Wheel Records - dREaD & BLUE: A Canadiana Suite

Michael Herring - upright bass; Jason Wilson - vocals/piano/organ; Don Scott - guitar/vocals; Clarke Williams - drums

With Special Guests

- Award-Winning Canadian Jazz Icon: NICK "BROWNMAN" ALI

- British Reggae Star: BRINSLEY FORDE of ASWAD

www.brownman.com www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/brinsley_forde/

Clarke Williams (drums)

Drummer Clarke Williams was born in Toronto, Canada in 1961. In the early eighties he studied music theory and percussion at York University, University of British Columbia, and Humber College. Performing music has always been central in Clarke's life and this has led him to bands ranging in style from gospel to jazz, rock and reggae. Regardless the style it's the groove that he is passionate about!

Clarke has taught, toured internationally, and recorded with several artists including The Obvious on their debut album "Counting by Heads". Clarke's association with Jason Wilson and Tabarruk began in 1999. Currently Clarke's main focus is with Tabarruk contributing drum tracks to their soon to be released CD as well as performing many live dates with the band in and around Toronto.

Michael Herring (upright bass)

Michael Herring grew up in Victoria, B.C., where he gained experience playing in diverse musical settings, ranging from modern and free jazz to Greek and Klezmer, and had opportunities to perform with highly respected musicians such as Hugh Frazer and George McFetridge. He then moved to Toronto, where he studied with Canadian Jazz greats David Young and Don Thompson at the University of Toronto's Jazz Performance Program, as well as with world-renowned bassists Rufus Reid and Ray Brown.

In Toronto he has had the privilege of performing as part of Jason Wilson and Tabarruk (Reggae, with jazz influences), as well as with a number of great musicians including Dave Binney, Bernie Senensky, Stich Wynston, Norman Marshall-Villeneuve, and Percy Sledge. Besides playing in Canada, he has toured with his own band in Korea, and with various ensembles in France, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean. Michael continues to perform in a variety of genres, including folk, reggae and performance art, but his focus is on jazz. He has a strong sound and musical personality, and enjoys open and improvised settings.

Nick "Brownman" Ali (trumpet)

Born on the small Caribbean island of Trinidad, schooled in New York and now based in Toronto, Nick "The Brownman" Ali is one of the most in demand, young jazz studio trumpet players in the country. At the age of 25, he is also an accomplished composer/arranger and the recipient of the 2002 Canadian National Jazz Award for "Jazz Composer of the Year", also clocking in as first runner-up for "Jazz Trumpet Player of the Year"; his highly acclaimed latin-jazz group CRUZAO was also nominated at the NJAs in 2002 & 2003 for "Electric Jazz Group of the Year". 2001 saw him win the coveted Montreal Jazz Festival's "General Motors Grand Prix Du Jazz Award" and the CBC Galaxie's 2001 "Rising Star Award". He is one of the first calls for not only jazz and urban recording sessions, but also appears in the horn sections of countless latin groups. His recording credits sit at just under 100 CDs (many nominated for Junos) and he is currently composing and arranging actively for 4 groups of his own, all of which have gained critical acclaim in their own diverse idioms - the award-winning latin-jazz unit CRUZAO, jazz-hip-hop group GRUVASYLUM, mainstream hard-swinging threesome The NICK ALI TRIO and the 10-piece Salsa powerhouse MARR�N MATIZADO.
- Scott McLaren, Dec. 2001

HOME