In the U.S. and abroad,
Stamm, as a performer, clinician, and mentor,
perpetuates the traditions of excitement
and innovation that jazz represents. Marvin
is joined by Bill Mays on piano, who has
played with such great artists as Frank
Sinatra, Dionne Warwick, and Sarah Vaughan.
With Ed Soph on drums and John Adams on
bass.
"The Memphis native has chops and
talent in abundance. He can burn on bebop
changes, or mellow out on a ballad, all
the time maintaining the lucid consistency
that enthusiasm and experience engenders."–
JazzTimes
http://www.marvinstamm.com/
Biographies
Throughout his distinguished career,
Marvin Stamm has been praised for
both the art and the craft of trumpet playing.
Leonard Feather stated that Mr. Stamm is
an accomplished performer whose technical
skill is used as a means to stimulating
original ends.
While attending North Texas State University,
a school noted for its innovative lab bands,
Mr. Stamm was discovered by Stan Kenton.
After graduation, he joined Kenton's orchestra
as his Jazz trumpet soloist, touring with
him in 1961-1962 recording five albums with
the orchestra. In 1965-1966, he toured worldwide
with Woody Herman.
Settling in New York in late 1966, Marvin
Stamm quickly established himself as a busy
Jazz and studio trumpeter. New York was
bustling with jazz activity during that
period, and Stamm performed at key venues
with many of the significant players in
the business. He gained considerable recognition
for his playing with the Thad Jones/Mel
Lewis Jazz Orchestra (1966-72) and the Duke
Pearson Big Band (1967-70), as well as performing
with Frank Sinatra (1973-74) and the Benny
Goodman Sextet (1974-75) among others. Stamm
was also a recognized first call studio
player (1966-89), and he recorded with:
Bill Evans, Quincy Jones, Oliver Nelson,
Duke Pearson, Thad Jones, Wes Montgomery,
Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Patrick
Williams, Michel Legrand, Frank Foster,
Paul Desmond, George Benson and many more.
Eschewing the lucrative studio scene in
the late 80’s, Mr. Stamm has focused
his attention on his first love, playing
Jazz. Since that time, he has been a member
of John Lewis' American Jazz Orchestra,
the Bob Mintzer Band, the George Gruntz
Concert Jazz Band, Louis Bellson's big band
and/or quintet and, on many occasions, performed
with the big band of composer Maria Schneider.
Currently, Mr. Stamm's activities include
performing as a soloist, touring with his
Jazz quartet or in duo with pianist Bill
Mays. He has embarked on a new and quite
successful venture, that of performing with
symphony orchestras throughout the country
and abroad. He continues to maintain his
ties with George Gruntz' Concert Jazz Band,
and, when time permits also travels with
other all-star units.
Bill Mays - Piano
Born into a musical family and beginning
at the piano at age five, Bill Mays had
his first exposure to jazz as a teenager...a
solo concert by Earl "Fatha" Hines.
Later, discovering the music of Bill Evans,
Art Tatum, Horace Silver and Jimmy Rowles,
he found himself "hooked" and
embarked on his professional career. Since
that time, Bill has been the musical director
for Sarah Vaughan, accompanied singers Frank
Sinatra, Al Jarreau, Mark Murphy and Helen
Merrill. Before moving to New York in the
mid-80s he spent 12 years as a session player
in Hollywood making many records and recording
hundreds of TV and movie scores.
As a highly sought-after sideman, Mr.
Mays has performed with many of the greats
in Jazz among them Gerry Mulligan, Clark
Terry, Sonny Stitt, the Mel Lewis Orchestra,
Shelly Manne, Benny Golson and many more.
Mr. Mays continues to tour extensively throughout
the world performing both with his own groups
and with others. A prolific composer and
arranger, he has contributed music to the
recordings of many artists, among them Woody
Herman and Phil Woods and has also written
classical music for various combinations
of chamber groups. Mr. Mays brings a wealth
of diversity and experience to his music
and never fails to bring the listener along
on a journey of great musical beauty.
Bill Mays has thirteen recordings under
his own name as well as the new duo recording,
By Ourselves, with Marvin Stamm.
Among his own recordings are the recent
Going Home and Summer Sketches,
both on Palmetto Records and Mays in
Manhattan, An Ellington Affair, Bill Mays
At Maybeck Hall on Concord Records.
Besides his busy career as a performing
artist, Bill Mays is a prolific composer/
arranger and increasingly sought-after educator.
Ed Soph - Drums
A native of Houston, TX, Ed Soph’s
career spans forty years as a performer,
recording artist, author, and teacher. Mr.
Soph is a graduate of the famous North Texas
Lab Band program where he studied drum set
with the master teacher, Tommy Gwin and
occupied the drum chair in the prestigious
“1:00 Lab Band” during his five
years at North Texas. He gained valuable
experience working steadily in the jazz
clubs and recording studios of Dallas.
As a performer and recording artist, Mr.
Soph was a member of the Stan Kenton and
Woody Herman Orchestras as well as Clark
Terry's Big Bad Band and Bill Watrous' Manhattan
Wildlife Refuge. He has been a member of
numerous smaller groups, among which are
those of pianist Bill Evans, trumpeters
Clark Terry and Bobby Shew, saxophonists
Dave Liebman, Eddie Daniels and Joe Henderson,
trombonists Slide Hampton and Carl Fontana
and many others.
Mr. Soph performs and records extensively,
most notably in the group co-led with trumpeter
Marvin Stamm. They recently released a CD,
The Stamm-Soph Project, featuring
pianist Bill Mays and bassist Rufus Reid.
He also tours with a trio that includes
pianist Stefan Karlsson and bassist Tom
Warrington, having recorded two critically
acclaimed CDs on the Troppe Note label.
Mr. Soph today resides in Denton, Texas
where, in addition to his activities as
a performing artist, he is Associate Professor
of Music at the University of North Texas.
He is recognized internationally as one
of the foremost Jazz drummers and a master
teacher. Mr. Soph is the author of three
books and co-author of the acclaimed instructional
video, THE DRUMSET: A MUSICAL APPROACH.
He has performed at festivals and presented
master classes and workshops throughout
the U.S. and Canada, Europe, the Near and
Far East, Australia and New Zealand.
John Adams - Bass
As an accomplished acoustic and electric
bassist, John Adams is one of the Southwest's
most versatile and in-demand jazz, pop and
studio musicians. He currently leads various
performing groups. John served as Music
Director and performed weekly for three-and-a-half
years at Dallas' prestigious Crescent Court
Hotel. Adams holds bachelor's and master's
degrees from the University of North Texas,
where for ten years he was the jazz bass
professor. He is also active as a producer/arranger,
clinician, and an instructional author.
John toured extensively with jazz great
Woody Herman and others. He has backed vocalists
Mel Torme, Rosemary Clooney, Wayne Waston,
and Sandi Patti, and jazz artists such as
Randy Brecker, Marvin Stamm, Bill Mays,
Carl Fontana, Chet Baker, Clark Terry, and
Dave Liebman. His broad musical background
also includes extensive orchestral, pop,
and show work.
Adams' debut CD, "Jump Shot,"
('96) features New York and regional artists,
and showcases his formidable writing skills.
The live-CD "Fly By Night" ('99)
features members of John's exceptional jazz
quartet, and his latest recording, "With
You In Mind," ('01) was released nationwide
(with airplay on over 130 stations), and
features top jazz/studio musicians from
Dallas, Austin, and L.A. Production is underway
in summer '03 for John's next CD release.
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