With the disappointing news that the River Music Experience will not be bringing any nationally known musical acts to the Quad Cities as previously advertised, jazz fans will seldom have a chance to catch creative jazz musicians and bands from out of this area.
However, on Saturday, February 19, starting at 7 p.m. at Knox College's Kresge Recital Hall in Galesburg, jazz vocalist Semenya McCord is bringing four outstanding musicians to perform with her in a Black History Month concert called "A Love Supreme," featuring the music of John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, and Horace Silver.
Semenya McCord was born Vicki Henderson and is the daughter of legendary Galesburg guitarist and vocalist Ken Henderson. After graduating from Knox College with a bachelor's degree in music education, Semenya moved to New England in 1975 for graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Not long after her arrival she spent time performing with Horace C. Boyer, the legendary jazz drummer Max Roach, and tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp, for whom she composed and recorded the title song for his Trumpet Is My Soul album on Arista Records.
Between 1975 and 2003, Semenya performed and taught mostly around the New England area. She developed programs featuring spirituals, blues, and traditional and contemporary jazz. Among the awards McCord received in New England are the outstanding-jazz-vocalist Boston Music Award in 1988, the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Musical Excellence in 1990, and the Commonwealth Award in the artist category from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Massachusetts Advocates for the Arts, Sciences, & Humanities in 1997. She was inducted into the "Steppin' Out" Hall of Fame in Boston in November 2002. She moved back to Galesburg in 2003 and is currently teaching jazz voice at Knox College and Carl Sandburg College.
Peoria native and alto saxophonist Greg Ward II is a recent graduate of the University of Northern Illinois, where he performed with Ronald Carter's jazz ensemble for four years. For the past two years, Greg has led his band every Wednesday night at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge jazz club in Chicago.
Milwaukee native and jazz pianist Frank Wilkins has been living in Boston since 1970. In addition to performing at various venues all over the Boston area, Frank has been pianist and musical director for the trio backing Semenya McCord and has taught at the Berklee College of Music.
Darius Savage is one of the most sought-after bass players in Chicago and is a regular member of Ernest Dawkins' New Horizon Ensemble that performed at the 2004 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. Darius is scheduled to perform at the 2005 Blues Festival with Douglas Ewart's Inventions.
Drummer Chris Brooks performs regularly with the Brooks Brothers Band and has taught at schools and colleges in the Galesburg area.
However, on Saturday, February 19, starting at 7 p.m. at Knox College's Kresge Recital Hall in Galesburg, jazz vocalist Semenya McCord is bringing four outstanding musicians to perform with her in a Black History Month concert called "A Love Supreme," featuring the music of John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, and Horace Silver.
Semenya McCord was born Vicki Henderson and is the daughter of legendary Galesburg guitarist and vocalist Ken Henderson. After graduating from Knox College with a bachelor's degree in music education, Semenya moved to New England in 1975 for graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Not long after her arrival she spent time performing with Horace C. Boyer, the legendary jazz drummer Max Roach, and tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp, for whom she composed and recorded the title song for his Trumpet Is My Soul album on Arista Records.
Between 1975 and 2003, Semenya performed and taught mostly around the New England area. She developed programs featuring spirituals, blues, and traditional and contemporary jazz. Among the awards McCord received in New England are the outstanding-jazz-vocalist Boston Music Award in 1988, the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Musical Excellence in 1990, and the Commonwealth Award in the artist category from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Massachusetts Advocates for the Arts, Sciences, & Humanities in 1997. She was inducted into the "Steppin' Out" Hall of Fame in Boston in November 2002. She moved back to Galesburg in 2003 and is currently teaching jazz voice at Knox College and Carl Sandburg College.
Peoria native and alto saxophonist Greg Ward II is a recent graduate of the University of Northern Illinois, where he performed with Ronald Carter's jazz ensemble for four years. For the past two years, Greg has led his band every Wednesday night at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge jazz club in Chicago.
Milwaukee native and jazz pianist Frank Wilkins has been living in Boston since 1970. In addition to performing at various venues all over the Boston area, Frank has been pianist and musical director for the trio backing Semenya McCord and has taught at the Berklee College of Music.
Darius Savage is one of the most sought-after bass players in Chicago and is a regular member of Ernest Dawkins' New Horizon Ensemble that performed at the 2004 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. Darius is scheduled to perform at the 2005 Blues Festival with Douglas Ewart's Inventions.
Drummer Chris Brooks performs regularly with the Brooks Brothers Band and has taught at schools and colleges in the Galesburg area.
