri Records, the album hit the โTOP 10โ on the US Jazz Charts for six straight weeks.
Ali has recorded and/or performed with jazz greats such as Red Rodney, Roy Haynes, Kenny Barron, Frank Wess, Hubert Laws, Stephane Grappelli, Harold Danko, Art Farmer, Mike Mainieri, Joe Beck, and Gene Bertoncini, as well as a recent guest appearance with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She has also performed with classical artists Julius Baker and Luciano Pavarotti (when she was principal flutist with the Monterey Bay Orchestra). Ali was musical director of the Hudson River Regional Jazz Festival (2001-โ04), Jazz Chair for the National Flute Association, and founder of the NFA Jazz Flute Big Band. As an educator and author, Ryerson published the widely acclaimed Jazz Flute Practice Method, and conducts master classes worldwide. Ryerson is a Gemeinhardt Artist with an Autograph Series of flutes by Gemeinhardt Musical Instruments.
Ryerson's most recent invitations as a guest artist includes: the Galway Flute Festival in Switzerland, the International Flute Festival of Lima, Peru, the 60th Monterey Jazz Festival, the New York Flute Club, the International Low Flute Festival, the University of Michigan, Florida and MidAtlantic Flute conventions, the Rochester Flute Fair, the Chicago Flute Fair, and invitations to tour Japan again in 2019 and 2020.
Larry Ham: Pianist, composer, and arranger. Larry Ham is a veteran New York keyboard player. Larry began his professional career in the Lionel Hampton Orchestra in the late 80s. He was pianist in the Illinois Jacquet Big Band 1990-95 and has worked extensively with countless other jazz legends, including the late Junior Cook and Dakota Staton. His recent New York appearances include Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Iridium, The Village Vanguard, Smalls, The Kitano Hotel, and Harlems historic Lenox Lounge.
Lou Pappas - double bass (Tom Scott, Randy Brecker) Lou Pappasโ career encompasses both Jazz and Classical music. Originally from Colorado, his first classical performing experience came with the Colorado Springs Symphony, at the same time working with visiting jazz and popular artists such as Jay McShann, Tom Scott, composer Patrick Williams and Phil Urso. After three years with the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra, he moved to New York to accept the position as bassist with the United States Military Academy Band at West Point. As a member of the โJazz Knightsโ, he has performed at jazz festivals in New York City, Atlanta, Denver and Seattle, with guest artists including Byron Stripling, Claire Fischer, Randy Brecker, James Williams and fellow bassist John Clayton. He is also a member of the Greater Newburgh Symphony, the Bergen Philharmonic in Teaneck, NJ, and has played with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic , Woodstock Chamber Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic and the Chappaqua Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Pappas is presently the Adjunct Artist Instructor of Double Bass at Vassar College.
Tom Melito - Drummer, Tom has been a mainstay on the jazz scene for many years. His drumming has been heard behind such varied artists as Bucky Pizzarelli, Frank Wess, Harry Allen, "Sweets" Edison, Lew Soloff, Herb Ellis, Warren Vache, John Bunch, and Bill Watrous. Tom's talents have been in demand internationally, including numerous tours of Japan, Europe, and South America. He has also performed at most of the worldโs largest jazz events including; the JVC, Montreal, and the Berne Jazz Festivals. His numerous television appearances include the CBS Early Show, Entertainment Tonight, and CNN World Beat. Melito has also toured with many singers including the late Etta Jones and Kenny Rankin. He has been featured with Stacy Kent and continues to perform regularly in New York City jazz clubs. Active in jazz education he is an adjunct professor of music at Central Connecticut University. He also plays on Jerry Bergonziโs CD play along method, and is recording a series of jazz educational CDs for โWindplayerโ magazine.
show less
