Jeff Shoup Quartet WSG 2013

Jeff Shoup photo by JDC Photography, JessicaCowles.com

Jeff Shoup Quartet (4 sets)
with special guests
Saturday, Aug 3, 2013 – Main Stage North
3:00 – 4:00 pm with Randy Marsh
5:30 – 6:30 pm with Rob Smith
7:30 – 8:30 pm with Freddie Cunningham
10:00 – 12:00 am with Mardra Thomas & more

 

Jeff Shoup has put together a very special quartet just for the 2013 Lansing JazzFest to serve as a core group of musicians backing up 3 great guest performers to be featured in 3 individual sets. Their 4th and final set of the night from 10:00pm to midnight will close out the 2013 Lansing JazzFest with various combinations of musicians who have performed throughout this annual Old Town event. You will want to come early to catch all the acts and stay late to experience the many memorable, in-the-moment jam sessions featuring the most amazing jazz musicians of our time.

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Jeff Shoup Quartet:

Saxophonist Ryan Freitas is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and singer that performs regularly across the state in a variety of genres. Raised in Willmar, Minnesota, he recently completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies at Michigan State University. Ryan is Pastoral Assistant at Riverview Church in Holt, and is active in the church’s music ministry.

Paul Bratcher is a pianist and composer that hails from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and just completed a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies at Michigan State University. He will be touring outside the US this Fall as part of American Music Abroad, a US State Department cultural exchange program. Upon return he plans to settle in New York City to further his career in music.

Joe Vasquez, bass, is a native of the Lansing area, and is in his final year of a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies at Michigan State University. At only 21 years of age Joe is already becoming an in-demand player for live performances and recording sessions.

Drummer Jeff Shoup grew up in St. Johns, Michigan and will be completing a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies this coming year at MSU. He performs regularly around mid-Michigan with a variety of jazz, blues, and funk artists, and maintains a growing teaching studio in downtown Lansing. Jeff recently recorded his first album with the “jump blues” band Those Delta Rhythm Kings, also featured at the Lansing JazzFest.

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Randy Marsh photo provided by performer.

Jeff Shoup Quartet
with guest, organissimo’s Randy Marsh.
Saturday, Aug 3, 2013 – 3:00 to 4:00 pm
Main Stage North

 

Drummer Randy Marsh, a third generation musician, has been professionally active for over 40 years. Though growing up in a jazz background, Marsh has performed in a wide variety of music and entertainment settings. In 1976 toured Europe with the Mike Grace Quartet, doing a record breaking 72 performances in 30 days! In 1978 recorded with legendary “Count Basie” tenor sax man Jimmy “Night train” Forrest also featuring jazz organist Shirley Scott. In 1981 the album was released on the Palo Alto Jazz label, entitled, “Heart Of The Forrest”

At the end of 1985, after a 4 year stint with a popular fusion band known as Turning Point, Marsh moved to the San Francisco bay area and quickly became a first call drummer on the music scene. From 1986 to 1988 he toured the United States, Canada, and Europe with the 1987 “Tony Award” winning theater company, the San Francisco Mime Troupe.

Randy Marsh is noted for his ability to adapt to many different styles of music including jazz,fusion, rock, funk, country, blues, and afro-latin as well as experimental form. Randy is also well known as an innovative harmonica player.

Randy can be heard at various music venues throughout Michigan and the Midwest, as well as CD recordings featuring jazz artists such as Jeff Haas, Paul VornHagen, Paul Keller,Claudia Schmidt, Laurie Sears & Ron Getz. Randy can also be heard with his ongoing jazz organ trios Organissimo and Big Organ Trio.

Randy Marsh on Organissimo website

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Rob Smith photo from Central Michigan University (www.cmich.edu)

Jeff Shoup Quartet
with guest, Rob Smith
Saturday, Aug 3, 2013 – 5:30-6:30 pm
Main Stage North

This set will feature special guest Rob Smith, who performs regularly on trumpet and saxophone throughout the United States, Canada and Europe with several notable jazz groups, including performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. As a performer, he’s heard on many recordings, and his compositions are widely used and recorded by other esteemed musicians as well. Smith is Director of Jazz Studies at Central Michigan University (CMU).

Rob Smith on CMU website

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Freddie Cunningham photo provided by performer.

Jeff Shoup Quartet
with guest, Root Doctor’s Freddie Cunningham

Saturday, Aug 3, 2013 – 7:30 to 8:30 pm
Main Stage North

 

Born just outside of Clarksdale, Mississippi, Freddie is the soul of Root Doctor. In a family where talent is plenty (his mother was the choir director at her church for years, his sister Vanessa sings with the Earl Nelson Singers Company of Lansing, MI, and his brother Tim is an accomplished jazz saxophonist), Freddie was exposed to music from day one. His mother recalled her son singing before he could talk. By the age of five Freddie was a featured member of his church choir and wowed audiences even then.

After his family moved north to find work in the factories, he joined various pick up bands and even toured a bit with a gospel group. However, it wasn’t until he became a formative member of Root Doctor in the early 90’s that Freddie’s star began to rise.

Freddie’s dynamic and powerful voice has drawn comparisons to such greats as Joe Williams, Lou Rawls, Sam Cooke, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnnie Taylor, and B.B. King.
(Source: http://www.rootdoctorband.com/bio.aspx)

Root Doctor Website (Freddie Cunningham)

Freddie Cunningham Facebook

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Mardra Thomas photo provided by performer.

Jeff Shoup Quartet
with guest, Mardra Thomas (& More)
Grand Finale of JazzFest 2013
Saturday, Aug 3, 2013 – 10:00 to 12:00am
Main Stage North

 

This closing set of the festival will include many guests who enjoy jamming with Shoup’s band, with Mardra Thomas during the first hour and more to follow!

Learn about Mardra on our site by clicking here.

Click here for Jeff Shoup Quartet Information