Arlington Jones is a classically trained jazz piano maestro and prolific composer with an undeniablesoulful music heritage. He makes the piano speak through lush harmonies, impeccable groove, and infectious energy. His music reveals the history of traditional and modern jazz, influenced by ragtime, stride, classical, blues, Latin, funk, and sacred styles. Whether performing solo or with his band, Arlington Jones & The Brethren, Jones delivers an unforgettable music journey – a contagious toe-tapping, fingersnapping, hand-clapping, head-bobbing experience!
Jones holds a B.M. and M.M. in music composition and performance. He is a recording artist and producer under his label, Zamaria Records. He has multiple album recordings, piano music books, and a music web series. He performs and teaches internationally. He has years of experience as an educator, clinician, adjudicator, and guest lecturer in all levels of elementary, secondary, and higher education. He partners with a variety of music education programs, schools, universities, and music organizations. Jones can be contracted for commissioned works, specializing in jazz piano concertos and modern sacred choral pieces. Arlington Jones is a Steinway Artist.
Ben Bohorquez is a local musician in the DFW area. Born in El Paso, TX, his family moved around from Indianapolis, IN to La Paz, Bolivia before settling down in Houston, TX. His mother taught him piano at the early age of 5, but Ben started taking music seriously when he chose to play the saxophone in 6th grade. Through the band programs, private instruction with local legend Martin Langford, and his father’s church where he became a worship leader at age 12, Ben excelled in music and was exposed to many different styles. Mr. Langford introduced him to great saxophone players who improvised in the different idioms of jazz. This became a goal at an early age. After graduating from the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), Ben moved to Denton, TX to pursue a Jazz Studies degree from the University of North Texas. He was in the last generation of UNT students who studied with Jim Riggs, and the first generation to study with Brad Leali. He recorded with the UNT Jazz Singers I and the 2 O'Clock Lab Band. Ben completed his degree in 2009 and now resides in Dallas, TX where he is a freelance musician. He performs regularly with The Funky Knuckles, Tatiana 'LadyMay' Mayfield, Catie Waters, and RSVP. He has also performed with Snarky Puppy, Bernard Wright, Foley, Foe Destroyer, and the Dallas Theatre Center.
Ben has been teaching private lessons since 2007. His first student is now pursuing a double major in Music Education and Jazz Studies at UNT. Whether teaching beginner or advanced students, Ben has always tried to tailor the lessons to the personal interests of each student, while inherently ensuring that the necessary fundamentals of the instrument and music are instilled. One of his passions is helping students discover what the meaning of music is in their lives and watching them grow as musicians.
Bill Lohr, an accomplished pianist has traveled the world as an accompanist for noted singers such as Al Jarreau, Carmen MacRae and most notably as the pianist for Lou Rawls for six years. Bill has performed at the London Palladium, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as numerous television appearances, including The Tonight Show. In 1994, Bill moved to Branson, Missouri and became the conductor and pianist for Andy Williams at the Moon River Theater. In 1995, Bill became pianist for the Lawrence Welk Orchestra.
Bill currently gigs in the DFW area and teaches harmony and improvisation privately.
His book Bass Motion-Chord Substitution and Improvisation is available through Jamey Aebersold’s site jazzbooks.com
Born in 1973 in Corsicana, Texas, Bobby Sparks grew up with parents who were teachers and musicians. His mother, a church organist, started him on the piano at age three, and encouraged his love of hymns and gospel music. After high school, he further honed his skills studying music at Eastfield College in Mesquite near Dallas. It was during this period that he met and joined Kirk Franklin’s gospel group. With Franklin he earned a bevy of accolades, including numerous Grammy Awards. He was a key member of trumpeter the late Roy Hargrove’s funk-jazz outfit RH Factor. Over the years, Sparks also branched out into radio and television, supplying the music for shows like Top Model and movies like The Prince of Egypt. Away from performing, he has also served as organist for Pathway of Life Church. Since 2016, he has been a regular member of the acclaimed jam band Snarky Puppy, appearing on 2016’s Grammy-winning Culcha Vulcha, and 2019’s Immigrance. Also in 2019, Sparks released his first album as a leader, Schizophrenia: The Yang Project, which featured contributions by Hargrove, Marcus Miller, Snarky Puppy’s Michael League, and others.
Clyde George is from Weatherford and grew up playing with his brother, guitarist Raymond George, in their group Eddie and the Rays with other members including James Clay, David Newman, Mack Goldsbury, Randy Lee, Willie T. Alpert among many. Clyde was self-taught and took up the Hammond B-3 after hearing Jimmy Smith. He appeared numerous times on stage with his idol, Jimmy Smith. He has performed with Freddie King, Hank Crawford, Lou Donaldson, Doc Severinsen, Lou Rawls, Billy Ocean, Ray Charles and many other great artists. Clyde is featured on the CD "Sandtown," which pays tribute to the early days in Weatherford with Eddie and the Rays as they developed into one of the great jazz groups. Clyde also performs with guitarist Wes Cross in Majik Touch.
Born in California to a musical family, Colin began to study piano at the age of five. Four years later, his family moved to South Carolina where they continued to nurture his love for music. He excelled in his classical studies and began to study jazz piano with Bert Ligon at the University of South Carolina.
In 2008, Colin was offered a scholarship to attend the jazz program at the University of North Texas, where he flourished under the tutelage of Stefan Karlsson. During his time at UNT, Colin was awarded the pianist position for the internationally acclaimed One O’clock Lab Band. While in the band, he had the opportunity to tour London, Cork, Dublin, New Orleans, and Houston, as well as play in large and small ensemble settings with such players as Marvin Stamm, Adam Nussbaum, Adonis Rose, Ed Soph, Kurt Rosenwinkel, composer Darcy James Argue, Bill Moring, Ravi Coltrane, Tim Ries, and Bernard Fowler, as well as a threenight engagement with the Houston Symphony. He has also had the opportunity to study with Dan Haerle, Aaron Goldberg, and Taylor Eigsti. He has been very active in the Dallas/Ft. Worth jazz scene, playing with many of the area's top players.
In his summers, Colin teaches regularly at the SWU Summer Jazz Camp in SC, and has taught master classes at the UNT Summer Jazz Camp. He has taught jazz piano lessons to students of various ages and skill levels.
Colin spent 5 months in Stockholm, Sweden, studying, writing, and recording. He plays a wide variety of genres, from old and modern jazz styles, to gospel, neosoul, R&B, and pop genres. His passion extends from Vivaldi to metal, and this is reflected in many of his compositions. Today, Colin continues to work regularly all over the North Texas area and the surrounding states in many bands, and leads his own jazz, soul, and organ groups in a wide variety of events and concerts.
Mr. Bradshaw received a Music Education Bachelor of Arts Degree from The University of Northern Iowa with a minor in trombone. After completing his undergraduate work he joined the 328th Army Band, Ft. Wolters, Texas. Bradshaw completed a music composition Masters Degree at The University of North Texas under the guidance of Dr. William P. Latham, Dr. Martin Mailman, and Merrill Ellis. When the Arts Magnet High School at Booker T. Washington (Now the Dallas High School For The Performing And Visual Arts) was launched, the school district asked Mr. Bradshaw to develop the new jazz music program. He also developed the big band arranging and improvisation curriculum. Under his instruction and leadership, students produced albums of their arrangements. While at Eastfield College, his arrangement/production of “The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim” breathed life into the east Dallas music scene, leading to his creation of the annual Celebration Spring – Together Again concerts. Curtis received "2013 Jazz Artist Of The Year," as awarded by the prestigious Sammons Center For The Arts in Dallas, Texas.
Dan Haerle is a composer, performer, educator, and ambassador of jazz piano. A Regents Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies at UNT, he has authored instructional material used by thousands of musicians worldwide. He is a member of the International Association of Jazz Education Hall of Fame. The Jazz Education Network recognized him as part of the inaugural class of the LeJENds of Jazz award. Through participation in a variety of educational programs, he has benefitted countless musicians from youth to professional. He continues to teach jazz piano and improvisation at the Dallas School of Music and private online lessons. Haerle has performed with Clark Terry, Pat Metheny, Freddie Hubbard, and numerous other modern jazz leaders, and has recorded multiple albums featuring his own music as well as jazz standards.
Fredrick's masterful piano style, replete with youthful-yet seasoned chords, has been enthusiastically enjoyed by audiences ranging from elementary school to heads of state. He is well versed in a variety of modern jazz styles which includes New Orleans Trad, New Orleans Brass Band, swing, Bop, and Avant-garde. He began studying classical cello at the age of 10. He excelled at cello, winning awards for outstanding performances.
Sanders received his early jazz education at Arts Magnet High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, TX. Sanders was recognized as Downbeat Outstanding Instrumentalist for Cello and was named High School arranger of the year for his arrangement of Dan Haerle's "Crib Chimp".
After high school, Fredrick's desire to enhance his musicianship kept him busy. Sanders found time to serve as sideman for jazz greats such as Clark Terry, David "Fathead" Newman and Texas tenor James Clay. He was chosen to open for pianist Shirley Horn at the Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, TX.
In 1992 Fredrick was afforded the opportunity to study with avant-garde jazz legend Alvin Batiste and pianist/conductor Frank White at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. Sanders' skill and execution on piano won him a position in a group of musicians that accompanied Alvin Batiste at the De Oosterport Groninga New Music festival in Amsterdam and appear on Alvin Batiste CD entitled "Late."
In 1994, his music and academic pursuits took him to Southwest Texas State University. While there, Sanders performed with a Downbeat Award winning combo that was featured at the Montreaux and North Sea Jazz Festival. Sanders performed at several national and international jazz festivals and appearing with such artist as Erykah Badu, Frank Foster, David Newman and Roy Hargrove.
The release of Fredrick's 1997 debut CD entitled "East of Vilbig" on Leaning House Records received rave reviews from periodicals such as Austin Chronicles, The Jazz Attic, The Dallas Morning News and Dallas Observer. He was featured in Jazztimes and appeared on "BET" on Jazz. This recording reunited Fredrick with his high school friend Roy Hargrove, who is also joined by Texas Tenor Marchel Ivery, guitarist Mark Whitfield, bassist Roland Guerin and drummer Donald Edwards. He has given performances at Chopin Conservatory of Music in Warsaw, Poland, Den Haag Netherlands, and Ontario Canada. Touring Japan, Europe and our great country has allowed him to teach and learn from the most prominent thinkers and institutions of higher learning in the world.
In recent years Fredrick Sanders has been commissioned by Wynton Marsalis to accompany and record with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra on piano. He has also recorded with notable artist such as Nora Jones, Benny Golson, and Dr. John.
In 2003 Fredrick Sanders released his greatly awaited sophomore recording entitled "Soul Trinity vol.1" featuring bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Troy Davis. The CD was featured at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Fredrick Sanders and his wife vocalist Sheila Sanders performed for the PBS special "Journey Back To Gospel" hosted by New Orleans vocalist Kim Prevost featuring Jimmy Smith, Zion Harmonizers, Wess "Warm Daddy" Anderson, and Leah Chase. Fredrick Sanders continues to maintain a busy schedule as a cellist and pianist lending his abilities to several recordings, performances, and compositions.
Fredrick Sanders earned his Associate in Arts degree from Weatherford College in Weatherford, Tx. and Bachelors of Music from Texas State University in San Marcos, Tx. For over two decades he has been nationally and internationally recognized for his accomplishments as a performer, composer, arranger and educator. In the fall of 2004 Fredrick became the Jazz Piano instructor at Delgado College in New Orleans, La. In 2005 along with teaching at Delgado College, Fredrick accepted the position as Jazz Piano Instructor at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA.
Fredrick Sanders has served eight years as the Music Director for Church of The King in Mandeville, LA. while working globally on stage, in film, as well as television. He was featured in the November 2011 issue of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Campus News, May 2012 issue of Southwestern Musician Magazine and Worshipper Magazine.
Hailing from Fort Worth, TX, Ginny Mac fronts a dynamic group that brings a fresh and exciting twist to vocal and instrumental stylings in the Country & Western Swing, Americana, Hot Jazz, and International music genres. Ginny is also a former member of the two-time Grammy Award winning group Brave Combo based in Denton, TX. She endorses Menghini s.r.l. Scandalli Accordions based in Castelfidardo, Italy.
Ginny has recorded four albums; the newest release in Spring 2014, “On The Street Where You Live,” is a collection of classic tunes and originals, featuring many of her friends and greatest musical heroes. The project includes Grammy Award winners Woody Paul and Joey Miskulin (Riders In The Sky), legendary Nashville fiddler Buddy Spicher, the great bassist Bob Moore (Roy Orbison), and several of Nashville’s premier musicians. “It was an unforgettable experience,” she says, “I was fortunate to learn so much and make music with these wonderful people.”
When she is not busy with an active touring schedule, Ginny is writing and arranging new original music for an upcoming album and collaborating on multiple musical projects. Her other passions include blogging, painting, and recently, exploring the world of photography. "I find inspiration in the world around me," she says. "Whether it is a stranger sitting on a park bench, or the shadow a broken chair makes on the sidewalk, there is beauty in ordinary, everyday things. And I love the way inspiration from my other interests finds its way into my music."
