Press release

April 15, 2008

Exodus To Jazz proudly presents The Cyrus Chestnut Trio on Friday, April 25, 2008 at the Clarion Riverside Hotel. Chestnut will present jazz versions of tunes popularized by Elvis Presley. Bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Neal Smith will accompany Chestnut, comprising the same trio on the recent CD release “Cyrus Plays Elvis”.

Artist Highlights:

Cyrus Chestnut, a Berklee School of Music graduate, began his professional career at jazz’s pinnacle, working with Jon Hendricks, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Wynton Marsalis and Betty Carter between 1986 and 1993. He credits the main influences on his playing style to Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, Bud Powell, Wynton Kelly, Red Garland, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Ray Bryant and Junior Mance.

Chestnut actively launched his career as a leader in 1994; his unlikely “pairing” with Elvis Presley evolved out of a 2006 recording session with a jazz vocalist. Born many years after "Love Me Tender," "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel", Chestnut extensively researched these and other recordings to offer jazz interpretations that provide a fresh outlook on Presley. For this ETJ engagement and the CD recording, Chestnut choose the trio format because it gives him, as pianist, “the central position within the group”, challenging him to creatively explore the harmonic, melodic and rhythmical possibilities. “Cyrus Plays Elvis” is evidence that Chestnut met the challenge.

Dezron Douglas studied at the Jackie McLean Institute at the University of Hartford School Music. The active mentoring of renowned saxophonist Jackie McLean solidified the musical foundation laid by Dezron’s father, gospel quartet leader Alton Douglas and his uncle, legendary bebop drummer Walter Bolden. Dezron performs regularly with Cyrus Chestnut and Eric Reed; he is in high demand among acclaimed artists including Andy Bey, Jon Faddis, Kenny Garrett, Kevin Mahogany, Branford Marsalis, Nicholas Payton and Pharaoh Sanders. Dezron paired with Jeff “Tain” Watts to provide a uniquely dynamic rhythm section for Helen Sung’s rousing CD release party at Dizzy’s Club in November 2007.

Neal Smith studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and was the first African-American to earn a degree in Jazz Studies from that institution. In addition to performing regularly with Cyrus Chestnut, managing his own record label (NAS) and leading his own group, Neal’s high level musicianship has been in demand among acclaimed artists including Tom Harrell, Anita Baker, Geri Allen, Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, Sonny Fortune, Jimmy Owens, Eddie Harris, Isaac Hayes, Gary Bartz, Benny Golson, Frank Morgan, Brian Lynch, Benny Green, Frank Foster, Dewey Redman, Mark Whitfield, Ronnie Mathews, Rufus Reid, Wendel Logan, James Moody, Marlena Shaw, and Vanessa Rubin.

Shows are 7 PM and 9 PM in the Frontier Room at The Clarion Hotel Riverside, 120 East Main Street, Rochester, New York 14604; call (585) 733-7685 for information.

Tickets are $ 20.00 (student tickets are $ 10.00 with a current ID) and can be reserved and/or paid for at:

TicketWeb.com, search “Cyrus Chestnut” or “Exodus To Jazz”
ExodusToJazz@aol.com with an e-mail reservation request (email confirmations will be returned)
At the door, the night of the show.

All tickets are available for pick-up at the Will Call desk beginning at 6:00 PM on the night of the show.

For more information visit: ExodusToJazz.com or call (585) 733-7685

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