Jez Graham-
Bill Hatcher, Joel Morris, Mike Hinton, Ramon Pooser, Mike Haid, Sam Skelton, Bob Lewis, Del Baroni, and many more great and musical friends.
Influences
Mindy, Janna, and Bill Graham, My Parent's, My Brother, My Uncle, My Cousin, The Marx Brother's, The Beach Boy's, Buster Keaton, Bill Evan's, Thelonious Monk, Mike Schiffer, John Sauer, Tommy Mars, Art Lande, Keith Jarret, Martin Luther King, Frank Zappa and all the musicians who played with him, Jimmy Webb, Jimmy Smith, Stephen Kalinich, The Beatle's, Todd Rundgren, Laura Nyro, Harold Lloyd, Charles Lloyd, Marvin Gaye, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, Richard Rodgers, E.Y. Harburg , Roger Powell, Allaudin Mathieu, Dennis Leiberson, Shakti, Elvis Presley, Stu Goldberg, Benzi Bornshtein, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Sly and The Family Stone, Kenny Aronoff, Irving Berlin, Bob Newman, Prince, Woody Allen, L.Shankar, Ed Mann, Carli Munoz, Jaco Pastorious, Flo and Eddie, Elvis Costello, Ant Bee, The first Ant Bea, Frank Sinatra, Bill Miller, Garth Hudson, Ravi Shankar, John Coates, Mr. Roger's, Johnny Costa, Nat King Cole, Johnny Miller, Carol Kaye, Billy Cobham, Lenny White, Stanley Clarke, James Jamerson, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Bobby Robles, Vistor Bisetti, Ayurveda, Lenny Bruce, Shuggie Otis, Francine Reed, Tom Grose,Mel Brooks, Rick Nelson,The Ghost and Mr. Chicken,The Incredible Mister Limpet, Deepok Chopra, The Wizard Of Oz, Silver Lake, Candlewood Lake, Gary Lambert, Ann's Cafe, Billy's Deli, The first Bill Graham, WGRG, KSAN, Poco, The Kink's, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, David Sancious, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, J.S.Bach, Elton John, Jerry Lee Lewis, Leon Russell, Stevie Wonder, Hampton Hawes, The Rubinoo's, The Rainbow Quartet, Alan Alda, Mash, Art Tatum, Randy Newman, George Duke, Duke Ellington, Bill Hatcher, David Steinberg, Fitzhugh Jenkins, Miles Davis and all the musician's who played with him, Stone Mountain, The Berkshires, The Pacific Ocean, Unity, Sacred Tapestry,You
Sounds Like
Please enjoy these selections-
Francine Reed with Jez graham-Amazing Grace Medley-live at Eddies Attic 2-8-09
Live Stereo Mix by Shalom Aberle
From the 2006 cd-You Can Soar
Goodness
Music-Jez-Lyrics-Stephen Kalinich c 2006/Jezsongs/Steve Kalinich Music.
Jez-Lead and background vocals, Rhodes, Moog Bass,Piano
Will Bernard-Guitar
Francine Reed-Vocals
Jennifer Ferren-Vocals
Chuck Bithorn-Conga,Tamborine
Bill Graham-Vocals,Horn Arrangment
Sam Skelton-Tenor Sax
Richard Bell-Tenor Sax
Bob Lewis-Trombone
Waldo-Written by Jez-Jez- Keys/Bill Hatcher 6 string Bass Guitar-Joel Morris-Drums-From the cd Monday(2003)
Nature boy-Eden Abbez
The Trio-Jez-Piano-Ramon Pooser-Bass-Mike Hinton-Drums
Partly Cloudy from Lovebrain-1994-
All instruments and vocals-Jez
Freedom Parkway- from Restrooms 1-featuring Sam Skelton, Bob Lewis, Mike Hinton, Gary Land and Petro Bass and me on rhodes and synth
Meditation from Lovebrain-All instruments-Jez-plus Matt"Atlanta" Bliss-Trumpet and Fred Crosby, Extra Vocals
Grew up in New York, Stockbridge Massachusetts, and Berkeley California. Started gigging at age 14, began writing around the same time. Formed The Rainbow Quartet with Will Bernard in 1976, Studied with Art Lande, Allaudin Matheui, and classes with Pandit Pran Nath and Terry Riley. Spent a semester at Evergreen College in Olympia WA, Played with The Fleetwoods and Nokie Edwards of The Ventures. Lived in L.A. from 79-88.High points in L.A. included starting and co-leading Section 8 and The Now,auditioning for Frank Zappa, being one of the house pianists at the Comedy Store, playing with Shuggie Otis, Blackbyrd Mcknight, Ronnie Specter, Darlene Love, Martha Reeves, The Honey's, Johnny Miller of the Nat Cole Trio, and being produced by Tommy Dunbar. I co-wrote Emerald Eyes and Miracle Cure with Tommy.They are on Garage Sale-
In 1985/86 Tommy and I spent lots of time in the studio recording my songs as well as playing in a band called Carol and the Dudes. Gigs continued around L.A. and lots of time in the studio.
In April of 88 my wife and I headed south to raise our family. We love it here.It was here in Atlanta that I re-connected with the spark that got me into playing in the first place. I am filled with gratitude every day for my family life and to be able to play music with so many wonderful musician's. My debut cd-Lovebrain was released in 1994. I wrote it and played and sang most of the parts along with the great Trumpet playing of Matt"Atlanta"Bliss of Prince's Paisley Park Horns and on 2 songs my cohorts from my first Atlanta band True Grits-Cooper Tisdale, Winn Sizemore and Mike Hinton who drummed on several cuts and has played on 5 of my 7 cd's including Thursday(1998) - Restrooms for Restaurant Customers Only(1990), and Restrooms 2(2000) In 2004 I recorded a solo piano tribute to Brian Wilson called Jez Loves You. In early 2006 I recorded JLY2. They remain my proudest solo piano accomplishments, though they have never been released.
30th 2006 marked the release of You Can Soar, an album of original songs that I have written with the Poet/Lyricist Stephen Kalinich. Here we are rehearsing the Dennis Wilson/Stephen Kalinich song-Be Still for a concert in Atlanta- That's my son Bill on Guitar along with Mike Hinton Bob Lewis-Trombone and Gary Land-Bass.
2008 found me continuing gigs with Francine Reed, Del Baroni and many Atlanta artists as well as performing a special gig in Charlotte with original Beach Boy David Marks and Brian Wilson's percussionist Nelson Bragg and another special honor was playing in a piano duo for the Atlanta Jazz Piano summit with the legendary pianist Johnny Knapp. 2008 ended with a new project-A duo with me and the great drummer/musician Mike Haid. Here is a sample of our work-
Man, what a show in Charlotte on Saturday. Your playing really rounded out the sound. Had to be a thrill playing with Dave Marks and Nelson Bragg. Great job, Jez.
I really enjoyed your set tonight, Jez. Nice touch starting the show off with "Long Tall Texan". You guys nailed "Warmth of the Sun" and "Feel Flows" and topped of the BB's stuff with "Sail On Sailor". Very nice improv playing on "Way Back Home" as well. Kudos to the band. See you in Charlotte. Miami Dan
Thanks, Jez! Would love to see you come play Gainesville again sometime!! I'm no longer on the Jazz Committee for our Arts Council, but my husband and I still go to the great performances at the Depot. By the way, I watched the clip on Sacred Tapestry - what a wonderful, interesting idea! And, how marvelous to have JAZZ in church!!! (And, the dogs too.) Have a great weekend, Teri
Thanks for checking in on me, Jez. Glad the text msgs got through. We're all in a daze over here, but things will return to normal over the next few weeks.
