International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Cyrus Chestnut

Cyrus (* 1963 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a jazz pianist and composer. He began learning to play the piano at age seven, and in his boyhood played at Mount Calvary Baptist Church. By the age of nine, he was studying classical music at the Peabody Institute. In 1985, Cyrus earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging from Boston's Berklee College of Music.

In 2006, Telarc released Genuine Chestnut, his first album for the label. On it he is accompanied by his regular trio of Michael Hawkins, bass and Neal Smith, drums. Additional artists on this session include Russell Malone, guitar and Steven Kroon, percussion. It includes jazz interpretations of some well-known pop numbers of the past half-century, including "If", the early 1970s soft-rock ballad by Bread. "This song has been with me ever since the sixth grade," Chestnut recalled, "I had to play it for my English teacher's wedding. I've played it in many and various contexts. I actually played it in a Top 40 band when I was just out of school. A lot of time has passed, but then recently I just started thinking about it again." Chestnut's own "Mason-Dixon Line" is one of the album's high points, a joyful bebop number.

The Blues Chronicles Atlantic 82893-2 recorded in New York, NY/USA	Gary Bartz, soprano sax, alto sax Tom Williams, trumpet Russell Malone, guitar Cyrus Chestnut, organ, piano George Colligan, piano James King, bass Dennis Chambers, drums Greg Bandy, drums Jon Hendricks, vocals
Underground Antilles 314 537 745-2 recorded 1997 in New York, NY/USA and London/Great Britain	Courtney Pine, soprano sax, tenor sax, bass clarinet, flute Nicholas Payton, trumpet Mark Whitfield, guitar Cyrus Chestnut, piano, organ Reginald Veal, double bass Jeff "Tain" Watts, drums Jhelisa, vocals
In Carterian Fashion Atlantic 83082 recorded in New York, NY/USA	James Carter, soprano sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass clarinet Cassius Richmond, alto sax Dwight Adams, trumpet Craig Taborn, Hammond organ Henry Butler, Hammond organ Cyrus Chestnut, Hammond organ Steve Kirby, bass Jaribu Shahid, bass Alvester Garnett, drums Tani Tabbal, drums
A Charlie Brown Christmas Atlantic 83366 recorded in New York, NY/USA	Cyrus Chestnut, organ, piano Gary Bartz, alto sax Kenny Garrett, alto sax Michael Brecker, tenor sax Steve Turre , trombone Wallace Roney, trumpet Hubert Laws, flute Ardeshir Farah, guitar Pat Martino, guitar Jorge Strunz, guitar Stefon Harris, vibes Tollak Ollestad, harmonica Christian McBride, bass Steve Gadd, drums Don Alias, percussion The Boys Choir of Harlem, vocals Mark Duncan, vocals Antoine Gardner, vocals The Manhattan Transfer, vocals Kevin Miller, vocals Anthony Taylor, vocals Vanessa Williams, vocals
Dem Bones Maxjazz MXJ 111 recorded August 2000 in New York, NY/USA	Carla Cook, vocals Craig Harris, trombone Tyrone Jefferson, trombone Fred Wesley, trombone Katsuhiko Naito, recorder Cyrus Chestnut, organ, piano, Fender Rhodes James Genus, bass Billy Kilson, drums Jeff Haynes, percussion
Gold Songs Brown Brothers Recordings BBR-CD1 recorded September 2004 in New York, NY/USA	James Carter, soprano sax, tenor sax Cyrus Chestnut, piano, organ, Fender Rhodes Reginald Veal, bass, vocals Ali Muhammed Jackson, drums, percussion, tambourine, vocals
Get Ready Mack Avenue Records 1034 recorded in New York, NY/USA	Carl Allen, drums Rodney Whitaker, bass Steve Wilson, soprano sax, alto sax Rodney Jones, guitar Cyrus Chestnut, organ Dorsey Robinson, organ
Blackside Jazz Legacy Productions JLP 1201019 recorded February and May 2012 in South Orange, NJ/USA	Mark Gross, soprano sax, alto sax Michael Dease, trombone Jason Jackson, trombone Curtis Henderson, trombone Robert Edwards, bass trombone Stanton Caldwell III, trumpet James Gibbs III, trumpet Greg Gisbert, trumpet Randall Haywood, trumpet Freddie Hendrix, trumpet, flugelhorn Yotam Silberstein, guitar Cyrus Chestnut, organ, piano Dezron Douglas, bass Gregory Hutchinson, drums Vanderlei Pereira, percussion Evan Sherman, percussion Rosena M. Hill, vocals
The Groove Lab Jando Music VVJ 103 recorded August 2013 in Brooklyn, NY/USA	Ameen Saleem, bass Stacy Dillard, soprano sax, tenor sax Roy Hargrove, trumpet, flugelhorn Craig Magnano, guitar Cyrus Chestnut, organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer Jeremy " Bean" Clemons, drums, percussion Gregory Hutchinson, drums Ramona Dunlop, vocals Mavis "Swan" Poole, vocals
Angels Jazz Legacy Productions 1501021	Andy Scott, vocals Andres Boiarsky, tenor sax, clarinet Greg Gisbert, trumpet Freddie Hendrix, trumpet Anne Drummond, alto flute Yotam Silberstein, guitar Cyrus Chestnut, organ, piano Abelita Mateus, piano, Fender Rhodes, vocals Dezron Douglas, bass Evan Sherman, drums Vince Ector, drums, percussion Roger Squitero, percussion Ronell Bey, vocals

contact:
homepage:	cyruschestnut.net
	Click on the logo to see Cyrus' tour dates.

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