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Featured Artists
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Nick Colionne
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Bethany Pickens
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Corey Wilkes
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Nick
Colionne blasted onto the national contemporary jazz scene in 2003 and
his career has been in ecstatic overdrive ever since. His
breakthrough single, “High Flyin’,” hit #2 on the Radio & Records
airplay chart. In 2007 he was named “International Instrumental
Artist of the Year” at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. This year
Nick has been honored by the American Smooth Jazz Awards with two
nominations “Guitarist of the Year” and “Entertainer of the
Year.”
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Bethany
Pickens began her keyboard training under the watchful tutelage of her
father, world class jazz pianist Willie Pickens, followed by more
classical training at the American Conservatory of Music. She has
performed at various jazz and music festivals such as, The Chicago Jazz
Festival, Jacksonville Jazz Festival and Ibiza Jazz Festival in Spain.
Bethany has performed duo concerts with her father at Symphony Center,
Ravinia, The International Association of Jazz Educators, and the
Steinway Society.
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Corey
Wilkes, a young lion with a roar being heard in several music genres,
began playing trumpet at the age of 10, honed his talent at the Berklee
College of Music and landed in the heart of the Chicago jazz club scene
in 2002. His soulful notes can be heard gracing a variety of projects
including DJ sets by logic, Osunlade and Josh Deep; tracks on Hidden
Beach's unwrapped Vol. 4, as well Kahil El Zabar's Ascension Loft
Series.
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Opening Act: Shaun Johnson Quartet
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Master of Ceremonies: Rick O'Dell
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Shaun
Johnson is a talented Chicago-area trumpeter, composer, arranger,
educator and clinician. Having developed a love for music at an early
age, the Chicago-born, south suburban raised music phenom began playing
the trumpet at the age of 10. By age 14, amidst a host of various
awards and accolades, Shaun began playing in top area big bands
including the Grammy All Star Jazz Band, Down Beat All-Star Big Band
and the Prairie State College Extreme Big Band under the direction of
Valerie Nicholson.
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Rick
O'Dell is the midday host and program director for 87.7 FM Chicago's
Smooth Jazz. Since 1984 he has held numerous positions both on
and off air at various Chicago radio stations including WCLR-FM and
WNUA-FM. He was nominated for "Smooth Jazz Air Personality of
the Year" in 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008 by Radio and Records, a national
industry publication.
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