The Band
IRA SULLIVAN
According to the legendary Hank Jones listening to Ira Sullivan, “is indeed an occasion for rejoicing for this amazing musician is surely one of the most brilliant artists of his or any generation. He brings to each of his instruments such beauty of tone and fluency of conception that he could readily have made his reputation on any single one of them.” Ira Sullivan has known and inspired Joy since she was a child. Allmusic.com refers to him as “one of the great talents in jazz.” Emerging from the Chicago jazz scene of the 1950s, Sullivan has performed with such jazz luminaries as Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Wardell Grey, and Roy Eldridge. Sullivan’s penchant for nurturing emerging talent is also well established. After moving to Florida in the early ’60s, while teaching at the University of Miami, he served as a mentor to a young Pat Metheny, and on Sullivan’s self-titled A&M release of 1976, he introduced an as-yet-unknown bass player, Jaco Pastorius. He continues the trend on Joy Mover, where he contributes his remarkable and unique multi-instrumental talents on trumpet, tenor saxophone and the rarely sounded alto-flute.
BOB MOVER
Saxophonist Bob Mover is as widely renowned for his work with such seminal jazz artists as Charles Mingus, Chet Baker, Art Farmer and Jaki Byard, as he is for his work as a recording and performing artist in his own right. Lauded by People magazine as “one of the most accomplished and thoroughly engaging saxophonists around,” and by the Village Voice as “a fleet and soulful improviser (with a Bird-through-Konitz pedigree).” Mover is currently working, touring and serving as Musical Director for Esperanza Spaulding Grammy©-winner for Best New Artist, for whom he served as a mentor in her formative years. He is also currently at work on several new projects of his own, including a new band with drummer Michael Carvin called ‘Unfinished Business,’ and a double-CD, My Heart Tells Me, featuring Kenny Barron, Victor Lewis, and others which is set to be released in 2012.
JOHN PAUL
Winner of the Billboard Song Achievement Award, New England Music Company’s Best Guitarist Award, and a spot among the International Top Ten Guitarists in Jazziz magazine, John Paul was recently inducted into the New Hampshire Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has led a variety of jazz and fusion bands, including his own John Paul Group, and has recorded and performed with hundreds of New England-based artists, such as Miles Donahue and Myanna, Dave Buda and Steve Hunt.
MIKE LEVINE
Mike has recorded and played with Pat Metheny, Hiram Bullock, Jon Secada, the Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Michael Bolton and many others. He was a founding member of and principal songwriter for the Ross-Levine Band, whose 1981 CD, That Summer Something, with Pat Metheny as guest guitarist, spent six weeks in the top ten on the jazz charts. His CD From the Heart, spent over forty weeks in the Top 50 on the Smoothjazz.com Indie Chart and his newest release is 2012’s Thinking of You, with special guests Billy Ross, Will Lee and Ed Calle.
RICHARD BRAVO
Percussionist Richard Bravo has contributed to over 800 recordings, for artists ranging from Barbra Streisand to Herbie Hancock to Michael Bolton, and has earned 21 Grammy© Award Achievement Certificates. His recent career highlights include performances on Ricky Martin’s Latin Grammy award winning recording “MTV Unplugged”, and creating and recording the incredible rhythms on Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie multi-platinum CD.
LEE LEVIN
Drummer Lee Levin has toured and performed with pop superstars Ricky Martin, Julio Iglesias, the Bee Gees, and Jon Secada. He has played on more than one thousand recordings for artists such as Christina Aguilera, Pink, Nelly Furtado, Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Clarkson, and many more. His works as producer and engineer has earned him four Grammy© Awards. Levin has also contributed music for NBC television shows, including Friends, Saturday Night Live, and Dateline.
SAMMY LEVINE
A graduate of the University of Miami jazz program, drummer Sammy Levine also sings, plays bass, guitar and piano.
A musician as well as a recording engineer, Javier Carrion has performed as a bassist with the Jonathan Kriesberg Trio and Perry Joslin Project, and also frequently works with Jon Secada, Ed Calle, Mike Levin and a host of others. As an engineer, he has worked on projects for a variety of artists, including Barbra Streisand, Contagious, and Ed Calle. Javier founded Heavy Air Music in Miami, and has earned a Latin Grammy Award, as well as several Grammy nominations.
JAMIE OUSLEY
Recently lauded as the Best South Florida Jazz Musician of 2011 by Boca Life Magazine and cited as “one of South Florida’s most in demand bassists” by Allaboutjazz.com, Jamie has performed for such international luminaries as Bill Clinton, Prince Albert of Monaco and the Dalai Lama. He is currently a Professor of Jazz Bass at Florida International University
BILLY ROSS
Among flutist/saxophonist Billy Ross’ many credits are recordings with James Brown, Jermaine Jackson and Julio Iglesias. He has toured with Marvin Gaye, Michel Legrand, Frank Sinatra, and Mel Torme, and performed with Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lou Rawls and Nancy Wilson. He is currently a member of the house band of Sabado Gigante.
DAN WARNER
Guitarist Dan Warner has recorded with Celine Dion, Justin Timberlake, Shakira, Gloria Estefan, Enrique Iglesias, and many others. Warner co-wrote international pop star Mika’s 2007 hit, “Grace Kelly,” which has sold over six million units worldwide. He was also nominated for an Emmy with Comic Sarah Silverman and is a three-time and is a three-time Grammy winner for his work as a producer and engineer.
JAVIER CARRION
A musician as well as a recording engineer, Javier Carrion has performed as a bassist with the Jonathan Kriesberg Trio and Perry Joslin Project, and he frequently works and tours with Jon Secada, Ed Calle, Mike Levine and a host of others. As an engineer, he has worked on projects for a variety of artists, including Barbra Streisand, Contagious and Ed Calle. Javier founded Heavy Air Music in Miami and has earned a Latin GrammyC Award, as well as several Grammy nominations.
VINNIE DAMAIO
Drummer Vinny Damaio has toured, recorded and/or performed with such well known artists as Jody Watley, Wilson Phillips, Adam Ant and Diana Krall.