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Charles Lane

Charles Lane's Bio

Charles Lane’s saxophone playing is a completely emotional experience. His progressive view on art compliments the way he writes, plays and understands music. Charles' playing has been called "technically great, alive and vibrant" (smilepolitely.com). Bending the rules of jazz by incorporating elements of the hip-hop, pop and jazz idioms, he views music as a forward thinking art-form that should be a reflection of the times, not what was, but what is and what will be.

Hailing from the North Suburbs of Chicago, Charles graduated with honors with a B.M. in Jazz Performance on the saxophone and a minor in Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnomusicology and Andean Studies at the esteemed University Of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign in the Spring of 2009. Of the many awards and scholarships Charles has been given, he was named a Fulbright Scholar Alternate to Lima, Peru in 2009. The list of exceptional artists Charles has had the privilege of performing with include the late Jazz Violin great Johnny Frigo, Count Basie drummer Harold Jones, Frank Sinatra drummer Bob Chmel, The Brubeck Brothers Trio, bassist Jeff Campbell, pianist Reggie Thomas, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery amongst others.

At the young age of 18, Charles toured Spain and Portugal on a fantastic three week tour in which his combo performed all over each country respectively. While in Spain and Portugal, Charles performed at the Spanish-American Embassy in Madrid and the Portuguese-American Embassy in Lisbon as well as other top venues in each country. Charles was one of three teaching assistants selected at the prestigious Birch Creek Music Performance Workshop in the summer of 2006 where he taught some of the best up and coming Jazz musicians in the country, while also playing in the professional all-star big-band, The Birch Creek Academy Band, for two weeks. His performances have not only spanned continents, but locally in Chicago and surrounding areas, at such well-known venues as The Jazz Showcase, Pete Miller’s, Hot House, Chicago’s Symphony Center and Grant and Millennium Parks respectively.

He has released two full length albums. The first, The Price Of Air is available everywhere music is sold on internet. It is an exploration of hip-hop and free music and how they can be joined with jazz.

His second album, Awaken will be released October 20, 2010, and is available in hard-copy, with digital distribution available in the coming months. It blends musics steeped in jazz tradition, to arrangements of both Fiona Apple and Radiohead pieces. With five originals, Lane is as proficient a composer as he is an arranger.

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The Price Of Air by Brian McGovern

From Joe Six-pack to Joe the Plumber to Joe Rock-oriented-music- enthusiast, when the term “Jazz” is brought up images are conjured of either 15 minute, unintelligible free form jams or of smooth but insufferably boring elevator music. The everyday man is content to “not get” Jazz or see it as something from another era. I admit, I more often look back than forward when listening to the genre, but that can only be seen as a fault.

Case in point: local musician and University of Illinois student, Charles Lane’s new album The Price of Air. Released October 9 at Zorba’s on Green Street, Lane’s 50 minute disc retells some tales, featuring three covers, but catches the listener’s attention with his original compositions. Though the seven- track album is a tad longer than the 30-40 minute pop/rock record, it doesn’t suffer by its length and allows for some rewarding moments to burst out of the mix. Recorded at Pogo Studios, Lane’s CD still manages to capture a vibrant, live feel. The disc features Lane on tenor and soprano saxophone while accompanied by drums, double bass, piano and trumpet.

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone, tenor

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Teaching Assistant - Birch Creek Music Performance Center, 2006 Jazz Theory Instructor - Midwest Young Artists, 2005 Private Saxophone/Piano Instructor - 2000-present Resides in Philadelphia, $40/hr.

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Awaken

Self Produced
2010

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