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Avery Sharpe Trio at Sweet Rhythm (NYC)on May 15th and 16th

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Bassist/Composer & Bandleader Avery Sharpe will be performing with his Trio at Sweet Rhythm in New York City on May 15th & 16th, 2009 at 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM in celebration of their new Trio CD release Autumn Moonlight

Avery Sharpe Trio:
Avery Sharpe on bass


Onaje Allan Gumbs on piano
 Gene Jackson on drums



Sweet Rhythm, 88 Seventh Avenue South @ Bleecker St., NYC
For more information call 212-255-3626

“Even in these times of extraordinary bass players, Sharpe stands out.”
 —Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times



“Long-time bassist for McCoy Tyner, Sharpe excels on his instrument and shows creative composing and arranging skills as well.”
—Sunsh Stein, JazzTimes

About Avery Sharpe:

Honesty. Clarity. Dignity. These are words that come to mind when you listen to the music of bassist-composer Avery Sharpe. In an age of ephemeral pop stars and flavor-of-the- month trends, Sharpe is a reminder of the lasting value of steadfast dedication and personal integrity. As the title of one of his tunes asserts, “Always Expect the Best of Yourself.”

Sharpe was born in Valdosta, Georgia and his first instrument was the piano. “I started playing when I was eight years old,” he recalls. “My mother was a piano player in the Church of God in Christ, and she gave lessons to everybody in the family—I’m the sixth of eight children—but it didn’t stick until it got to me.” He moved on to accordion and then switched to electric bass in high school.

Sharpe enrolled at the University of Massachusetts, where he studied economics and continued to play electric bass in gospel, funk, and rock groups. While at UMass, he met the jazz bassist Reggie Workman, who encouraged him to learn the acoustic bass. Sharpe adapted quickly to the big instrument, and within a few years he was performing with such notables as Archie Shepp and Art Blakey. In 1980, Sharpe auditioned with McCoy Tyner and won a spot in the pianist’s group. He worked with Tyner almost continuously for 20 years, playing hundreds of live gigs and appearing on more than 20 records.

Sharpe’s credits also include sideman stints with many other jazz greats, from Dizzy Gillespie to Pat Metheny, as well as leading his own groups. His first recording as a leader was the 1988 album Unspoken Words on Sunnyside Records, which was praised by critic Jim Roberts as “a diverse, challenging record that rewards repeated listening.” In 1994, he recorded Extended Family, the first CD of a trilogy that includes Extended Family II: Thoughts of My Ancestors (1995) and Extended Family III: Family Values (2001). recording “Dragon Fly” on JKNM Records was released 2005, features Winard Harper and Onaje Allan Gumbs, with special guest Jeri Brown and Chico Freeman. “Legends and Mentors”-the music of McCoy Tyner,Archie Shepp and Yusef Lateef , released in 2008, features: John Blake, Joe Ford, Winard Harper and Onaje Allan Gumbs

All of these recordings were released on Sharpe’s own label, JKNM Records. His latest recording “Autumn Moonlight” released April 2009, features Avery’s Trio with Winard Harper and Onaje Allan Gumbs, All of Sharpe’s recordings feature his distinctive original compositions, which draw from the full range of his musical background. “The most important thing is depth,” he says. “You have to seek out what was happening before and try to understand it. In my music, I do things that are a little older as well as things that are contemporary. If I try to do just one type of music, that limits me. But the more bases I cover—the more experience I have in my life—the further I can go.” He is equally adept at songs and longer compositional forms. In 1989, he wrote and conducted the soundtrack for the movie An Unremarkable Life; a decade later, his six-movement piece America’s Promise debuted in a concert-hall performance that featured Sharpe’s quintet and a gospel choir backed by the Springfield (Mass.) Symphony Orchestra. In the 1990’s Sharpe was commissioned by the Classical group Fideleo to write 3 extended works for them.

Recently composed music for a one actor musical portrait based on the Harlem Renaissance titled “Raisin’ Cane”. He was commissioned by Chamber Music Plus (2004) to write the music for this portrait. This musical portrait will be on tour in 2007-2008 featuring the actress Jasmine Guy and the Avery Sharpe Trio, with Avery on bass, John Blake-violin and Kevin Sharpe-percussion.

In 2006 Avery has been commissioned by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (Springfield,MA)to write a Jazz Concerto for Jazz Trio and Orchestra. The performance will premier in the Spring of 2007. The trio will feature Kevin Eubanks-acoustic guitar, Marvin “Smitty” Smith-drums and Avery on Acoustic Bass

Regardless of the setting, Avery Sharpe always brings both exceptional musical skill and unswerving honesty to the endeavor. “You can be sincere or you can be jive about what you do,” he says. “People might not be able to tell at first, but if you’re really sincere it will come through.”

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