Jazz Composers Series
Re-Arrangements and Nu-Compositions
at the Metropolitan Gallery
The Big Orchestra Band, Youth Division
Saturdays through May 14, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Performers:
Marlin Bonds
As a well-schooled college graduate with a degree in music performance, St. Louis native Marlin “Hookman” Bonds originally broke into the music business as a trumpet player. What has happened since has redefined him as a hit songwriter/producer, a mentor of emerging talent and a musical entrepreneur.

Based in Los Angeles, Bonds has penned songs and worked with Flo Rida, E! Network, Tyrese, Twista, Bow Wow, and Swizz Beatz, Step Up 2 (The Movie), Lil Kim, Mike Epps and more. His name and brand continue to buzz with top executives in the music business creating bigger and better opportunities daily. Despite his emergence as a songwriter/producer, Bonds has not forsaken the trumpet; he played on Q-Tip’s Kamaal/The Abstract, has toured as a member of Mos Def’s big band and schedules live performances nationwide.

Bonds takes a wide-screen view of his future endeavors. He has become a known player in the music business and plans to a continue building on both the recording platform as a writer/producer/exec, and the performance platform as a trumpet player musician.

Sound Clinic
George Sams (trumpet) will be re-teaming with saxophonist Lewis Jordan in a new edition of their group The Sound Clinic to perform music by Ornette Coleman. Sound Clinic was originally formed by Sams, Lewis Jordan and Bruce Ackley in San Francisco in 1975 amid the emerging free improvisation scene there. Sams and Jordan will be joined by Chicago bassist Yosef Ben Israel and St. Louisan Charles "Bobo" Shaw on drums.

Rudi Mwongozi
Rudi Mwongozi is a pianist, composer and vocalist. He is a native of Oakland California. The name Mwongozi means "leader" is the Swahili language . Mwongozi is the founder of SONWA (Sounds of New World Afrikah) a collective of artists, musicians, and business people working together to promote and advance the arts in the San Francisco/Oakland bay area. Since August of 2008 he has been a resident of New York City.

As well as being a serious composer of jazz, Mwongozi speaks fluently in a multitude of music and dance styles including raggea, soca/calypso, the blues, hip-hop ad gospel. His career began during his college years in the city of Portland Oregon where he began to make a name for himself as a jazz performer and as the founder of a number of music ensembles including the original New World Afrika. In 1977 he returned to Oakland where he was a member of a number of exciting and innovative music ensembles which included St. Louis native Rasul Siddik's Now! Artet ( a group which also featured the saxophone genius of Ghasem Batamuntu), United Front founded by another St. Louis native George Sams along with Lewis Jordan, and Autumn featuring tenor saxophonist Ray Collins. Other notable musicians Mwongozi has performed or recorded with include Billy Higgins, Pharoah Saunders, Steve Turre, John Handy, and jazz vocalist extraordinaire Diane Witherspoon.

At the same time Mwongozi was conducting jazz and vocal workshops in bay area schools and cultural centers . He taught music at San Francisco county jail through a program funded by the California Arts Council and conducted music workshops and programs in Californa state prisons such as Folsom, San Quentin, Soladad and others throughout the state.

The last few years have seen Rudi Mwongozi concentrate more on his career as an ensemble leader, composer, and album producer. His group is called SONWA which stands for Sound Of New World Afrikah and he has released five self produced albums under his name. "Sounds of New World Afrikah" (1995) "Liberation Gospel" (1996), "Music From The Sacred Space" (2003), "Haqqiqa/Seeking Reality" (2005) and "Keys To The Treasures Of Heaven And Earth" (2008).

Marvin Horne
Guitarist, Composer, Arranger

Born in 1953 in St. Louis, Missouri, Marvin attended the University of Missouri. In 1976 he began playing with Chico Hamilton, drummer, composer until 1979 at this point he continued his Blessed career by joining the legendary band of Elvin Jones until 1983.

Marvin's stunning technical command and superb musicianship have earned him his long time associations with such artists as Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, The Dells, Nancy Wilson, Billy Eckstine, Ronnie Burrage, James Spaulding, Sarah Dash and Jack McDuff. He has recorded with Chico Hamilton, Elvin Jones, Sarah Hummel, Nat Dixon, Kenny Kirkland, Pucho & The Latin Soul Bros., Bluenoise. and Chris White. Marvin has 3 movie soundtrack credits including "Color of Rage"; a Documentary, "Black Las Vegas - In Through the Back Door" and "Destination Unknown" a television show - BET Jazz - "Pucho and the Latin Brothers."

Currently, Marvin has been collaborating in studio recordings in concert and in production with RoBurrage Music Productions. His work with fellow St.Louis musicians, Ronnie Burrage and violinist Eric Delente can be heard on their new CD, “Bluenoise.”

Marvin can also be heard swinging at the Cotton Club on 125th Street with The Cotton Club all stars, where he plays regularly with two power packed bands, a 13 piece swing band, and a 7 piece Blues and Jazz Band. He is also the music director for the Cotton Club gospel choir. Marvin appears regularly on the NY jazz club circuit playing venues such as 55 Bar, Porters, Sugar Bar, Zinc Bar, Mobay, Kavehaz, Lenox Lounge, and Le Bar Bat. As guitarist and leader, Marvin appears with his own band which includes Ryan Weaver on keyboards, Gerald Hayes on alto sax, Phil Young and Buddy Williams alternating on drums and Stanley Banks on bass. In addition to original compositions, the Marvin’s band plays Latin, Jazz, Blues and Gospel music.

In the pocket groove, a relaxed yet masterful swing, harmonic expertise and lightening technical execution are an unmistakable and powerful facet of Marvin's "style," garnering notice from colleagues and jazz critics alike.

The Nu-Art Series is a Not-for-Profit Arts Organization.