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Identical Twins, Pascal and Remy Le Boeuf [Piano and Saxophone] are part of a growing NY jazz scene. Born and raised in the California Bay Area, they grew up listening to, playing, and fascinated by jazz. At age 18 they decided to move to New York to play gigs and to study with Kenny Barron and Dick Oates. In their short musical career they have won over twenty national and international awards including the 2004 ASCAP/IAJE Commission Honoring Quincy Jones for Emerging Composers under the age of 35 (at age 16, Pascal was the youngest artist to receive this honor), and awards from Downbeat Magazine, the National Foundation for the Arts and the John Coltrane Foundation. Their latest CD “Migration” won the 2006 Independent Music Awards for Best Jazz Album and for Best Jazz Song. Sirius Satellite Radio called it “Brilliant”, the Australian reviewers called it “Magic.” Another reviewer wrote, “It’s scary when talent this young can evoke the sounds and emotions of veteran musicians, but the Le Boeufs do it with style. Great writing and virtuosity are at the core of this recording”. Their next CD is due to be released in Fall of 2006. The LBJazz Group was formed by Pascal and Remy. They are currently studying at the Manhattan School of Music.
Marcus Strickland [Tenor Saxophone]: It has already been an exciting career for the Miami-raised soprano and tenor saxophonist who has two releases on Fresh Sound New Talent Records “At Last” & “Brotherhood”. Jazz Times Magazine has remarked he “...has started to turn heads in the most thriving but most competitive jazz scene on the planet...his tone: liquid and luminous, yet forceful and exact”. Mr. Strickland has gained professional artistic integrity through experiences at The Carnegie Hall Big Band & The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra among others. Because of the saxophonist's understanding of music education's importance, Strickland also participates in Jazz Reach - an educational program founded by Hans Schuman that integrates film, narration and live music to educate children about jazz.
Matt Brewer [Acoustic Bass] began playing drums at age 3 but didn’t take music seriously till he started playing bass at age 10. Mr. Brewer started gigging professionally at age12 and was soon winning awards from the top university jazz festivals, twice winning the Outstanding Jazz Performer award which had never before been awarded to a middle school student. During his teenage years, Mr. Brewer was selected from applicants all across the country to perform on the 2000 Grammy Awards telecast. He has been invited to participate in the Vail Jazz All-Stars Program and is also featured on Greg Osby's current Blue Note release "Channel Three".
Marcus Gilmore [Drums] was inspired by the music of his grandfather, legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes, who gave him his first set of drums at age 10. Mr. Gilmore has received many awards and accolades including Wyoming Seminary PAI Best Instrumentalist Award, Essentially Ellington Best Drum Solo Award, and Vail Jazz Festival Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship. Mr. Gilmore has performed in Bern, Switzerland as part of Clark Terry's "Young Titans of Jazz." A member of the Vijay Iyer quartet since 2004, Marcus has also performed with trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Roy Hargrove, saxophonists Steve Coleman, Ravi Coltrane, Jimmy Heath and Branford Marsalis, bassist John Clayton, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and the late Latin jazz percussionist and bandleader Ray Barretto. And he began his association with Chick Corea in 2001, sitting in for his legendary grandfather, whose relationship with Chick goes back to their collaboration on the 1968 classic, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs.
Jennifer Sanon [Vocal] was honored as “Outstanding Jazz Vocalist” at Lincoln Center’s Annual Essentially Ellington Competition in 2003 and has since toured and performed with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Ms. Sanon was also named the 2004 Grammy Foundation Honoree. Her voice and style have been described as “Shades of Ella Fitzgerald and Billy Holiday”. Here's what Wynton Marsalis says on why he chose to hire Jennifer as his vocalist out of all the singers in the world. "I first heard Jennifer Sanon at our 2003 Essentially Ellington high school jazz band competition. We were all amazed at the elegance of her voice accompanied by her poise, dignity and maturity. She has performed with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and during our family gala, and in each instance she brought an excitement that attends great artistry. Ms. Sanon sings with such clarion soul; we're honored that she will be accompanying the LCJO on our European tour this year," Wynton Marsalis, Musical Director, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
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