TOM KIRKPATRICK

Tom Kirkpatrick was born in Springfield, Ohio in 1954, in a family of musicians. His first instrument was piano, but a precocious interest in jazz led him to the trumpet. Tom describes himself as “basically self-taught” even though he attended Bowling Green State university and The Julliard School of music. It was through the encouragement of Chet Baker that Tom was persuaded to move to New York in 1977 and try his luck in the toughest of all jazz cities. The gamble paid off and Tom has an excellent reputation amongst the best of his peers. The English journalist Mark Gardner in the 90s writes: “Finding a personal style is the most difficult task facing the apprentice jazz musician. Style involves many elements, not least tone and phrasing. Some players take years to discover this intangible element. With others it just seems to come naturally. Trumpeter Tom Kirkpatrick seems to belong in the “natural” category. He has a beautiful sound, a rhythmic ease and admirable control of his instrument”. Tom has worked and performed with Chet baker, Harold Mabern, Billy Higgins, Lou Donaldson, Charles Davis, Walter Bishop, Max Roach, George Coleman, Clifford Jordan just to name but a few. After many years in New York and touring the States, Japan and Europe, Tom left for Denmark for a teaching job. He lived in Copenhagen for a year and a half. He then went to Holland for another teaching job for six months and after that he was asked to do a tour in the South of Italy and this is when he fell in love with Italy. Meanwhile Billy Higgins had recommended Tom to Alberto Alberti, an important Italian manager and Tom started getting a lot of gigs in Italy and Europe. He moved to Ferrara (a town in the Emilia Romagna region) playing and teaching. He is considered to be one of the smoothest trumpeters around with a full, pretty tone, especially effective in the middle register. He is tough on both smoking bebop and ballads, a rarity in jazz players these days. His varied experience is evidenced by his ability to really get inside a tune, avoiding the stringing together of clichés that many horn men lean on. Tom also handles himself well on the bandstand with his wit and intelligence working overtime. As the journalist Kyeld Frandsen said: “…he works with a very classic bebop expression, brilliantly telling and with a total control of all the registers and shades of the horn. He also has an unusually playing style filled with motives, in reality making all of his solos wonderful, musical short stories…”. Tom cites Kenny Dorham as his major influence.

 

TARDO HAMMER

Tardo Hammer borns in Queens, New York in 1958; he began playing piano at age 5, and after dabbling with clarinet and guitar, returned to piano at age 13. By his mid teenage years he was listening heavily to jazz recordings of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and others and teaching himself to play that music on the piano and with other young musicians. Hammer's first professional appearance was on New Year's Eve, 1973, when he and five other fifteen year olds entertained the revelers with renditions of Ornithology, Four, Round Midnight, Scrapple From the Apple, Buzzy and So What. They were fired shortly before midnight. In 1977 Hammer took up residence in a Chelsea loft, where regular jam sessions took place. Supporting himself with a combination of gigs and teaching, he began to enjoy a reputation as one of the bright young pianists on the New York scene. He was also a regular at clubs such as Bradley's, the Angry Squire, the Jazz Cultural Theater and the Star Cafe, where he was inspired by the influences of pianists Tommy Flanagan, Barry Harris, Cedar Walton, Hank Jones, among others. In the 80's, Hammer began working with the Bill Hardman-Junior Cook Quintet, Lou Donaldson and the Art Farmer-Clifford Jordan Quintet. He also worked with Lionel Hampton, Johnny Griffin and Charlie Rouse and performed in venues throughout the U.S. His recording debut was in 1986 with trumpeter Al Porcino's big band which featured Al Cohn and Mel Lewis. In 1990, Hammer spent two months in Japan performing with a trio that included Vernel Fournier on drums and Victor Sproles on bass. He continued to appear internationally, in Europe and Japan, alongside featured performers including Annie Ross, Abbey Lincoln, Conte Candoli, Chubby Jackson and others.  By 1998, Hammer was increasingly active in New York, and had appeared on a number of CDs. Sharp Nine Records sought him out to record with his own trio. Hammer Time (1999) and Somethin' Special (2001) Tardo's Tempo (2004) and Look Stop And Listen (2007) all feature Hammer as a trio leader and have been highly acclaimed. Look Stop and Listen, an album of Tadd Dameron compositions, was named as one of the top CDs of 2007 in Downbeat, The Village Voice, and All About Jazz. Hammer's trio has performed at festivals and clubs in Spain, France and Italy as well as in the USA. Most recently, Tardo continues to work with his trio, as well as serving as accompanist and sideman to other featured performers, including Annie Ross, Charles Davis, Warren Vache and Grant Stewart. Active as an educator, Hammer is on the faculty of the New School and the Lucy Moses School as well as conducting classes and lessons at clinics and colleges worldwide.

 

JIMMY WORMWORTH

James E. “Jimmy” Wormworth born August 14, 1937 in Utica, New York, is a seasoned, veteran jazz drummer who trumpeter John Marshall (WDR Big Band) calls “a living part of jazz history.” At age 20 he toured Europe with his own quartet, then went to New York City on the invitation of arranger Torrie Zito and soon began touring the United States with Nellie Lutcher.  Along with Mal Waldron and Peck Morrison in the house rhythm section of the legendary Five Spot café in 1959, he worked with Art Farmer, Kenny Dorham, John Coltrane, Booker Little, Pepper Adams, Bobby Jaspar and many more. ...In the late 1950s and early 1960s he worked with Lou Donaldson, “Les Jazz Modes” (Charlie Rouse, Julius Watkins), Phineaus Newborn, Sahib Shihab, Babs Gonzalez and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. In 1969, Jimmy Wormworth was invited by Barry Harris to perform with Coleman Hawkins at The Fillmore East for Mr. Hawkins' second-to-last performance before his death. He has also performed with Roy Eldridge, Ernestine Anderson and Helen Humes. He worked regularly with Al Haig from 1969 until 1982 as well as with J. R. Monterose, Charles Davis, Lonnie Hillyer, Charles McPherson, Barry Harris and Dizzy Reece. In addition, he performed with baritone-saxophone legend Cecil Payne in 2003. His extensive discography includes seminal recordings with Charlie Rouse and Julius Watkins, Lou Donaldson, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Jon Hendricks, Al Haig, J. R. Monterose, Allen Eager, Hod O’Brien and Josh White, more recently, highly acclaimed albums with Annie Ross, Joe Magnarelli, Tardo Hammer, Charles Davis and John Marshall. Jimmy Wormworth is also a recipient of “The Barry” award, given to him in 2005 by Barry Harris “For True Jazz Mastery.” These days, as one of the generation of great bebop drummers in New York City, Jimmy keeps a busy working schedule. Recently he toured Germany and Switzerland with both Charles Davis and John Marshall and has also toured Europe with Annie Ross, Warren Vaché and Tardo Hammer. In 2011 and 2012, he taught jazz drumming workshops and master classes in Berlin (Drumtrainer) and Vienna (Konservatorium Wien).

 

LEE HUDSON

Lee Hudson (bassist) grew up on Long Island, NY, began playing bass at the age of eighteen and was soon playing with Billy Mitchell, Dave Burns, and other musicians who lived in the area. He studied with jazz bassist Reggie Workman and Walter Botti of the New York Philharmonic. Soon after, Lee began playing and touring with many musicians including Junior Cook, Bill Hardman, Lou Donaldson, Illinois Jacquet, Arthur Prysock, Sal Nistico, Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Davis. Lee has performed throughout North and South America and most of Europe as well as in many major New York jazz clubs including Birdland, Fat Tuesdays, Sweet Basil, Small’s, The Village Gate, The Blue Note, and Iridium. Most recently he has been touring and recording with numerous jazz artists, including appearances at the Kennedy Center, the North Sea Jazz Festival, and festivals in Brazil and Panama.