Brandon Suarez is one of the up and coming tenor saxophonists in NYC today.
Growing up in Miami and being from Cuba, Brandon was surrounded by a lot of Cuban
music and deeply rooted in that style. Even though he was brought up in that scene he
is truly able to express himself playing in the bebop idiom and swing era. Since Brandon
was very young he has always loved people like Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, John
Coltrane developed a concept at such a young age. This led him to perform and that
legendary Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey California. Even though he was the
younger musician there, he was able to play with the great Eric Harland and Gerald
Clayton on the main stage. Also during the festival he was able to converse with Herbie
Hancock and talk about music. Brandon was just eighteen at the time but he was able
to communicate and play with some of the most leading Jazz musicians in the world.
When he first arrived in New York City he was lucky enough to meet the great Vincent
Herring and he would go to his house on the weekends to play. There, not only did they
become really great friends but Vincent started to call Brandon to sub for the Mingus big
band and other various gigs. This led Vincent to call Brandon for a month long tour in
Japan along side with the great Eric Alexander. Here he learned what it takes to be on
the road and also immersed himself in the Japanese tradition. Playing in the bebop
idiom, Brandon was able to really express his true self alongside the best saxophonist in
the world. This opened a whole new door for Brandon and now he is one of the top
tenor players in New York getting called for various gigs.

Marc Devine is a Jazz pianist/bandleader in NYC. Rooted in the Bebop tradition, Marc Devine is presenting REAL Jazz music and carrying on the message. Developing a taste for Jazz while still in highschool, he attended the University of N ew Hampshire and played with several Jazz ensembles including two big bands and a Jazz choir. While at UNH, Marc was exposed to great Jazz musicians such as Phil Woods, Milt Hinton, Frank Wess, took some lessons with pianist James Williams and was introduced to the music and teaching of legendary trumpeter Clark Terry (famous for his work with Lionel Hampton, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, The Tonight Show Band) and trumpeter Stephen Fulton. Marc went on to study with Stephen Fulton and Morris Nelms at the Clark Terry International Institute of Jazz Studies, where he began to develop a style based on his piano influences Wynton Kelly, Red Garland (both of whom played with Miles Davis), Hampton Hawes, Bud Powell, Count Basie and Errol Garner. Marc also had the opportunity to study and perform with Jazz greats Red Holloway, Butch Miles, Jessie Davis, and, of course, Clark Terry. After leaving the Clark Terry school, Devine moved to the Austin area where he played as a sideman and most often lead his own groups. His bands performed regularly at all of Austin’s Jazz venues and several festivals including The Zilker Park Jazz Festival, The Kemah Jazz Festival, and became a mainstay at the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi, TX.  Coming to NYC in January of 2009 after establishing himself on the forefront of the Jazz scene in Austin, TX. Marc is making a name for himself as hard swingin’ pianist rooted in the traditions of bebop and swing and has already performed at venues such as Small’s Jazz Club, Smoke, The Iridium, Cleopatra’s Needle (running a weekly trio gig/jam session), The Garage, , Flute Bar, Tomi Jaz, The Velvet Lounge and several other venues both as a sideman and as a leader working with some of the best musicians in the city.  His working bands include the great jazz drummers Fukushi Tainaka (drummer for Lou Donaldson), Jackie Williams (has played with all of the jazz greats including Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines, Barry Harris, Junior Mance, Doc Cheatham, Buck Clayton), bassists Paul Sikivie and Hide Tanaka (bassist for Junior Mance) and has performed with trombonist Benny Powell, saxophonist Jerry Weldon, drummer Jimmy Wormworth and others.  Swingin’!Weblinks:www.marcdevine.com