Michael White is a jazz violinist /composer/educator. He has been fortunate to have played with many legendary jazz giants, such as John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, John Handy, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Stevie Wonder, Sonny Simmons and many others, throughout his music career. Also in the early 70's, He was a major recording artist as a leader with Impulse and Elektra/Asylum. Thereafter for about three decades, his musical endeavors have lead into recording as a guest player with artists of many different genres.

With newly released CD "Voices", "Michael White Quintet" was born. The recording brought together a union of great musicians, a grammy winning bassist Cecil McBee and Kenneth Nash-percussion, along with Tim Young-guitar and Leisei Chen-voice. The artistic expressions are extended to it's concept of color, design, liner notes

We discovered that our musical philosophy had a mutual spiritual dynamic.
The four corner stones of our music are " Love, Healing, Inspiration & Hope"
Our sound is intended to touch one's heart and fill one's body with a kozmic groove.

Our band is available for international engagements, festivals, concerts, workshops and multimedia recording projects. The band's instrumentation consists of Violin, Vocals/Voice, Guitar, Bass and Percussion. Our repertoire covers original compositions, jazz classics, bossa nova, latin, and sponteneous sound improvisation.

Current Reissues

09/27/05 - The Land Of Spirit And Light - Impluse! : UMG - USA & Europe
10/12/05 - Pneuma - Impulse! : UMG - Japan
06/13/06 - Pneuma - Impulse! : UMG - USA

CD Voices Press Reviews

"Renowned jazz violinist Michael White derives inspiration from love, healing, inspiration and hope to consummate these rather striking sequence of musical events. With percussionist Kenneth Nash’ mystical cymbal shadings and guitarist Timothy Young’s intricate chord voicings, the music iterated here is founded upon a spiritually uplifting vibe. Here, White explores microtonal based mysticisms counterbalancing his soaring lines often accompanied by Leisei Chen’s wordless vocals. In addition, the ensemble pursues ostinato motifs, mid-tempo swing vamps and other hybrid, jazz-based forays.

The violinist’s mode of attack also includes a warm-hearted calypso groove on “Fiesta Dominical,” and a soul-stirring, inward-looking spin on the standard “My One And Only Love.” Bass great Cecil McBee closely contrasts White’s sweet-toned phrasings via his impeccable timing and harmonically attractive voicings. This endeavor is seemingly steeped within a plight to uncover a hidden beauty of sorts as White’s artistic mastery radiates in multifarious colors here!"
by Glenn Astarita, eJazz News

" . . . Voices may come from a variety of places, but at its core is White, whose own vulnerable voice remains one of the more distinctive in jazz violin."
by John Kelman, All About Jazz

"On his latest release, a too-much overlooked artist revisits a too-much overlooked masterpiece from over thirty years ago . . . With the release of Voices and the re-release of The Land of Spirit and Light on Verve, lets hope Michael White ceases to be one of the great overlooked artists in jazz, and gets the audience he deserves."
by Rob Johnson, Jazz Review

"I savored the rasping moans and chanting clangs of this adventurous violinist's new CD, Voices (Izniz Recordings). White's burgundy tone, funky pizzicati, and easygoing arrangements smartly blend jazz and folk music from around the world . . . . "
by Stranger Magazine

"There's much radiant warmth and intelligence on display on this cd, with outstanding playing, particularly from Michael White and Tim Young, throughout. Some of my favorite things (so far) - 'Circumambulation'; the parts of 'Serenade' with the violin uncannily doubling Leisei Chen's voice, 'Mechanical Man'... Unlike many recordings, the louder you turn it up, the better and clearer it sounds! Very enjoyable, I'm glad I found out about Michael White, and 'Voices'.
by Steve Wilson

" loved all of it particularly voices,serenade and fiesta. i hope there is more coming from mr white." by K.Davis, NYC

" Inspirational! Organic! "
by Doung Hare, Jack Straw's Sonarchy Radio, Seattle WA

" Voices has found a permanent place in my CD player!"
by R. Dawson, D.C.

" More I listen to "Voices", I feel good and my mind is transformed "
by Taneo, Japan

Awards
The Song "Mechanical Man" from CD "Voices", As The Winner in the Best Song-Jazz Category Of 2007 The 6TH Annual Independent Music Awards (IMAs)

The Song "Mechanical Man" from CD "Voices", As The Second Place Winner in the Jazz Category Of 2006 International Songwriting Competition (ISC). It was judged through 15,000 entries from 88 countries.

The Song "Fiesta Dominical" from CD "Voices" As The Honorable Mention in The World Music Category of 2006 The John Lennon Songwriting Contest (JLSC).

Film & TVs
The Song "Fiesta Dominical" from CD "Voices" placed in the PBS primetime documentary TV series "Roadtrip Nation 2007". To be aired on TV in the Fall Season 2007. Also available on the Official Website, MSN, DVD, Soundtrack.

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MICHAEL WHITE - Violinist / Composer 

Michael White is a truly original and groundbreaking violinist in the realm of jazz. In the 1960s, he introduced the violin into the free jazz scenes of the Bay Area and New York, playing with luminaries such as Sun Ra and Pharoah Sanders. In the early 1970s, he was a founding member of the first fusion group, the "Fourth Way". He released five albums with the Michael White Quartet on Impulse records, and toured throughout the United States and Europe. He has performed in Lagos, Nigeria with Stevie Wonder and Sun Ra. He continues to play with Pharoah Sanders, appearing on Sanders' 1996 album Message From Home. In 1998 he released an album of duets with Bill Frisell entitled Motion Pictures. His latest recording "Voices", features a reunion with his original Impulse! Records rhythm section of Cecil McBee, bass; Kenneth Nash, percussion; along with guitarist Timothy Young and vocalist Leisei Chen.

In addition to the newly released album "Voices", his impulse albums "The Land of Spirit and Light" and "Pnuema" have recently been reissued by Impulse and "The Blessing Song" has compiled among the world's renowned DJs - Kyoto Jazz Massive "Succession Of Spirit" (Japan), "Pure Fire! A Gilles Peterson Impulse! Collection"(UK) and others. Highly acclaimed as a Spiritual Jazz Master, his music is resonating through generations globally.

Michael White was a former Capitol, Impulse and Elektra/Asylum recording artist.

Performed with the Other Artists And Bands:
Michael White has appeared in San Francisco, as a special guest with The John Coltrane Quartet, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Gallison, Elvin Jones, along with Wes Mongomery and Eric Dolphy.
Joe Bonner, Richard Davis,Henry Grimes, Tootie Heath, Philly Joe Jones (band), Rasaan Roland Kirk (band), Herbie Lewis, Buddy Montgomery, Eddie Moore, Phineas Newborn Jr., Odean Pope, George Szabo, Lonnie Liston Smith, McCoy Tyner, Alice Coltrane, Joe Henderson, John Handy, Sonny Simmons and others.

Appearances at the festivals:
Montreux Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Berkeley Jazz Festival, Pacific Coast Jazz Festival, FESTAC Multi-Arts Festival (Lagos, Nigeria), Newport Jazz Festival Violin Summit (with Ray Nance and Jean Luc-Ponty), Eddie Moore Jazz Festival (San Francisco, California), San Francisco Jazz Festival (Fourthway Reunion)

National Awards:
* 2007 Winner in The 6th Annual Independent Music Awards (IMAs)
* 2006 Second Place Winner in The International Songwriting Competition (ISC)
* 2006 Honorable Mentions-Session 1 in The John Lennon Songwriting Contest.(JLSC)
* Voice of America Radio New Star Awards
* Down Beat Magazine Award for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition
* Faculty member of the Cornish College of The Arts

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LEISEI CHEN - Vocals / Voice / Composer

Leisei Chen is one of those rare vocalists that comes alone once in a blue moon.She was born in Kobe, Japan of  Chinese heritage and attended Chinese and Japanese schools. She is also a american citizen who speaks and writes fluently in Japanese, English,an Mandarin Chinese.A Child prodigy at age 4 of the electric organ and at age 7 the piano. Leisei's vast musical knowledge includes classical western and Chinese music, as well as all types of modern music. Percussion studies at age 19 at which time she became interested in Jazz, Latin and Brazilian Music, while currently specializing in  Bossa Nova and Jazz. She also is versed in Tibetan spiritual healing sounds.She is very eclectic in her musical tastes, and she has attended the world renowned Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, studying Jazz vocal. She was also an original member of the house band at Jazz Alley, Seattle's famous top Jazz club in the Northwest. Also she has performed many types of venues in Japan, Italy, China, U.S.A.  Leisei has released a very beautiful CD " Voice of Brazil", accompanied by Brazilian guitarist  Marco de Carvlho, and drummer Ted Britton. Along with this year's (2004) recording of a compilation CD 'Wedding Project' (american rag cie records), receiving rave notices in Japan, as well as a CD 'Voices' released this year (2004) with The Michael White Quintet.

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MICHAEL HOWELL - Guitar / Composer 

Born in Kansas City Mo., innovative and skillful guitarist, Michael Howell was inspired and taught by his father and noted K.C. guitarist Herley Dennis in his youth. He later studied classical guitar at the Music and Arts Institute of San Francisco, and received a degree in Music from Lehman College in New York. Michael has performed and recorded with his own group as well as other musicians such as Bobby Hutchenson, Hampton Hawes, Art Blakey, George Duke, Gene Ammons, and Woody Shaw. He performed as a special guest at the Monterey Jazz Festival Guitar Summit which also included guitarist Joe Pass, Mondell Lowe, Jim Hall, and Lee Riteniur. Michael also worked five years internationally one of the great bebop inventors - the music genius and master entertainer - Dizzy Gillespie. Michael also performed on a number of televisions shows such as Oscar Brown Jr's "Jump Street", 60 Minutes, and The Today Show. He has recorded three solo albums: "Alone" on Catalyst Records, and "Looking Glass" & "In The Silence" on Mile Stone Records. The Michael Howell Trio has toured Italy doing concerts and master classes. He has toured with the Boys Choir of Harlem, and did an Ambassador tour with the Jimmy Owens Plus Group. Michael is in demand as an accompanist. He most recently performed with the wonderful singer Diane Reeves. Michael has taught both guitar and bass at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, the Harlem School of the Arts, and the Lucy Moses for Music and Dance. Presently, he teaches guitar at the JazzMobile Workshop where he was worked since 1990

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KENNETH NASH - Percussion / Composer

Kenneth Nash is creating some of today's most rhythmically compelling music. Breaking out into a  superbly syncopated realm all his own, this accomplished musician, composer, producer, arranger and author isbuilding bridges of sound with compositions that unite numerous forms and idioms.  Fusing jazz, pop and  world-music elements, he creates an effervescent brand of music.  He draws on a wealth of experience that  stretches over two decades.  The impact of his music is as refreshing as the compositions themselves.  His sounds pay no heed to formulas; crossing cultural and international boundaries.   "What I'm doing is taking my musical influences:  classical, Cuban, African, jazz, pop, funk and hip-hop and  expressing them within the melodic musical language I've developed"  Kenneth Nash heads up Nash Studio and Production Company and KENADE Music Publishing Co., inwhich  he has produced and created a wide variety of musical productions for himself and artists and companies inthe  U.S. and in Europe since 1981 Performed with the Other Artists And Bands: Pointer Sisters, Gary Bartz, Weather Report, Merle Saunders,Herbie Hancock, Norman Connors, Sergio Mendes, Andre Crouch,Dizzy Gillespie, Walter and Edwin Hawkins,Ahmad Jamal,Tramaine Hawkins,Freddie Hubbard, Art Pepper,Grover Washington Jr., Johnny Griffin,B.B. King, Bobby Hutcherson, Patrice Rushen, Michael White,Pharoah Sanders, Raoul DeSouza, Alice Coltrane, Mel Martin  and Listen,Bobby McFerrin, John Lee Hooker,Roy Haynes, J.J. Johnson,Ira Sullivan,  Prestige Jazz All Stars (Dexter Gordon,Airto, Kenny Clark, Cannonball Adderly), John Handy, Woody Herman,Kenny Burrell, Stan Getz, Lionel Hampton, Andy Narrell Group, Sadao Watanabe Composed and arranged percussion pieces for  The Joffery Ballet, The San Francisco Opera & American Conservatory Theatre.   Written and performed music for films, television and theatre: NBC Special Events "Billion Dollar Movies"  Soundtrack, Lee Mendelson,producer.NBC Affiliate (KRON) Television Drama  "Tell Pharoah", Kenneth Nash, musical director.Jane Fonda's Caribbean Workout, arranged percussion for this yet to be released video.Black Stallion, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, Kenneth composed and performed four musical scores.  Kenneth has done arrangements and performances for countless radio and television jingles an commercials.Kenneth has arranged, performed and recorded music for Laurel Burch, designer. Teachings: *Principles of Percussion  (performance and instrument making) *National Endowment of the Arts grant for private instruction.  *Principles of Percussion, NEA, Artists in Residence, Arts in the School *Program, Rio Linda School District, CA *Principles of Afro-Cuban Drumming, Laney College *Principles of Hand-Drumming, Lone Mountain College, *Private instruction*Principles of Percussion, Mills College.

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CECIL MCBEE - Bass / Composer

Cecil McBee was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a community of rich and varied roots, including country western, rhythm and blues, classical and jazz. Mr. McBee's musical career began in high  school,  where he played the clarinet. He and his sister, Shirley, gained statewide fame performing clarinet  duets at concerts and in marching bands. By the age of 17, Cecil had begun to experiment with the string  bass and played steadily at local night clubs with top groups. He attended Central State University at Wilber  force, Ohio as a clarinet major and received a Bachelor of Science degree in music education. There the deep  Jazz tradition inspired him to focus his attention on the bass, the classics, and jazz composition into the U.S. Army. He spent two years as the conductor of the 158th band at Fort Knox, Kentucky. There he developed a  personal study of the possibilities of bass composition and improvisation. By the time he graduated from  college, Cecil realized that although he had prepared for a career in education, he more inspired by Jazz  Improvisation. Because of this, Cecil decided to live in Detroit, then one of the most powerful jazz  communities in the world. Within a year, he joined the Paul Winter Sextet and moved to New York with  them.  Since his arrival in New York, Mr. McBee has traveled worldwide with groups as: Elvin Jones, Alice Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Jack DeJohnette, Bobby Hutcherson, Keith Jarret,  Wayne Shorter, Yusef Lateef, Jackie McLean, Pharoah Sanders, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Lloyd, Art Pepper, Chet Baker, Sam Rivers, Sonny Rollins, James Newton, Joanne Brackeen, Joe Henderson, Betty Carter and other s.  Cecil's compositions are being played worldwide by various groups and have been recorded by: McCoy Tyner "Paradox" appears on "Four Quartets", Charles Tolliver "Felicite" appears on "Live at Slug's"  Vol.2;"Wilpan's" appears on "Live at Slug's" Vol.1. Pharoah Sanders "Love" appears on "Thembi". Charles  Lloyd "Song of Her" appears on "Forest Flower". The Leaders "Portrait" and "Blues on the bottom" are featured. Elvin Jones "D bass-ic Blues" appears on "Power Trio" etc. His first released, "Mutima" is on the Strata East Label SES 7417. Mutima contains six of Mr.  McBee's original compositions: "From Within", "Voice of The Seventh Angel", "Life Waves", "Mutima", "A Feeling", "Tulsa Black". "Music from The Source", "Compassion", "Alternate Spaces" and "Flying Out" are other  albums featuring his original compositions. In 1975 and 1980, Cecil McBee was awarded a National Endowment for The Arts grant for musiccomposition. In 1989, he was given the "Grammy Award" for his performance on "Blues for John Coltrane"  (RCA)  - featuring Roy Haynes, Pharoah Sanders, David Murry, McCoy Tyner, and Mr. McBee on string bass.  In 1991, he was inducted into the "Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame". In addition to his various performances  around the globe Cecil teaches improvisation at "The New School" in New York City and also has private  students.