2020 line up
Michael O’Neill & Friends
Michael O’Neill is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer with over three decades of experience at the highest levels of the music industry. Michael has released six CDs as a guitarist/vocalist, with his latest as a collaboration with vocalist/bassist Amin El, simply titled Amin El & Michael O’Neill “Let it All Go.” Michael has composed music for dozens of television shows and scored several films. He has also served as guitarist on hundreds of recordings with such artists as Barbra Streisand, George Benson, Al Jarreau, and Rickie Lee Jones. Michael served as Associate Producer for the George Benson album “Songs and Stories,” which was nominated for the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2010. Through his many and varied experiences, Michael has been blessed with a truly wide perspective on different types of music from all corners of the world, and he brings his unique style to every project he works on. Learn more about Michael and buy his music here.
David Witham is an accomplished pianist and studied with Jaki Byard at the New England Conservatory of Music, and Alan Broadbent in Los Angeles. Some of his recording and performance credits include Barbra Streisand, Patti Austin, Betty Buckley, Wayne Brady, Chaka Khan, and many more. He has hosted an award-winning cable access television show called “Portable Universe” since 1999. Learn more about David and buy his music here.
Andrew Ford is a bass player, composer, arranger, producer and educator who has played with Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Kirk Whalum, Gladys Knight, George Duke and many others. His new project, Muzik4TheSoul Vol. 1, will be released in 2020. Learn more about Andrew and buy his music here.
Land Richards is an accomplished drummer who performs with Michael O’Neill and friends. Learn more about Land and buy his music here.
Munyungo Jackson’s
Jungle Jazz Quartet
Seasoned percussionist, Munyungo Jackson, possesses an ever-increasing collection of instruments with which to execute his craft. In his over 55 years of playing, he has performed with greats such as Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Karen Briggs, Kenny Loggins, the Zawinal Syndicate, George Howard, Ronnie Laws, The Temptations, Four Tops, The Supremes, and dozens of others, including numerous ethnic music and dance troupes. Munyungo was born in Los Angeles, California and is the nephew of the legendary singer, Capitol Records artist, Nellie Lutcher. Munyungo has performed on three Grammy Award-winning albums. In addition to his concerts, tours and recording work, Munyungo is one of the co-producers of the Watts Towers Day Of The Drum Festival and the Watts Towers Jazz Festival. Munyungo recently worked on the Smooth Jazz Cruise with Marcus Miller, Boney James, Jonathan Butler, Candy Dolfer, David Sandorn and many others. Munyungo recently released his 2nd album, “Morning Sun.” Learn more about Munyungo and buy his music here.
Errol Clooney is a professional touring and session guitarist living in Los Angeles, CA and originally from Houston,TX. Errol spent the last fifteen years touring with icons Janet Jackson and Stevie Wonder. He has also worked with Christina Aguilera, Lalah Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Common, Jessica Simpson, Rafael Saadiq, Queen Latifah , Beyoncé and more. Follow Errol on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @errolcooney.
After studying at University of Michigan’s School of Engineering, Keith Jones relocated to Toronto, Canada to pursue a full-time career in music. There, he performed and recorded with Dominic Troiano, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and more. He continued touring, performing, and recording after moving to Los Angeles at the invitation of Brazilian greats, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira. Learn more about Keith’s services here.
Euro Zambrano, Latin Grammy Award nominee, is a Venezuelan drummer, music producer, percussionist, and educator. He is currently part of Stevie Wonder’s band. Starting at six years old, he began to play Afro-Caribbean percussion instruments; today, he has recorded hundreds of music productions: Stevie Wonder, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Gloria Trevi, The Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, among many others. Learn more about Euro and buy his music here.
Sy Smith
ft. The Myron McKinley Trio
You’ve heard her with Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti (Live in Boston & PBS Great Performances). You’ve heard her on the viral video hit “Let’s Stay Together” with the legendary percussionist Pete Escovedo. You’ve heard her poignant self-produced single “Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete” on Stevie Wonder’s Radio Free KJLH in Los Angeles. You may have even seen her early in her career backing artists like Whitney Houston, Brandy, Macy Gray or, later, with The Foreign Exchange or Sheila E. But, if you’ve never seen Sy Smith’s solo performances, you are in for a treat. You don’t want to miss this rare performance as Ms. Sy Smith joins us in August at the 2020 Leimert Park Jazz Festival: The Virtual Experience. Learn more about Sy and buy her music here.
Ian Martin is an accomplished bassist, writer, and producer originally from Toronto, Canada. At age eight, Martin started playing piano, switched to drums, and eventually ended up playing the bass. Martin's accomplished solo career has earned him first-call status with many artists including David Foster, Barry Manilow, and Barbra Streisand.
Myron McKinley is a pianist, producer, songwriter, and film score composer for hit box office films and television shows. Hailing from Los Angeles, he began studying jazz and classical piano at the age of three and attended the University of Southern California. He is currently the music director and keyboardist for Earth Wind & Fire.
Stacey Lamont Sydnor is a drummer, percussionist, music director, producer, songwriter, and composer for Emmy winning TV shows. Born and raised in Crystal Hill, Virginia, Sydnor began playing the snare drums at the age of eleven. He has played every possible genre of music, performing with artists from Hilary Duff to P. Diddy, Alicia Keys and more.
Learn more about The Myron McKinley Trio and buy their music here.
Dwight Trible
Dwight Trible is a singer who combines the best of vocal virtuosity with musicianship and improvisational skills. In addition to performing with his own group, the Dwight Trible Ensemble, Dwight is the vocalist with the Pharoah Sanders Quartet and is also the vocal director for the Horace Tapscott Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. Dwight has worked with such notables as Oscar Brown Jr., Charles Lloyd, Billy Childs, Kenny Burrell, Kenny Garrett, Steve Turre, Harold Land, Harry Belafonte, Della Reese and Norman Conners, John Beasley, Patrice Rushen, Babatunde Lea, Ernie Watts, Kahlil El Zabar, as well as contemporary soul artists like LA Reid and DJ Rogers. Dwight’s collaborations with Horace Tapscott, Billy Higgins, Kamau Daaood and others have produced some of the finest musical moments in Los Angeles! Like his mentors, Dwight is not content to use his music just to entertain people. He uses his music to bring people together, to bridge the gap between the races, and to heal the human heart. He has received numerous awards for his humanitarian efforts. Learn more about Dwight and buy his music here.
Mfuo
(“Groove” in Swahili)
Jacques Lesure, a resident of Inglewood,CA, is a Jazz Guitarist, Recording Artist and Motivator who has been performing for 35 years. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Jacques started playing Guitar in the Pentecostal Church, where he realized music was a natural calling for him. His first job as a professional musician was with the gospel group the Clark Sisters. He was also a founding member of the gospel group Commissioned. During his career he has worked with other famed artists such as Kenny Burrell, Carmen Lundy, Jimmy Smith, Paula West, Pharoah Sanders, and many others. His new release, Camaraderie, made Jazz Week’s Top 50 albums and received a 4-star rating from Downbeat Magazine. His music was even featured in the award winning film, La La Land. He is a board member for organizations such as JEKL Foundation, African American Jazz Caucus, Charles (Dolo) Coker Jazz Scholarship Foundation, and the Jazz Living Legend Foundation. Jacques accomplishes his goal of spreading peace and love through Jazz music by serving as an Artist Teacher. Learn more about Jacques and buy his music here.
Marvin “Smitty” Smith is an American jazz drummer and composer. Marvin Smith was born in Waukegan, Illinois, where his father, Marvin Sr., was a drummer. “Smitty” was exposed to music at a young age, receiving formal musical training at the age of three. After graduating from Waukegan East High School, Smith attended Berklee College of Music, graduating in 1981. Smith has recorded 200 albums with various artists, as well as two solo albums. He has toured with Sting, Dave Holland, Sonny Rollins, Willie Nelson and Steve Coleman. He is a former member of The New York Jazz Quartet, and was the drummer for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno band, led by Kevin Eubanks, from 1995 until the show’s end in 2009. Smith was also the drummer for the Jay Leno Show band from 2009-2010.
Pete Kuzma has come a long way from his days of studying composition, jazz and classical performance at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. He has been the keyboard player and music director for critically acclaimed singers/songwriters such as Jill Scott, Queen Latifah, J-Lo and many more in the pop and jazz worlds. Hailing from Princeton, New Jersey, Pete has been performing since the age of seven. He learned a great deal about music from the masters. His influences include Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, and Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Smith, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jack McDuff to name a few.
Born in Chile, Christian Moraga’s continuous search for knowledge and excellence sent him traveling to various locations like Cuba, where he studied with master percussionist José Luis Quintan “Changuito”, New York, Peru and Brazil. Based in Los Angeles, he has performed with artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Chaka Kahn, Poncho Sanchez, Harvey Mason, Bob Mintzer, Conrad Herwig, Gordon Goodwin, Oscar D’Leon, Nestor Torres, Tito Nieves, Ismael Miranda, Jimmy Bosh, The latin TV Show “Noches con Platanito” and many others. He works simultaneously as a multi- percussionist in his Latin Jazz Quartet “Conganas”, with Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre, and Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons.