FREE CONCERT: JAZZ GUITAR OF AKIEM ESDAILE w/ Jack Berry and James Varnado

1331 1st Street,Sarasota FL 34236

17 August, 2022

Description

Join Akiem Esdaile and his friends Jack Berry on bass and James Varnado on drums for an inspiring evening of American jazz classics. Program: 1) Breezin George Benson  2) Four on Six Wes Montgomery 3) So What Miles Davis 4) What’s Goin On Marvin Gaye  5) Palm Trees Akiem Esdaile 6) Five Akiem Esdaile 7) Untitled Group Improvisation Pt 1 8) Untitled Group Improvisation Pt 2 Musicians: Guitar: Akiem Esdaile Bass: Jack Berry Drums: James Varnado Biographies: Akiem Esdaile: Guitar As a boy, Akiem began his musical journey with drums, under the tutelage of his father. He met bassist Jack Berry in Jami G’s Junior All Stars band as a teen, where he switched to the electric guitar, taking influence from such greats as George Benson and Wes Montgomery. Since then he has traveled and performed at such historic venues as Ronnie Scott’s in London and many others. Akiem has released three full length albums of original contemporary jazz fusion guitar. He is currently preparing for release of his next EP with Jack Berry. James Varnado: Drums Born into the New Orleans jazz scene, James has played with some of the finest names in music, including: Dixie Cups, The Meters, Charmaine Neville of the Neville Brothers, and Dickey Betts (Allman Bros.) He has toured alongside music greats Santana, Peter Frampton, ZZ Top, and BB King, With his strong belief in God and family, James has been blessed to be on stage playing and living a life doing what he loves to do. Now based in Sarasota, he has cultivated a community around open musical experiences and improvisation sessions. His jazz quartet embraces high-level musical technique and openness to exploration, pursing his love of jazz with The James Varnado Jazz Funk Band. Jack Berry: Bass Jack started in music by playing the cello in middle school. He switched to the upright bass in 2013 after joining the Pine View High School Jazz Band under the direction of jazz trumpet player Victor Mongillo, where he received the prestigious Louis Armstrong Award for Jazz Excellence. At a jam session later that year, he met drummer James Varnado, who helped introduce him to the local professional music scene. Since then he has toured & recorded throughout the US & Canada with a variety of artists/genres, performing on CNN, and in Times Square with his sustainability edutainment band ‘The Garbage-Men’. Jack also performed at the Montréal International Jazz Festival in 2018 with Grammy nominated artist, the late Bryan Lee. Jack is currently preparing for release of the debut album of his original experimental rock project, Aūto Kania. The Band The trio has been performing together since 2018, developing a unique intuitive improvisatory sound which fuses contemporary rhythms with the international jazz tradition. You can find their performances on YouTube and Spotify, and at many local and regional jazz venues.