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George Fludas

George Fludas was born in Chicago on October 10, 1966. His interest in drumming began when he was very young due to the influence of his father, who played drums and was an avid jazz fan. His father taught him the basics and frequently took George to see the great jazz drummers, such as Art Blakey, Max Roach and Buddy Rich. He majored in music at Lane Tech High School and attended Roosevelt University in 1985-86, majoring in percussion. He left school in 1987 to learn his craft first hand by playing in Chicago clubs with local greats like Von Freeman, Jodie Christian and Lin Halliday, as well as in groups with the area's top young musicians of the day, including Ron Blake, Jesse Davis, David Hazeltine, Bobby Broom, and Eric Alexander. Over the past 20 years he has performed at concert halls, festivals, and clubs throughout North America, Europe and Asia with numerous jazz greats, including Kenny Burrell, Betty Carter, Junior Cook, Lou Donaldson, Tommy Flanagan, Benny Golson, Benny Green, Eric Reed, Johnny Griffin, Roy Hargrove, Barry Harris, Hank Jones, Buddy Montgomery, David "Fathead" Newman, Nicholas Payton, Marlena Shaw, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ira Sullivan, Clark Terry, Frank Wess and Phil Woods. He was a member of legendary bassist Ray Brown's trio in 2000-2001, and toured with Diana Krall's group in 2002. In recent years he has toured extensively with Monty Alexander's trio and Jazz and Roots group, pianist Cedar Walton and vocalist Roberta Gamberini. He performs regularly in Chicago with local artists and visiting headliners at the Jazz Showcase, Andy's Jazz Club and The Green Mill. Recording credits include CDs with Ray Brown, Eric Alexander, Monty Alexander, Kyle Asche, Geof Bradfield, Bobby Broom, Scott Burns, Lin Halliday, Ira Sullivan and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra.

Gear

Gretsch drums, Bosphorus cymbals


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Album Review

Rich Willey: Puttin' On the Ritz

Read "Puttin' On the Ritz" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


When Irving Berlin wrote “Puttin' On the Ritz" in 1927 on a unique “transposing piano" tuned to his preferred key of F#, little could he ever know that one day, among the myriad numbers of covers of the tune, that it would title an album that features, among other attractions, Electronic Voice Instrument “wah-wah" solos. Putting that on hold, Rich Willey's effort apes the concept of that tune as an elegant effort. “Puttin' On the Ritz" offers ...

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Album Review

Paul Marinaro: Not Quite Yet

Read "Not Quite Yet" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


Singer Paul Marinaro issued his acclaimed debut album Without A Song (122 Myrtle Records) in 2013. Seven years after the release of his follow-up, “One Night In Chicago" (122 Myrtle Records), and with almost a decade of performing from coast to coast at top-end clubs, including New York's Birdland, he has released Not Quite Yet, which is devoted to exploring timeless themes, such as life, love and the search for lasting connections. Accompanying Marinaro are longtime band members guitarist Mike ...

7
Album Review

Paul Marinaro: Not Quite Yet

Read "Not Quite Yet" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


The cover of the album is vaguely noir, with the urban greenish cast of tungsten film. A sole figure leans slightly against a building, downcast, staring into his soul, and waiting out a lit cigarette when it was still hip to smoke. The guy is Frank Sinatra and the album was In The Wee Small Hours. The year is 1955. It is difficult to believe that jny: Chicago-based vocalist Paul Marinaro has even been born, but clearly, Sinatra will make ...

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Album Review

Eric Jacobson: Discover

Read "Discover" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


With Discover, jny: Milwaukee-based trumpeter and jazz educator Eric Jacobson and team take us on an aural time trip back to the days when album covers were iconically black and white or monochrome and the contents within were drenched in blue-hued Hard Bop. This is a fine effort with that precise presentation. “New Combinations," which launches the date, is anything but new and sets the trajectory. One of four Jacobson originals, it is a straight-head burner directly ...

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Album Review

Eric Jacobson: Discover

Read "Discover" reviewed by Jack Bowers


If trumpeter Eric Jacobson's name doesn't ring a bell, it could be because he is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, not in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles or any other jazz mecca. What's more, Jacobson has not recorded often; Discover is only his second date as leader or co-leader. Hindrances aside, Jacobson's is a name with which one should become familiar, as he is an excellent trumpeter and composer, and Discover is splendid from start to finish. ...

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Album Review

Kyle Asche Organ trio: Five Down Blues

Read "Five Down Blues" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


It has been well documented that the Covid-19 pandemic has played havoc with the careers of the participants in the arts. The members of the Kyle Asche Organ Trio have also felt its sting. But fortunately they have a musical snapshot of the final time they made music together in March 2020, which forms the basis of this release entitled Five Down Blues. In this live eight track session, guitarist Asche along with Pete Benson on Hammond Organ and drummer ...

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Album Review

Alyssa Allgood: What Tomorrow Brings

Read "What Tomorrow Brings" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


In the chemistry lab, solvents are said to be punctilious when they have been completely purified through filtering, distillation, and chromatography. Punctilious ether, if a sound, could be compared to the perfectly polished tone generated from lead crystal when struck with a platinum spoon. This is the level of refinement heard in Alyssa Allgood's voice on What Tomorrow Brings. Allgood has been filtering and distilling her tone over three previous recordings: Lady BIrd (Self Produced, 2015); Out Of The Blue ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Now, THAT'S Amore!

Late Nite Records
2023

buy

Puttin' On the Ritz

Boptism Music
2023

buy

Discover

Origin Records
2022

buy

Not Quite Yet

122 Myrtle Records
2022

buy

What Tomorrow Brings

Cellar Records
2021

buy

Five Down Blues

Cellar Records
2021

buy

New Combinations

From: Discover
By George Fludas

Videos

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