Who's Who in The Jazz Stars Orchestra
Drake Smith - Leader - A jazz arranger, composer, and band leader, Drake Smith’s work has featured such noted jazz artists as Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Eddie Bert, Benny Bailey, Donald Byrd, Marcus Belgrave, Geri Allen, Joe Harris, Charlie Persip, Terry Clarke and The Count Basie Orchestra. His critically acclaimed arrangements for blues artist Jesse "Wild Bill" Austin can be found on the two top ten charted blues albums "Steel Trap" and "Baby‘s Back" and have been heard by millions as bumper music for the "Rush Limbaugh Show"
The Jazz Stars Orchestra features great jazz artists such as:
Eddie Bert - Trombone - Eddie’s career spans over 60 years and over 100 records. He has played with every major big band, including Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Red Norvo, Illinois Jacquet, Lionell Hampton, Benny Goodman, Thad Jones – Mel Lewis, and Duke Ellington . He was Metronome Magazine’s Musician of the Year in 1955. He has toured the world and has played and recorded with many jazz legends such as Charles Mingus, Coleman Hawkins, and Thelonious Monk. Eddie Bert’s credits also extend from Broadway where he has played in numerous shows including “Bye Bye Birdie“, “How to Succeed in Business”, “Ain’t Mis-behavin’”, to television on the Dick Cavett Show in the Bobby Rosengarden Orchestra. Eddie Bert also holds a Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music.
Bill Crow - Bass - Bill Crow is a string bass player whose career has included the big bands of Claude Thornhill, Gerry Mulligan, and Benny Goodman, as well as many small groups including the Stan Getz Quintet, the Gene DiNovi Trio, the Marian McPartland Trio, The Gerry Mulligan Sextet and Quartet, the Al Cohn and Zoot Sims Quintet, the Bob Brookmeyer and Clark Terry Quintet, Jay and Kai, and the Terry Gibbs quartet. Bill’s credits include tours of Russia, Europe, Japan, and long stints on Broadway playing “The King and I” and “42nd Street” . He is the author of From Birdland to Broadway, and Jazz Anecdotes, voted “Best Jazz Book” of 1991 in the Jazz Times readers poll.
Sarah Jane Cion - Piano - She has toured Israel, Portugal, Japan, and Germany. Sarah has performed with many jazz legends including Dave Leibman, Don Braden, Al Gray, Etta Jones, and Clark Terry. A recipient of numerous Jazz awards and scholarships, she was the winner of the 17th Annual Great American Jazz Piano Competition. Sarah has also appeared as a guest on the nationally syndicated NPR radio show “Piano Jazz” with Marion McPartland. Her music has been featured on the ABC daytime drama “All My Children”. Sarah’s trio has performed at major jazz festivals the world over. Her current CD release “Summer Night” features saxophone giant Michael Brecker and has reached number 12 on the Yellow Dog Jazz Charts.
Marshall McDonald - Woodwinds - A nine year veteran, and featured clarinet soloist and saxophonist of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Marshall McDonald has performed worldwide with Mr. Hampton and guest artists including Milt Jackson, Gerry Mulligan, Ray Brown, Hank Jones, and Wynton Marsalis. His varied musical history includes stints with The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Frank Foster Loud Minority Big Band, Charli Persip Supergroup, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, and The Illinois Jacquet Big Band. He has played clarinet on Broadway in “Jelly’s Last Jam” and “Ain’t Misbehavin”, and in the reed section for The Temptations, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, and The Manhattan Transfer. Marshall has recorded as a soloist with the Chico O’Farrill Orchestra and on the 1999 Grammy Award nominated album “Paquito D‘Rivera & The United Nations Orchestra” He is currently playing with the world famous Count Basie Orchestra.
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Here is a list of all the great musicians who have played in The Jazz Stars Orchestra. * Denotes most recent personnel.
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