Kelly Green is a critically acclaimed pianist vocalist who currently resides in Queens, New York City. Born and raised in Florida, she began singing as a toddler and started piano lessons at age seven. At age eleven she became interested in jazz and began attending the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshop every year with her father, who is a professional bass player. Her senior year of high school she recorded and produced her own album of twelve original songs called “Aspire”.
She received her Bachelors in Jazz Studies- piano performance at the University of North Florida. She studied piano with accomplished jazz pianist, Lynne Arriale as well as voice with wonderful vocalist, Michelle Amato. She received the outstanding musician’s award her last three years at the University. While living in Jacksonville she performed weekly with her trio at the Ponte Vedra Lodge and Club. She also performed steadily at the Times Union Center, Lilly’s Coffee Shop, and Rhett’s Piano Bar as well as doing many private events at various locations. In May 2011, she competed in the Generation Next Youth Talent Competition at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival taking home first prize and a $2,000 savings bond for playing and singing Herbie Hancock’s “Eye of the Hurricane”.
In September 2012 she began attending William Paterson University where she received her Masters in Jazz Piano Performance. She took private lessons with acclaimed pianists Harold Mabern and James Weidman. She also had the privilege of taking a semester of arranging lessons with master Cecil Bridgewater and three semesters of classical piano lessons with the amazing pianist and educator Gary Kirkpatrick. While studying at William Paterson she was also able to perform in ensembles directed by the late master of the piano, Mulgrew Miller, as well as Bill Mobley, Armen Donelian, Rich Perry, Dave Rogers, and Bill Goodwin among others. For her last two semesters she was the pianist in the William Paterson Jazz Orchestra led by head of the WP Jazz Department, Dr. David Demsey. In this band she had the opportunity to perform with NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath and legendary jazz vibraphonist Steve Nelson. Kelly also received the Outstanding Graduate Music Student Award for her class. In June 2014 Kelly was chosen to be the pianist in the William Paterson Colombia Band, which toured three cities in Colombia, South America. In Colombia, the band taught at two week long jazz clinics and performed at three large concert halls.
In December 2016 she recorded her debut album “Life Rearranged”(2017) including wonderful musicians Christian McBride, Steve Nelson, Josh Evans, Kush Abadey, Jovan Alexandre, Matt Dwonszyk, Noam Israeli, Tamir Shmerling, and Mike Troy. It is completed and is available on all platforms.
Summer of 2018 was busy with touring Colombia, South America and Florida with her trio and recording their debut album (released Dec 5th, 2018)!
For more info about this trip visit social media pages and the KG3 page on this site!
In 2019, she has travelled with her trio to San Francisco to perform at the Black Cat, performed their album release celebration at Birdland Theater, as well as played a ten day tour down the east coast of the US. She also performed with her trio at the Kennedy Center in June and travelled with her newly formed duo, Green Soul, featuring bassist Luca Soul to perform in Greece, Barcelona, Copenhagen, and Paris.
In February 2019, Kelly recorded two duo songs with alto player TK Blue on a tribute album to the great Randy Weston called “The Rhythms Continue”, in released November 2019.
Kelly has performed at notable clubs and venues such as the Kennedy Center, Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Birdland Theater, Apollo Theater, Minton’s, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, Jazz Standard, 55 Bar, The Django, Zinc Bar, Fat Cat, B.B. Kings, The Bitter End, Sunset, Milano, Polytechno and Rockwood Music Hall among many other venues around the world.
She has performed in bands alongside jazz luminaries such as George Coleman, Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jimmy Heath, Steve Nelson, Nat Reeves, Steve Williams, Bill Goodwin, Rich Perry, Winard Harper, Philip Harper, Steve Wilson, Stacy Dillard, Jonathan Barber, Josh Evans, Bruce Williams, Frank Lacy, TK Blue, James Zollar and Jovan Alexandre among others. .
TrumpeterDanny Tobias brings beautiful swing and individuality to his jazz performances.
Danny has enjoyed performing and recording with artists such as Warren Vaché, Scott Robinson, RossanoSportiello, Mark Shane, Vince Giordano, David Ostwald, Gordon Webster, Terry Waldo, Jon-Erik Kellso, Kevin Dorn, the Midiri Brothers, and Marty Grosz. He can be seen performingat Birdland,Mezzrow, the Ear Inn, and Zinc Bar, and at jazz festivals/parties across the USA and Canada.
Danny has recorded a number of albums as a leader. His most recent album “Silver Linings” was recorded on Ride Symbol Records.
Danny also mentors musicians of all ages in person, or remotely.
Pete Caldera sings standards, mainly at New York’s Carnegie Club. He performs there monthly and is the primary sub for the long-running ‘Sinatra Saturday’ show with the 11-piece Stan Rubin Orchestra.
Away from the stage, Pete writes for the Bergen Record and the USA Today network, covering the Yankees. He is a past chairman of the New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Simona Daniele, an Italian vocalist, vocal coach, and instructor based in New York City, has had a remarkable musical journey. Her talent has led her to perform at prestigious festivals and venues, showcasing her exceptional skills.
Born in Calabria, in Vibo Valentia and raised in Lombardia, in Monza, her performances have graced renowned stages like Jazz at Lincoln Center and Expo Dubai 2020 with the Italian National Jazz Orchestra. Simona participated in the Milan jazz festival JAZZMI and the Peperoncino Jazz Festival New York edition, as well as the Sicilia Jazz Festival in Palermo, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. She captivated listeners at esteemed venues in Italy, including the Blue Note Milano and the Auditorium Parco Della Musica in Rome. She even had the opportunity to perform at historical locations and museums such as Castello Sforzesco, Pinacoteca di Brera, and Museo Del ‘900.
Taking her musical journey further, Simona was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2022, which led her to the heart of jazz, New York City. There, she pursued her second Master’s degree in Jazz Performance at The City College of New York, immersing herself in the vibrant and diverse jazz scene of the city.
Simona’s dedication and artistry have been evident throughout her journey. In 2021, she qualified first at the vocal auditions for the National Jazz Orchestra of Italian Conservatories. The same year, she successfully earned her Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from the prestigious Milan Conservatory of Music Giuseppe Verdi, graduating cum laude with an honorable mention.
In terms of recognition and accolades, Simona’s talent has not gone unnoticed. In 2019, she received a special mention in the Jazz Soloists category of the National Arts Award, paying tribute to the iconic Italian singer-songwriter Pino Daniele. Additionally, she won the audience award at the “Chicco Bettinardi” national competition held at Piacenza Jazz Club in 2020.
In a career spanning over 4 decades, jazz/blues/gospel guitarist/composer Stew Cutler has established himself as a bandleader, composer and teacher. With 7 record releases to his credit as a bandleader and countless sessions
as a sideman, Cutler’s prolific career is a walk-through musical history.
Stew Cutler was born and raised in New York City and through his innate musical talents, found the guitar at an early age. The guitar and Cutler were destined to be together and at 19 years old, Cutler landed his first job with blues legend Z.Z. Hill. Over time, Cutler immersed himself in studying music and soon thereafter was working with instrumental avant-garde artists Bobby Previte and Eliot Sharp. Cutler moved to Woodstock, NY and worked with bassist Harvey Brooks along with many well-known artists that were emerging in that musical kaleidoscope.
Cutler has worked as a sideman with many musical greats including Percy Sledge, Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, Fontella Bass (featured on Bass’ Grammy nominated album No Ways Tired), Earl King, Jimmy Castor and many more. Cutler has also worked with jazz greats David Sanborn, Bill Frisell, Lester Bowie, Charlie Hunter, Wayne Horvitz to name a few as well as artists as diverse as Meatloaf, Jeb Loy Nichols, David Fanshawe, Sweet Georgia Brown, and Jimmy Dale Gilmore among others.
Cutler’s first two releases, *“Trio Music”* on Fountainbleu records and *“Insignia” *on the Naim label, showcased the identifiable sound that Cutler developed by combining R&B, jazz, melody and noise. With his 3rd release, “So* “Many Streams”* (Fountainbleu), Cutler gets back to basics by digging into the blues and American roots. Cutler’s 4th release titled *”Trio Live” *features Cutler’s guitar prowess in an incredible live performance. His 5th release titled *”After Hours”*, finds Cutler paying tribute to his jazz and soul roots. His 2017 critically acclaimed release titled* “Every Sunday Night” *is a studio recording that captures Cutler’s working band that has a standing Sunday night residency at Arthur’s Tavern in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Cutler is supported by his working band organization including Bobby Harden vocals, Nick Semrad organ, Jullian Pollack organ, Chulo Gatewood bass, Bill McClellan drums and JT Bowen vocal.
In 2018 Cutler was invited to perform on the last European tour of Queen Esther Marrow and the Harlem Gospel Singers. Cutler has been a band member since 2012. Gospel music fans came out to see this legendary performer who received critical acclaim along with a number of notable mentions of Stew’s soulful guitar stylings.
In 2019 Cutlers’ can be found on the soundtrack of Martin Scorsese’s latest film “The Irishman”. Cutler is performing the standard “How High The Moon”. Cutlers’ recognizable sound evokes a dreamlike mood which fits the scene perfectly and is one of the musical highlights in the film. Also in 2019 Cutler was cast as part of the soundtrack for the streaming Amazon TV series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. An American comedy/drama set in the late 1950’s portraying a New York housewife who finds she has a knack for comedy. You can hear Cutler’s playing on the soundtrack of season 2 and 3 and in the upcoming season 4 episode, Cutler will be on camera as well as the soundtrack, featured in the strip club house band, The Wolford Band.
On April 22, 2022 Cutler released his latest recording, “*The Blues From Another Angle*.” A critically acclaimed eclectic mix of originals and covers featuring legendary guitarist Mike Stern and master harmonica player, James Montgomery. This could be Cutlers’ finest recording to date. *The Blues From Another Angle* showcases a room full of top-notch musicians including drummer Bill McClellan, keyboardist Tom Wilson, bassists Booker King and Chulo Gatewood, saxophonist Steve Elson plus vocalists Bobby Harden and Mary Jean Cutler, Stew’s wife. Also showcasing their prowess on the album are guest artists Mike Stern blazing through a guitar solo on “Blews” and James Montgomery making the harmonic sing on “Say What You Mean.” Among the many highlights on *The Blues From Another Angle*, most of which were written or co-written by Cutler, are: the scorching “Night Shift Blues”, which also features Cutler on lead vocals; a fiery cover of Tyrone Davis’ mega-hit “Can I Change My Mind” featuring Bobby Harden on the microphone; the deliciously rhythmic “Get It While You Can” featuring Mary Jean Cutler on lead vocals; a soulful instrumental, “The Passing of RR Moore,” that pays tribute to the late comedian-actor-singer Rudy Ray Moore; and the jazzy album-closer “Shine or Rain.”
Tobias Gebb is a drummer, composer and educator based in New York City. Over the years he has shared the stage or recording studio with a wide variety of artists. From Blue Note jazz guitarist Peter Burnstein to Donald Fegan of Steely Dan. From the famed west coast jazz pianist Smith Dobson to the famed rocker Lenny Kravits. He has a BA in composition from Berklee College of Music, an MA from Manhattan School of Music and a dual MSE in general and special education from The Bank Street School. His album Free At Last was in the Top10 on American jazz radio charts and through his licensing business his group Trio West has been heard on shows such as Dexter, Madam Secretary, Key and Peele and others.
Tobias began studying the violin at age 6, switched to classical piano studies at 8 and finally switched to the drum set when he was 16. He began studying drums at the Drummers Collective in New York City with Ricky Sebastian, Mike Clark and Kim Plainfield. At Berklee College of Music he studied with Jon Hazilla and JohnRamsey, along with famed Boston drummer Gary Chaffee. Back in New York at Manhattan School of Music he studied with John Riley and Justin DiCioccio. Additionally, he occasionally meets for private lessons with great New York City-based drummers like Ben Perowsky and Ari Hoenig.
“I am music” was one of April’s first proclamations as a very young child and it holds true to this day. Since singing her first notes as a four-year-old, inspired by none other than the Disney Princess movies, her journey toward growing as a musician began. In fact, April has spent the majority of her life performing and competing in the arts.
NYC-based jazz vocalist with the curly red hair from Toledo, Ohio, April Varner is a name you won’t soon forget. She began taking voice lessons at the University of Toledo as a classical vocalist at age 8 and began studying piano from her grandmother at age 6. No stranger to the stage, April began displaying vocal, musical theatre, drama, and piano talents at the local, regional, national, and international levels at a young age. This includes being a guest vocalist at the Toledo Symphony Orchestra Pops Concert, a 2-time All-National Honors Ensemble member in Nashville, TN, and a National Finalist at the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Academy in Carmel, IN. By age 16, April had made her Carnegie Hall debut in Weill Hall following a first-place award by the American Protégé International Vocal Competition, and had traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland as part of a drama group to share the stage with world actors at the renowned Edinburgh Arts Fringe Festival.
April began her musical transition into jazz after discovering a deep passion for it following her freshman year at Indiana University. April soon after became the director of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, ResoluSHion, within the Grammy-nominated show choir, The Singing Hoosiers. During her final semester at IU, April was the vocalist in the Du Vido Septet, a Brazilian Jazz Ensemble led by Brazilian composer, arranger and pianist, Guilherme Ribeiro. The group was chosen as one of three finalists within the famed Detroit Jazz Festival’s Collegiate Combo Competition. In the spring of 2020, April graduated with her undergraduate degree in Jazz Studies (Voice).
At the age of 27, April has immersed herself deeply into the jazz tradition and has performed/studied with a multitude of legendary artists and jazz luminaries such as Tierney Sutton, Russell Malone, Sachal Vasandani, Jane Monheit, Kurt Elling, Walter Smith III and others.
April has performed/will be performing at some of the most notable venues in the Northeast, such as Chris’s Jazz Cafe (Philadelphia), Blues Alley (Washington D.C), Con Alma (Pittsburgh), 54 Below (NYC), Birdland Jazz Club (NYC, sold out debut show), and Mezzrow Jazz Club (NYC, sold out debut show). She also recently made her International Debut, headlining the Longjumeau Jazz Festival (Longjumeau, France) in celebration of the great Ella Fitzgerald, along with two full shows at Sunset Sunside in Paris. In October, April will be an invited featured artist in the Jazz For All Ages Festival (Hilton Head, SC), alongside some of the most notable figures in jazz, such as Kurt Elling, Catherine Russell, John Pizzarelli and Emmet Cohen.
She was awarded the 2023 Winner of the International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition and most recently received a 2024 Honorable Mention Award in the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Competition. She excitedly just released her debut full-length album, entitled “April by April Varner”, on Cellar Live Record Label. This genre-busting collection of all April-titled songs was produced by Grammy-Award winning drummer, producer and educator, Ulysses Owens Jr.
Eric Hoffman is a distinctive song stylist with an impressive vocal range. Whether employing an
intimate whisper or his full-voice baritone, he is a master of many styles, convincingly
interpreting genres from jazz to Broadway and everything in between. From Flint, Michigan,
and an Interlochen Arts Academy graduate, Hoffman comes from a musical family. At an early
age he began singing with his grandparents in their church choir. At age ten he took up the
Lowrey 88 Organ before moving on to the trombone. He was a featured singer with big bands
on various cruise lines, working with performers such as Jack Jones, The Spinners, Vic Damone,
and Steve Allen. After moving to New York, Hoffman became a trombonist and featured male
vocalist with Supersound, former Dizzy Gillespie drummer Charli Persip’s big band, appearing
on Persip’s recording Intrinsic Evolution. Eric is a protégé of the legendary Marilyn Maye, who
directed his New York cabaret debut, “A New Nightclub Act,” in 2017. He has performed in a
variety of contexts and ensembles with guitarist Ken Hatfield for the past decade, including
their 2023 duo release Stirrings Still. Eric’s previous albums include Introducing Eric Hoffman
with Oliver Von Essen and Get Together.@winniesjazzbar
Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra is the world’s premier Jazz-Age dance orchestra, steeped in the hot-dance band tradition of the 1920s and early 1930s. Their size ranges from a full dance orchestra to smaller incarnations. They play their “Hot-and-Sweet” music anywhere that fine and eclectic tastes meet.
Born in Long Island, NY, on December 25th, 1999, trombonist Marty Clemons Scott grew up in Freeport, New York. Scott is aSUNY Purchase graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance in 2022. As of Fall 2022, Scott is a Masters student at the Manhattan School of Music. Scott’s inspirations and influences are Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, J.J. Johnson, and Thad Jones, to name a few.
