11th Annual OSPAC Jazz Festival

GARY BARTZ, AARON DIEHL, WARREN WOLF, OSMANY PAREDES, RENEE ROSNES AND BILL CHARLAP HEADLINE THE 11TH OSPAC JAZZ FESTIVAL.

AARON DIEHL

Columbus,
Ohio native Aaron Diehl seeks to standout in his era as an artist to
exemplify quality, authenticity, and a fluency in the American musical
vernacular. The 2011 Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists
Association, Diehl has been hailed by the New York Times as "a smart
young pianist with a fastidious grasp of jazz traditions." He is
committed to unearthing the treasures of a rich musical language through
collaborative efforts with artists across generations.

Born in
1985, Diehl grew up in a nurturing musical environment. His grandfather,
pianist/trombonist Arthur Baskerville, was his first influence. Aaron
began studying classically at age 7, and discovered his passion for jazz
music when attending Interlochen Summer Camp. There he met piano
prodigy Eldar Djangirov, who made an lasting impression on Diehl through
his enthusiasm for Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum.

In 2002, Diehl
was a finalist in Jazz at Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington
competition, where he was awarded "Outstanding Soloist." The following
year, he was invited to tour with the Wynton Marsalis Septet on their
European tour. A 2007 graduate of the Juilliard School, he studied with
Kenny Barron, Oxana Yablonskaya and Eric Reed. He is a Martin E. Segal
Award recipient.

Diehl released his first live album in 2008, a
solo concert recorded at the Caramoor Festival. In 2010, "Live at the
Players" featured two of his working trios-- David Wong and Paul Sikivie
on bass, along with Quincy Davis and Lawrence Leathers on drums. His
latest release, "The Bespoke Man's Narrative," (Mack Avenue) is the
current product of Diehl's ensemble cultivation, influenced partly by
John Lewis and the Modern Jazz Quartet. He is the 2013 Jazz Journalist
Association's Up-And-Coming Musician of the Year Award recipient.

GARY BARTZ QUARTET

Grammy
Award winning jazz saxophonist Gary Bartz first came to New York In
1958 to attend the Julliard Conservatory of Music. Just 17 years old,
Gary couldn't wait to come to the city to play and learn. "It was a very
good time for the music in New York, at the end of what had been the
be-bop era," says Bartz. "Charlie Parker had passed away three years
previously but Miles' group was in its heyday, Monk was down at the Five
Spot, and Ornette Coleman was just coming to town. Things were fresh."
Back then, Gary could regularly be found drinking Cokes in the all ages
"peanut gallery" of Birdland, enjoying a marathon bill of performers.
"If I didn't have money to get in. I'd help somebody carry a drum and
sneak in," laughs Bartz. "I learned that early on."

Circa
mid-'60s, the alto saxophonist - still in his early 20s - began
performing throughout the city with the Max Roach/Abbey Lincoln Group
and quickly established himself as the most promising alto voice since
Cannonball Adderley. "In those days, we used to go by people's lofts and
stay for weeks, just working on music," says Gary. "Polks would all
chip in and buy food, and one of us would cook. But there was always
music, because people were dropping by at all hours. We didn't even
think about it; that's just what we did. We were very unselfish about
what we were writing because, after all, music doesn't belong to any one
person. It belongs to the people, to everybody."

With the splash
of his New York debut solidly behind him, Bartz soon joined Art Blakey's
Jazz Messengers. According to the story, Gary's parents owned a club in
Baltimore, the North End Lounge. When his father hired Blakey for a
gig, Gary grabbed the opportunity to fill a sax player vacancy in the
band. After his performance that night, the young Bartz was officially
hired to join the Jazz Messengers; in 1965, he would make his recording
debut on Blakey's SOULFINGER album.

From 1962-64, Gary joined
Charles Mingus' Workshop and began practicing regularly with fellow
members of the horn section, including Eric Dolphy. In 1968, Bartz began
an association with McCoy Tyner, which included participating in
Tyner's classic EXPANSIONS and EXTENSIONS albums. Work with McCoy proved
especially significant for Bartz because of the bandleader's strong
connection to John Coltrane — who Gary succinctly cites as a profound
influence. Gary continues to perform and record with McCoy to this day.

During
his first two years with Tyner, Gary was also touring with Max Roach
and taking some time out to record on Max's Atlantic Records release, MEMBERS DON'T GET WEARY. "With Max, there was that bond with Charlie Parker," declares Bartz. "Charlie Parker is why I play the alto saxophone."

Bartz
received a call from Miles Davis in 1970; work with the legendary horn
player marked Gary's first experience playing electric music. It also
reaffirmed his yen for an even stronger connection to Coltrane.

In
addition to working with Miles in the early '70s - including playing
the historic Isle of Wight Festival in August, 1970 - Bartz was busy
fronting his own NTU Troop ensemble. The group got its name from the
Bantu language: NTU means unity in all things, time and space, living
and dead, seen and unseen.

Outside the Troop, Bartz had been
recording as a group leader since 1968, and continued to do so
throughout the '70s, during which time he released such acclaimed albums
as, ANOTHER EARTH, HOME, MUSIC IS MY SANCTUARY, and LOVE AFFAIR,
by the late '70s, he was doing studio work in Los Angeles with Norman
Connors and Phyllis Hyman. In 1988, after a nine-year break between solo
releases, Bartz began recording what music columnist Gene Kalbacher
described as"vital ear-opening sides," on such albums as MONSOON, WEST 42ND STREET,THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD, and SHADOWS.

Bartz followed those impressive works in 1995 with the release of his debut Atlantic album THE RED AND ORANGE POEMS,
a self-described musical mystery novel and just one of Gary's
brilliantly conceived concept albums. Back when Bartz masterminded the
much-touted I'VE KNOWN RIVERS album,
based on the poetry of Langston Hughes, his concepts would be twenty
years ahead of those held by some of today's jazz/hip hop and acid jazz
combos.

So it continues with THE BLUES CHRONICLES: TALES OF LIFE.
A testimonial to a steadfast belief in the power of music to soothe,
challenge, spark a crowd to full freak, or move one person to think. It
adds up to a shoe box full of musical snapshots from a life lived and
played with passion and stirred - with both joy and sadness - by the
blues.

Gary's latest release, LIVE AT THE JAZZ STANDARD. VOL. 1 - SOULSTICE,
is the first of a series of recordings documenting his legendary,
non-stop style, live performances. This initial release on his own OYO
label bares testimony to Gary's continuing growth as a composer, group
leader, and master of both the alto and soprano saxophones. A quartet
session recorded in 1998, it will be followed by LIVE AT THE JAZZ STANDARD, VOL 2, scheduled for late Spring 2000 release, which features Gary's exciting Sextet. Scheduled for release this year, SOPRANO STORIES will
find Gary exclusively performing on the soprano saxophone in a studio
quartet setting. With over 30 recordings as a leader (as well as more
than 100 recordings as a guest artist with others), Gary Bartz has taken
his rightful place in the pantheon of jazz greats.

WARREN WOLF

Warren
attended the Peabody Prepatory for eight years studying classical music
with former Baltimore Symphony Orchestra member Leo LePage. During his
high school years at the Baltimore School for the Arts, Warren studied
with current Baltimore Symphony Orchestra member John Locke. After
graduating from Baltimore School for the Arts in June of 1997, Warren
headed north and enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in Boston,MA.

During
his time at Berklee, Warren studied with Carribean Jazz Vibraphonist
Dave Samuels for seven of eight semesters.One semester was spent with
vibist Ed Saindon. During his time at Berklee, Warren began to explore
deeper into jazz. Some musicians who've helped Warren reach his musical
goal during his time at Berklee were musicians such as Jeremy Pelt, John
Lamkin, Darren Barrett, Wayne Escoffery, Richard Johnson, Kendrick
Scott, Walter Smith, Jason Palmer, Rashawn Ross and many others. Through
those musicians Warren becamse an active performer around the Boston
area, gigging frequently on the Vibraphone, Drums and Piano. One of the
highlights of Warren's stay in Boston was co-leading a quintet with
Boston-based trumpeter Jason Palmer at the historic jazz club Wallys
Cafe. Warren was the house drummer at Wallys for two years, performing
every Friday and Saturday.

After graduating from Berklee in May of
2001, Warren became an active musician on the Boston local scene.
Warren was hired in September of 2003 to become an instructor in the
percussion department at Berklee College of Music. Warren taught private
lessons on the Vibraphone and Drums, as well as teach a beginners
keyboard class for entering freshman drumset majors.

After two
years of teaching at Berklee College of Music, Warren headed back to
Baltimore to start his main goal of becoming a full time performing
musician. Since leaving Berklee as a teacher, Warren has landed the
piano duties performing in the Rachael Price Group. Recording and
touring with Rachael, Warren has had the opportunity to tour throughout
the entire Unites States of America. Warren is currently the drummer of
choice for Alto Saxophonist Tia Fuller, who tours with internationally
renowned pop star Beyonce Knowles. Warren is also a member of the Donal
Fox Group which includes bassist John Lockwood and drummers Dafnis
Preito and Terri Lyne Carrington. Also, Warren tour and perform with
Bobby Watson's "Live and Learn" Sextet, Karriem Riggins "Virtuoso
Experience" and Christian McBride & "Inside Straight". With these
three groups Warren has traveled the world. Warren has performed
throughout the United States of America, South America, Canada, Italy,
Spain, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Scotland, London, Greece, Singapore,
Thailand, Jarkata, Bangkok, Tokyo, Paris, Moscow and many other
countries.

BILL CHARLAP

One of the world’s
premiere jazz pianists, Bill Charlap has performed with many leading
artists of our time, ranging from Phil Woods and Tony Bennett to Gerry
Mulligan and Wynton Marsalis. He is known for his interpretations of
American popular songs and has recorded albums featuring the music of
Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. Time Magazine
wrote, “Bill Charlap approaches a song the way a lover approaches his
beloved…no matter how imaginative or surprising his take on a song is,
he invariably zeroes in on its essence.”
 
In 1997, Charlap formed
the Bill Charlap Trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny
Washington (no relation), now recognized as one of the leading groups in
jazz. In 2000, he was signed to Blue Note Records and has since
received two Grammy Award nominations, for Somewhere: The Songs of
Leonard Bernstein and most recently The Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the
Village Vanguard. In 2009, Charlap was pianist and musical director for
The Blue Note 7, an all-star jazz septet celebrating the legacy of Blue
Note Records on its 70th anniversary. The septet performed a 50-city
tour and released the CD, Mosaic: A Celebration of Blue Note Records.
 
Charlap
is the artistic director of New York City’s Jazz in July Festival at
the 92nd Street Y. He has produced several concerts for Jazz at Lincoln
Center and an evening of George Gershwin’s music at the Hollywood Bowl.
 
Born
in New York City, Charlap began playing the piano at age three. His
father was Broadway composer Moose Charlap, whose credits include Peter
Pan, and his mother is singer Sandy Stewart, who appeared on the Ed
Sullivan and Perry Como shows and earned a Grammy nomination for her
recording of “My Coloring Book.” In 2005, Charlap and Stewart released
the acclaimed CD, Love Is Here To Stay (Blue Note).

RENEE ROSNES

Canadian
born, Renee Rosnes is one of the premier pianists and composers of her
generation. Shortly after relocating from Vancouver to New York in 1986,
Rosnes quickly established a reputation as a major talent. She has
recorded and toured with a veritable "who's who" of jazz, being the
pianist of choice for such legendary musicians as Joe Henderson, Wayne
Shorter, JJ Johnson, Buster Williams and Bobby Hutcherson. In 1989,
James Moody hired Renee for his quartet, and she remained a member of
his band until his passing in 2010.

In 2012, she was the musical
director for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's For Love of Moody: A
Jazz Celebration, a show that included performances by George Benson,
the Manhattan Transfer and Jimmy Heath. Also in 2012, she produced Joe
Henderson's 75th Birthday Celebration for Jazz at Lincoln Center's Allen
Room, which featured Bobby Hutcherson, Chris Potter and Robert Hurst
among others. From 2004-2009, Rosnes was a member of the all-star octet,
the SFJAZZ Collective. From 2008-2010, Rosnes enjoyed her role as the
radio host of The Jazz Profiles, an interview series produced by
Canada's CBC. Also in the role of jazz journalist, Renee has contributed
two major cover story interviews for JazzTimes magazine, one with Wayne
Shorter and his quartet (April 2013) and the other with pianist Geri
Allen (September 2013).

OSMANY PAREDES

Osmany Paredes
Gonzalez is a pianist, composer and arranger whose style blends jazz
with his Afro-Cuban rhythmic heritage by using a technique derived from
years of classical education. Born in Santa Clara, Cuba, his father
began Osmany's musical education at the age of five. Guillermo Paredes,
percussionist with the Santa Clara Orquesta de Música Moderna, was his
first teacher and primary influence. He taught him about the different
Afro-Cuban rhythms and styles.

At the age of eight, Osmany started
his formal education in classical piano at the Olga Alonso School of
Vocational Arts in Santa Clara, Cuba. He continued these studies at the
esteemed National School of Music in Havana and graduated with honors in
1991. Throughout the time that he was studying the classics, he
continued to listen to as many jazz recordings as possible in order to
incorporate that style into his playing. While still in school Osmany
played with many groups in Cuba including the charanga group Orquesta
America. This group provided him with his first tour outside of Cuba
when they went to Venezuela.

After graduation he joined the jazz
group of Bobby Carcasses and later the charanga group Orquesta Enrique
Jorrin. These three groups gave him an invaluable education in Cuban
music, jazz, and performance. After moving to Mexico in 1992, he played
with various artists and groups including Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Jerry
Gonzalez, Celio Gonzalez, Diego alias "El Cigala", and "Patato" Valdes,
Fellove Valdes among others. Osmany has appeared at the renowned Havana
Jazz Plaza Festival, the Caracas and Trujillo Jazz Festivals, Venezuela;
Acapulco International Jazz Festival, Theatre of Fine Arts, the Centro
Historico International Festival; International Festival Tribute to
Agustin Lara (2001) as the producer, musical director, arranger and
pianist; Veracruz International Caribbean Festival, the Cervantino
International Festival, Mexico; and he has also participated in other
festivals in Austria, Germany, Spain, Uruguay, Chile, and Colombia.

Since
his arrival in the United States in 2003, Osmany Paredes has been
featured in many well-known clubs; and he has performed or recorded with
David Murray, Richard Bona, Giovanni Hidalgo, George Garzone, Howard
Johnson, Roy Hargrove, Jane Bunnett and Issac Delgado among others. He
has also appeared at the Zinc Bar, the Jazz Gallery, Smoke, Jazz
Standard and Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York City, the Kimmel Center
and the Museum of Art in Philadelphia, the Freihofer Jazz Festival in
Saratoga Springs, the Berklee Performance Center and the Regattabar in
Boston, Providende Sound Session 2005, 2006 and 2007, the San Jose Jazz
Festival, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Jazz Bakery in Los
Angeles, Yoshi's in Oakland, the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle and
the Art of Jazz in Toronto.

JENNIFER VINCENT

Jennifer
Vincent, bassist and cellist, has been an active force on the music
scene in New York City for well over a decade. She plays and has played
and toured with the likes of Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, the famed
Boy's Choir of Harlem, Willie Martinez y La Familia, Son Sublime, the
Xavier Cougat Orchestra, the Roberto Rodriguez Septet, Carmen Lundy,
Harry Whitteaker (longtime artistic director and keyboardist for Roberta
Flack), Jon Hendricks, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and many other
jazz and Latin notables.

Jennifer's sound has been characterized
as "Cheerfully Blantonian" by the Village Voice. Her bass lines are
featured on NBC's 75th Anniversary "Cosby Show Retrospective", and she
can be heard on commercials for Lipitor, Marriott Hotels, and Olive
Garden. She has played on many film soundtracks, including "90 Miles", a
film which won Best Documentary at the 2003 Havana Film Festival. She
has been featured on "City Arts", has traveled to South America as a
Jazz Ambassador for the State Department, and plays for Lincoln Center's
"Meet the Artist" series. All About Jazz has this to say about her:
"Bass player Jennifer Vincent shows that she can stay with anyone when
it comes to getting a bass to sing....."

Jennifer, who started as a
classically-trained cellist at Oberlin Conservatory, is equally
comfortable in the jazz, Latin-jazz, and traditional Cuban musical
idioms. Her bass teachers include jazz icon Ron Carter, Andy Gonzales,
Ed Bennett, Buster Williams, and Cuban bass legend Orlando "Cachaito"
Lopez of the Buena Vista Social Club, with whom she traveled to Cuba to
study with.

Jennifer delves into music that utilizes West African,
Japanese, and Middle Eastern influences with artists such as Sogbety
Diomande form the Ivory Coast, the Pan-Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble, and
Algerian pianist Maurice el Medioni's "Descarga Oriental", which won the
2006 BBC Music Award for Best World Crossover. According to Songlines
World Music magazine, "Vincent's thick, measured New York Latin Bass, so
different from anything el Medioni has previously recorded with, is
perfect!". For the past 5 years she has been touring the world over with
the Duke Ellington Orchestra, carrying on the tradition of the
longest-running and most legendary jazz orchestra in American history.