Marcus Shelby Trio Featuring Ed Reed: Nat King Cole, Blues, Ballads and Swing

The Marcus Shelby Trio was founded in 1997 and performs regularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, including national and international festivals.  The trio consists of Marcus Shelby (bass), Adam Shulman (piano) and Jeff Marrs (drums).  The MST performs original compositions, re-arranged Standards, Spirituals, Rhythm and Blues, and Pop music—all with a progressive influence of Swing, Ballads, and Blues.  The MST has released 2 CDs (“Un Faux Pas”, “The Sophisticate”), and serves as the rhythm section for the Marcus Shelby Orchestra, which has released 4 CDs, including their last recording on Porto Franco Records Soul of the Movement.  Tonight’s program will feature the dynamic vocalist Ed Reed who has made the Downbeat Critics Rising Star poll (2008, 2009, and 2011), and also a selection of original and standard compositions by Marcus Shelby. Ed Reed has several CDs out and tours and performs locally regularly.

Ed Reed: “Growing up in Watts, California in the 1930s and 40´s provided a rare musical learning environment. I was in high school talent shows with “Little Esther” Phillips and Bobby Nunn of the Coasters. I learned to sing chord changes from the man who would become jazz master Charles Mingus while he was minding his sister´s kids across the street from my house.  Alienated by teachers who wanted me to go to shoe shop when I wanted to study debate, I left high school before graduation and joined the Army where I became addicted to heroin.  I served four stints in San Quentin and Folsom prisons on drug-related charges. I think, partly due to my love of jazz, I was able to survive those ordeals. In two of my incarcerations, I was a featured singer in the warden´s show performing with an inmate big band with Art Pepper soloing on all of my tunes. When I wasn´t doing time, I did many “open mikes” with jazz greats like Wardell Gray, Art Farmer, Hampton Hawes, Dexter Gordon, and others.”

Ed Reed: vocals
Adam Shulman: piano
Marcus Shelby: bass
Jeff Marrs: drums

www.marcusshelby.com
http://edreedsings.com/index.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrSBoArCUJ0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gIK666kgUk&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJyJbFyngLE
http://edreedsings.com/index.htm

$15-20 admission. Cash only.
Doors at 7:30 pm.  Show at 8:00 pm.