Jazz Combos - Meet the Musicians
Jeremy Kahn - Piano
Born near Chicago, and is the proud holder of a B.M. (yuk!) from Boston's New England Conservatory. Jeremy lived in New York City for twelve action-packed years, and now is back in Chicago with his family. He has toured the world with many of the Jazz greats including: Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Joni Mitchell, Phil Woods, Teramasu Hino, Charlie Haden, Aretha Franklin, Barbara Cook, Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean, Pepper Adams, Branford Marsalis, Dave Liebman, Chris Potter, David “Fathead” Newman, David Sanchez, Paquito D’Rivera, Milt Hinton, Ray Brown, Buster Williams, Christian McBride, Ron McLure, Miroslav Vitous. The list continues but if you are a jazz fan you get the idea. He’s “The Man”.
Melissa studied at DePaul University School of Music. As a founding member and client liaison, she plays a role in just about every aspect of Quartet Parapluie, whether performing on stage, or taking care of business details. Her clients are pretty much crazy about her – just read about it on Yelp or The Knot. Plus, she's a highly sought-after cellist. You can catch Melissa performing live around Chicago on a regular basis, with New Philharmonic, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, or Northwest Indiana Symphony. She's performed live with artists such as Idina Menzel, Peter Gabriel, Michael Bublé, Barry Manilow and Kanye West. Plus, she's appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, as well as the Oprah Show. In the world of Indie-Rock, she has performed with Bright Eyes, Kishi Bashi, Pinetop Seven, Rilo Kiley and a host of other Chicago bands, including Sleeping At Last, which featured her in a music video. Melissa's teachers have included Christopher Costanza and Robert Jamieson.
Stewart Miller - Bass
Bassist Stewart Miller is a native of Louisville, KY, a graduate of music programs at the University of Kentucky and Northern Illinois University, and a regular in jazz clubs, recording studios, and festivals in and around Chicago. He has been an instructor of jazz bass at University of Illinois-Chicago and the Music Institute of Chicago, presented clinics and workshops for bassists at all levels, and adjudicated Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Band auditions. Stewart has been a member of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic for the past 17 years, and can be heard on recent recordings by Chicago jazz artists such as Orbert Davis, Bobby Lewis, Russ Phillips, and Judy Roberts.
Jeff Stitely - Drums
Jeff began his career as a jazz drummer in Chicago building a reputation by playing with such superb artists as Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Randy Becker, Eddie Harris, Larry Coryell, “Groove” Holmes, Kathleen Battle, Zoot Sims, Patricia Barber, Von Freeman, Bobby Lewis, Brad Goode, the Grant Park Symphony and many others. Jeff won “Best Soloist” at the 9th International Jazz Competition of Belgium and has been awarded 2 National endowment for the Arts grants. The Jeff Stitely Quartet recorded three CDs. “Chameleon Eyes” won the distinguished award of “Top 10 CDs of the year” by WBEZ and the Sun Times. They toured both the U.S. an Europe and were finalists in the Hennessey National Jazz Competition.
Bill Overton - Saxophone
Bill was born in Memphis and grew up immersed in its tradition of blues, soul and jazz. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Music Education from the University of Illinois. After moving to New York in 198, he performed with artists such as The Temptations, Mel Lewis, Doc Cheatham, Vic Dickinson, Rosemary Clooney, Odetta Bo Didley, The Spinners and The St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked with a number of Broadway orchestras and has extensive recording experience. While in New York, Bill also taught at William Peterson College, The Brooklyn Conservatory and The Aebersold Summer Jazz Clinics. Bill moved to the Chicago area in 1998 where he continues to perform with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, the Ellington Dynasty, The Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Frank Wess, Kenny Burell and many others.
Art Davis - Trumpet
One of Chicago's leading jazz trumpet artists, Art Davis has had a varied career. He toured with Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney and is a charter member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra,
He has performed with Joe Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Nancy Wilson, Kurt Elling and Jimmy Heath, among others. He also performed and recorded with such notables as Maynard Ferguson, the Woody Herman Orchestra, Natalie Cole, Diane Schuur, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Tony Bennett, Frank Mantooth and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra.
Russ Phillips - Trombone
Born in Denver, Colorado, son of trombonist Russ Phillips (Sr.) (1912-1987), the trombonist who replaced Jack Teagarden with Louis Armstrong’s All Stars in 1951. Russ Sr. played with Louie for a year and a half before settling in the Chicago area in 1952. Russ’s life as a trombonist began backstage as a 4-and 5-year-old listening to his dad play with the All Stars.
His education on the trombone started with his father and continued into college and included study wth Bob Lambert and Frank Crisafuli of the Chicago Symphony. Trombone heroes include Russ Phillips Sr., Jack Teagarden, Abe Lincoln, Cutty Cutshall, J.C. Higginbotham, J.J. Johnson, Slide Hampton, Frank Rosolino, Kai Winding, Carl Fontana.
Russ is adept at performing in a variety of musical settings, from classical ensembles and pit orchestras to big bands, small swing and traditional units, and rock ‘n roll horn sections. Some of his experience has included performance at concerts and festivals with Howard Alden, Doc Cheatham, Kenny Davern, the Four Freshman, Bob Haggart, Lionel Hampton, Chuck Hedges, Dick Hyman, Don Goldie, Bobby Lewis, Tommy Newsom, Tom Saunders, Doc Severinsen, John Sheridan, The Chicago Cub Quintet including Ted Butterman, Kim Cusack and Mike Walbridge, appearances on the“Live at the Landing” radio series with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, The Temptations, and many others.
Frieda Lee - Vocalist
Born in Baltimore and raised in Philadelphia, Frieda Lee has lived a life dedicated to music. She graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Music Education. At a very early age she was introduced to the early vocal styles of Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Anita O'Day, and other singers of the 40's and 50's. She has embraced the musical legacy of main stream composers such as Gershwin, Porter, Kern, Ellington, Legrand, and more recently, Manilow. Her performance is a virtual excursion through the great American musical repertoire of adult contemporary music and mainstream jazz.
Since her debut at the Chicago's Fantasy Lounge two decades ago, Frieda has performed at every major showcase for jazz in Chicago's rich and diverse musical milieu. She is currently in demand to perform with some of the top-notched ensembles such as the Marcin Januszkiewicz Trio, the Jeff Stitely Ensemble, the John Burnett Swing Orchestra and the Travis Wesley Trio of Springfield, Illinois