"An all-star jazz band featuring some of the most accomplished musicians in the western United States," (Examiner.com), the DMITRI MATHENY GROUP is described by All About Jazz as "a cohesive and seamless unit, serving up equal parts soulful expression, caressing phrases, imaginative asides, and dedicated lyricism."
Directed by renowned musician and composer Dmitri Matheny ["the first breakthrough flugelhornist since Chuck Mangione" ~San Jose Mercury News], the DMG has garnered a strong international following by performing and recording a stylistically diverse repertoire.
The band's signature sound balances fresh, sometimes challenging, original works, with polished arrangements of familiar jazz classics: hard bop, west coast cool, and the most beloved standards of the Great American Songbook. The DMG has thus been able to achieve something quite rare in the jazz world: they consistently please both the crowds and the critics.
According to JazzTimes magazine, "Their tunes groove mightily, and the ensemble is long on sound and spirit." The Oakland Tribune elaborates, "Their music is a fertile landscape without boundaries, earning Matheny and his cohorts a reputation as one of the most eclectic and daring ensembles on today's jazz scene."
The band has also drawn praise from jazz educators and arts advocates for including workshops for children and other educational programs in their tours and home seasons.
Dr. Herb Wong writes, "As past President of the International Association of Jazz Educators, I'm warmly gratified that the Dmitri Matheny Group has made jazz education a prominent and vital part of their busy season. And as a jazz author and historian, I'm particularly proud that this world-class group is based right here in my own community."
Clifford Brown Jr., the veteran broadcaster and producer of American Jazz Countdown, agrees: "I've followed Dmitri's music career closely. With the release of each new CD, as his notoreity has grown, so has his heart."
"As the parent of a young jazz trumpeter," Brown continues, "I'm impressed by the commitment that the Dmitri Matheny Group shows to music education.
"And as the son of a master musician who helped to define this genre, I'm encouraged that the future of jazz is in such good hands."
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DMITRI MATHENY, flugelhorn, is celebrated for his warm romantic tone, soaring lyricism and masterful technique. First introduced to jazz audiences in the 1980s as the protégé of flugelhorn legend Art Farmer, Matheny is an honors graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. "Dmitri Matheny has diverted his ample talent from trumpet to flugelhorn, performing beautiful Hard Bop lines with a flawless warm tone. He's an excellent performer on gentle ballads and bop scorchers alike." ~Rolling Stone
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CHARLES MCNEAL, alto and tenor saxophone, is a fiery performer who brings a sense of urgency and soul to every note he plays. Originally from Denver, now based in Las Vegas, McNeal has earned a stellar reputation as a soloist with Jon Faddis, Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Roberta Flack, The Temptations and Boz Scaggs. He is lauded by critics for his "beautiful, rich tone" [Jazz Review] and "excellent, high intensity solos" [All About Jazz].
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NICK MANSON, piano, is a two-time Emmy award winner whose consistently inventive jazz style is informed by his multifaceted career as performer, composer, arranger, producer and studio musician. Originally from Seattle and a veteran of the Los Angeles rstudio scene, Manson has recorded and performed with Christopher Cross, Deniece Williams, John Patitucci, B.B. King, Lenny Kravitz and Ernestine Anderson. "Manson's gorgeous tone is crystal clear, with a wide palate of dynamics." ~All About Jazz
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RUTH DAVIES, bass, earned her stripes as a world class jazz and blues artist touring for ten years in the band of the legendary Charles Brown. A native of Oakland, California, Ruth has also appeared with Clark Terry, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Jay McShann, Van Morrison, Maria Muldaur, Junior Mance, Barbara Morrison, Amina Figarova, Denise Jannah, Etta Jones, Terry Gibbs, Jimmy Witherspoon, Toots Thielemans, Ernie Watts, Elvin Bishop, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Little Jimmy Scott.
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JOHN LEWIS, drums, is respected among his peers for his exceptional taste, fluency and authenticity across a broad range of musical styles. Based in Los Angeles and Phoenix, Lewis has recorded music for television, film, video, and new media, and has traveled the world performing with Melissa Manchester, the Fifth Dimension, Chris Botti, Michael McDonald, Rick Braun, Natalie Cole, Paul Williams, Willie Nelson, Paula Abdul and the Judds.
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