New York, NY – The jazz community is buzzing with excitement over the news of a special live engagement at the famed Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis by the Wolff & Clark Expedition on Saturday February 25, 2012. Featuring jazz legends Michael Wolff and Mike Clark, the concert is sure to be an unforgettable evening of hot jazz and funk. The group also features local Indianapolis musicians Rob Dixon on tenor sax and and popular jazz bassist Frank Smith. Hot off the heels of a very successful engagement at the Jazz Standard in New York, which featured James Genus on bass, Lenny Pickett from Tower of Power and now leader of the SNL band, and jazz virtuoso Steve Wilson on alto sax, the Wolff & Clark Expedition are preparing to tear it up in Indianapolis!
Performing together since the 1970s both Wolff and Clark individually have had stellar music careers. Michael Wolff is an internationally acclaimed pianist, composer and bandleader, and is best known for his melodically, fresh,and rhythmically compelling piano style. Wolff made his recording debut in 1972 with Cal Tjader, and went on to record with Cannonball Adderley, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Sonny Rollins, Tony Williams, Christian McBride and many others. As pianist and music director for jazz singer Nancy Wilson, Michael wrote orchestral arrangements and conducted more than 25 major symphony orchestras worldwide. From 1989 to 1994, Michael served as the band leader for the Aresenio Hall Show, which heightened his visibility and gave him the opportunity to perform with many established artists such as Ray Charles, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and saxophonist/president Bill Clinton. Michael Wolff has released 12 critically acclaimed solo albums to date as a leader, ‘Joe’s Strut’ being the most recent. He was a winner of the BMI Music Award for television composition and was also the winner of the Gold Gift Award in Japan for piano. Michael will be playing a solo piano concert on Thursday Feb 23, 2012 at University of Toledo, in Toledo, Ohio, as part of their Art Tatum solo piano concert.
What can be said about Mike Clark except that he is a true drum legend! Mike Clark gained worldwide recognition as one of America’s foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock’s group in the early 1970’s. Mike became known as a major innovator through his incisive playing on Hancock’s ‘Thrust’ album, which garnered him an international cult following. While often referred to as the “Tony Williams of funk”, Mike considers himself a jazz drummer, and in fact has become one of the most vital to sit behind a set. He’s performed with jazz greats such as Herbie Hancock, Chet Baker, Vince Guaraldi, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Eddie Henderson, Rob Dixon, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Donald Harrison, Larry Coryell, Jack Wilkins, Mike Wolff, Wallace Roney, Geri Allen, Billy Childs, James Genus, Bob Hurst, Chris Potter, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Dave Liebman, Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr., Bill Doggett, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Mose Allison, Maxine Brown, Gil Evans and his orchestra and many illuminating artists too numerous to list. Mike is currently putting the finishing touches to his forthcoming solo CD ‘Indigo Blue’, which features Randy Brecker, Christian McBride, Ron Dixon and Antonio Farao.
Where: The Jazz Kitchen, 5377 N. College Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46220 – Phone: 317-253-4900
http://thejazzkitchen.com/
When: Saturday, February 22, 2012 – 8 and 10 PM
Price: $15
Michael Wolff: www.michaelwolff.com
Mike Clark: www.mikeclarkmusic.com
Wolff & Clark Expedition Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/pages/Wolff-Clark-Expedition/256266051109019