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Kenny Kotwitz & The L:A Jazz Quintet - When Lights Are Low


GA Russell

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  Artist Title Time    
 
 
 
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet When Lights Are Low 04:29    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Skylark 05:08    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Cry Me A River 04:37    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Estate (Summer) 06:15    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet When Sunny Gets Blue 04:36    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Crazy She Calls Me 02:48    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Darn That Dream 04:12    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Harlem Nocturne 04:14    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Manhattan 03:07    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Mood Indigo 05:01    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Polka Dots And Moonbeams 04:12    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet Stairway To The Stars 04:22    
  Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet When Lights Are Low (Reprise) 02:02    
 
 
 

Kenny Kotwitz & The LA Jazz Quintet
"When Lights Are Low"


Format(s): Jazz

 
 

Kenny Kotwitz - accordian and celeste

Kenny Kotwitz was born on April 27, in Milwaukee Wisconsin. At age  5 his parents purchased the first of many accordions to come.  Kenny’s Uncle Roy played a “button- box” at all the family  gatherings, and encouraged the young accordionist to play along.  Frank Cascio of Cascio Music Co., New Berlin, Wisconsin accepted  the youngster as a student. It was he, who laid down a solid  technical foundation, emphasizing a thorough understanding of  harmony and theory. Kenny identifies Frank as the first of two  musicians to have had the greatest influence on his career.

By his early teens, Kenny was leading his own band performing in  and around Wisconsin. While still in high school, Kenny and his  group were flown to Los Angeles to perform on ABC-TV’s “Lawrence  Welk Show”. At 19, a good friend of Kenny’s, John Skiba, introduced  him to the man who would become his second major influence – Art  Van Damme. For the next three years, Art shared the techniques and  subtle nuances unique to this international poll-winning jazz  accordionist. Many years later they recorded an album together for  Pausa Records, “Art Van Damme and Friends”, which featured Art,  Kenny, Frank Marocco, Pete Jolly, Chuck Berghofer, and Jef Hamilton.

Kenny moved to California after his discharge from the U.S. Army as  a soloist with the NORAD Band. After a short stint conducting for  the Mills Bros. Kenny met his future wife, singer Mary McDermott.  After working together for several years in Wisconsin and California  Kenny proposed to her and they were married. They moved to Los  Angeles where they currently reside and have a beautiful daughter,  Kimberly, who works in the advertising businessl. Mary can be  heard on 3 of Kenny’s CDs: “Front Street,” “The Moon Is Blue,” and  Reflections On Christmas.

Kenny has been busy as composer, arranger, and keyboardist as  well as accordionist. He has been recording music for motion  pictures, television, CDs, as well as commercials,commercial jingles.  He has worked with the best composers, singers, and instrumentalists. Michel Legrand, Dave Grusin, Johnny Mercer,  Johnny Mandel, Alf Clausen, Danny Elfman, and Alan Sylvestri, to  name a few. But appreciation for Kenny’s musical style and talent  extend beyond the U.S. border. He has performed around the world,  playing concerts in Finland, Switzerland, Italy, and France. While  working in Paris at the “New Morning” jazz club, Kenny recorded a  CD called “Cordes Et Lames +1 Accordion Madness” with accordionist Francis Varis. Kenny has also  played in Guatemala City and in Mexico City.

He has also been on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, The Mike  Douglas Show, The Steve Allen Show, Art Linkletter’s House Party.  He has played live at Carnagie Hall and The Hollywood Bowl.

As a musician, Kenny has slowly added color, texture, contour and  shading to his musical “palette” – the result is a feel, form, and unique signature-sound that defines the artist –  Kenny Kotwitz.

Chuck Berghofer - bass

Chuck Berghofer enjoys a varied career as a jazz musician and  recording artist. He has performed on hundreds of movie  soundtracks and TV shows, receiving the NARAS award for the most  valuable bass player for 4 consecutive years. Two of his biggest  ‘hits’ were his bass solo on ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’ and  the Barney Miller TV theme. He has worked with many jazz legends  including Herb Ellis, Zoot Sims,Shelly Manne, Stan Getz, and  renowned vocalists including Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme,  Barbra Streisand, Joni Mitchell, Michael Buble. In the 90’s, Chuck  joined the rhythm section to tour with Frank Sinatra, and later  recorded the classic Duets I and II. He now records and performs  with Seth MacFarlane. Chuck has appeared twice on the cover of  Jazz Journal magazine, and his warm, rich bass sound has been  recognized for over 60 years.

John Chiodini - Guitar

Guitarist and composer John Chiodini began his performing career  in clubs, ecording studios and theaters throughout New England in  the 1960's and 1970's. As a member of the Boston Pops Orchestra  under Arthur Fiedler, John made numerous appearances in concerts  and on recordings, including the long-running PBS television series  "Evening At Pops". In the early 1980's, he relocated to Los Angeles,  touring, writing, and recording with Peggy Lee. His MCA recording  entitled "Weightless" was critically acclaimed. He toured and  recorded with Natalie Cole ("Unforgettable" tour). Other artists with  whom John has toured and/ or recorded include: Buddy DeFranco,  Maynard Ferguson, Carl Andersen, Louis Bellson, Tony Bennett,  Michael Bolton, Bobby Caldwell, Celine Dion, Dr. John, Arthur  Hamilton, Shirley Horn, Lainie Kazan, Hubert Laws, Barry Manilow,  Rebecca Parris, Terry Harrington, Diane Schuur, Nina Simone, Barbra  Streisand, Nancy Wilson, Michael Buble.

Nick Mancini - vibraphone

Nick Mancini is a native of Upstate New York. After a 10 year stint in  NYC, he relocated to LA in 2006, where he has remained ever since.  He is well-liked and respected by his peers, colleagues, and  audiences and can be seen performing all over LA with the finest  musicians the city has to ofer. As a sideman and band leader he’s  toured through Europe, Australia, and Tahiti. His playing can be  heard on TV and feature films such as “Turbo”, and he’s performed  and recorded with jazz, pop and a ante guard artists the likes of  Kamasi Washington, Arturo Sandoval, New York Voices, Peter  Erskine, Santi Gold, Dr. Dre, and Solange... and the list goes on.

Kendall Kay - drums

Kendall is a native of Durban, South Africa. After working with most  of the major artists there, Kendall moved to the US in 1983, and attended the prestigious music program at North Texas University.  After graduating, he arrived in Los Angels in 1987 and has been  playing and recording with a wide range of artists ever since. His  resume includes work with Diane Schuur, Alan Broadbent, Phil  Upchurch, Kiki Ebsen, Bobby Shew, Kyle Eastwood, Mary Wilson, Jack  Jones, Mark Murphy and Rickie Lee Jones.

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Edited by GA Russell
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