An original modern jazz band.

8 MP3 Songs in this album (47:59) !
Related styles: JAZZ: Modern Creative Jazz, JAZZ: Modern Free Jazz



Details:
CLEAR AUDIENCE is a Boston, MA based original modern jazz collaborative consisting of Steve Fell/guitar, Andy Voelker /sax, Jef Charland /bass, and Luther Gray/drums. The band has been performing regularly since 2004 and has logged many hundreds of gigs together through this format and also through many other creative projects. Although the constituents of this unit are in their late 20âs or early 30âs, they are all considered veteran and mainstay performers on the vibrant Boston musical landscape.

Guitarist, and composer Steve Fell, born in New London, CT., is a fixture on the Boston music scene, performing with many groups in a variety of settings from free jazz and experimental, to hammond organ combos, to west African and Carribean ensembles, to straight ahead jazz, and multi-media performances combining visual art and sound. In 1998 he earned his Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music where he studied with Jon Damian and Richie Hart. In addition to his own group, he has performed or recorded with Marco Benevento, The Benevento/Russo Duo, Robin McKelle, the Ken Clark Organ Trio, Boubacar Diabate, Mackie Burnette and Panorama, Mike Rivard, Jason Palmer, Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra, Toussaint Liberator, Warren Wolf, the Jazz Farmers, Arni Cheatham, Bob Gullotti, Joe Hunt, John Lockwood, Bill Pierce, Bruce Gertz, Jessica Lurie, Akashic Record, Timo Shanko, James Merenda, the Rusty Scott Organ Trio, Gypsy Schaeffer as well as many others. He has performed internationally at festivals and clubs in Europe, Korea, Japan, and Canada, where he has appeared at the Montreal Jazz Festival. He also co-leads the original jazz group The Wild Sextet, which has held a residency and jam session for the past five years at Matt Murphyâs Pub.

Saxophonist and composer Andy Voelker is well versed in a variety of musical styles, having grown up listening to artists as diverse as the Beatles, Santana, Parliament, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane, Lucky Thompson, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker, Gary Bartz, and Gigi Gryce. Originally from Bricktown, NJ, Andy developed his writing, arranging, recording, and performing skills with the New Jersey based funk band BROWN. After being awarded a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music, Andy moved to Boston, and found himself under the tutelage of George Garzone, Frank Tiberi, Danny Harrington, Bill Thompson, and Frank Wilkins. Since moving to Boston, Andy has found no shortage of performing opportunities, playing or recording with Dennis DiBlasio, Cameron Brown, James Merendaâs Masked Marvels, Jose Castillo, Dennis Warrenâs Full Metal Revolutionary Jazz Ensemble, Rusty Scott, Jeff Galindo, Jon Damian, Charlie Kohlhaseâs Explorers Club and Kohlhaseâs Saxophone Support Group, Synte Rhythm, John Fraezieâs Jazzadelic, and The Last Monday Band. Andy is also a co-leader of The Wild Sextet.

Drummer Luther Gray was born in New Orleans, LA. His family moved to Washington, D.C. where, as a teenager, he started playing drums in punk rock bands. Though largely self-taught, his musical training involved drum lessons from Kim Martin, Larry Bright, Steve Bagby, and Mickey Newman. In 1995 he graduated the University of Miami with a bachelor of Music, after which he taught privately and performed in the Washington D.C. area with, among others, Butch Warren, Cecil Payne, Webster Young, Tsunami, Liquorice, Peter Edelman, Jenny Toomey, Bob Butta, and Buck Hill. Upon moving to Boston in 2000 he resumed teaching private drum lessons and has played with Joe Morris, Anthony Braxton, Jay Hoggard, Joe McPhee, Cameron Brown, Allan Chase, Joseph Daly, Sabir Mateen, Roy Campbell, Ida, Geoff Farina, Andrew White, Rob Brown, Bill Lowe, Taylor Ho Bynum, Raqib Hassan, Bill Pierce, Mitch Seidman, Steve Swell, Joe Beck, Fred Anderson, Ken Vandermark and many others. Luther has performed in festivals and concerts across the country as well as in Europe. He has recorded for the Simple Machines, Hat Hut, Riti Rec, Skycap, Clean Feed, Xeng, Atatvistic, and Jardis labels, among others.

Bassist Jef Charland was born and raised in Gardner, MA. He attended Berklee College of Music where he earned his bachelors degree, and studied with Jon Damian, whose students have included Bill Frisell and Mike Stern. After graduating, he was a founding member of the experimental jazz trio H. He has since become one of Bostonâs most in demand bass players playing with Jeff Galindo, Eric Hoffbauer, Geoff Farina, Kevin Harris, Pandelis Kryorgis, Jon Damian, Jim Rohr and The Blue Ribbons as well as holding the bass chair in various combos including Charlie Kohlhaseâs Explorers Club, Gypsy Schaeffer, James Merendaâs Masked Marvels, and The Wild Sextet.