Andrea Claburn vocal | Kent Strand piano | Doug Miller bass | Michael O'Neill saxophone and bandleader
DISCOGRAPHY
Nightshade [Album]
Claburn's debut album Nightshade named BEST OF 2017 by Andrew Gilbert, C. Michael Bailey, and Mike Jurkovic
Vocalist/composer/arranger Andrea Claburn was born in Baltimore to a classical pianist mother and jazz aficionado father and raised in the classical tradition, studying both piano and violin before turning to vocal jazz. A conservatory-trained musician, Andrea’s musical depth shapes her exceptional vocal style, with a “highly instrumental use of her voice” that is “riveting to hear” (Lynn René Bailey). As a composer and lyricist, she writes and arranges contemporary jazz standards, and lyricizes a wide range of instrumental material from Ellington to Metheny. Andrea earned a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Studies) from the California Jazz Conservatory (CJC), where she was awarded the Conservatory's highest vocal honor, the Mark Murphy Vocal Scholarship. Andrea performs regularly at prominent venues and private events throughout Northern California and beyond, and she is a member of the vocal faculty at CJC. Her debut album, Nightshade, a collection of her own original compositions and arrangements, was released in January, 2017 to wide critical acclaim and named one of the 10 best albums of the year by Andrew Gilbert, C. Michael Bailey, and Mike Jurkovic.
Kent Strand has performed as a pianist at the top clubs and hotels in the Bay Area and throughout the United States. . From 1988 to 1995 he performed as a solo pianist and with his jazz trio at the Compass Rose at the Westin St. Francis Hotel and at the Redwood Room at the Clift Hote and regularly at Stars Restaurant, the Ritz Carlton San Francisco, the Palace Hotel and for many corporate and private events.The Kent Strand Trio performed Sundays in the Garden Court at the Palace Hotel for the last 5 years and performed at the Cityscape Bar and Restaurant at the San Francisco Hilton for Sunday brunches from 1999 to 2006.
Kent has performed with Michael Bolton, Daruis Rucker and with jazz greats Cab Calloway, Benny Carter, Mark Murphy, Kevin Mahogony and Doc Cheatham at jazz festivals throughout the United States. He has performed on National Public Radio on Garrison Keillor’s Prarie Home Companion Show and on Billy Taylor’s Jazz Alive. He has backed comedians Bill Murray, Robin Williams, Paula Poundstone, Kathie Griffin and Martin Short.
Kent’s experience includes studio work, backing shows in Las Vegas, performances on cruise ships, and performing at the George V Hotel in Paris. He was the featured pianist for the 50th anniversary celebration of the United Nations where he played for the world’s ambassadors. He has also performed for Presidents Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter, the King of Norway, the San Francisco Giants and Danielle Steel.
Michael O’Neill, a San Diego native, began studying clarinet at an early age. His first mentor was his neighbor, the great jazz and studio drummer, John Guerin. After the usual involvement with school bands and orchestras, Michael did a stint in the Air Force Band. In college, while majoring in Biology, he minored in music studying composition and arranging as well as jazz performance. After a brief career in science, Michael returned to music full time, studying saxophone with the great Joe Henderson while playing in dance bands, salsa bands and doing local jazz gigs. During this time Michael became interested in composition and formed groups to perform his original material, a trend that is ongoing today. Besides jazz composition, Michael’s interests have taken him into orchestral and ethnic musical forms. In the 1980's he began writing music for documentaries and television for which he now has a long list of credits. Jazz performance residencies as leader include 13 years at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon bay, 7 years at Cetrella Half Moon Bay and 6 years at the Hotel Sofitel in Redwood Shores. Michael has performed and/or recorded with Idris Muhammad, Joe Locke, Michael Wolff, Giacomo Gates, Geoffrey Keezer, Maria Muldaur, Eddie Fisher, Rodney Jones, Kim Nalley, Jackie Ryan, Tony Lindsay, Margie Baker, Faye Carol, Brenda Boykin, Jeff Chambers, Rob Schneiderman, Mark Levine, Frank Jackson, and many others.The Michael O'Neill Quintet featuring the great vocalist, Kenny Washington, has headlined the Monterey Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, SF Jazz, the Blue Note in Napa, Jazz at Pearl’s, Oakland and San Francisco Yoshi’s, Anna’s Jazz Island, the Jazz on the Hill Festival, the Oakland Art and Soul Festival, the San Jose Jazz Society Concert Series and many others.
Photo Credits: Andrea Claburn by A-Retrospective, Michael O'Neill by Dave Lepori.