Jacob Blickenstaff Jacob Streaming Premiere – Thursday, November 5, 2020, 7pm Matthew Whitaker Quartet Matthew Whitaker, piano and Hammond B3 organ Marcos Robinson, guitar Karim Hutton, electric bass Isaiah Johnson, drums Filmed exclusively for Cal Performances at the Bowery Ballroom, New York City, on September 26, 2020. Matthew Whitaker is a Yamaha Artist. Yamaha S3X grand piano provided by Yamaha Artist Services, New York. Matthew Whitaker is endorsed by Hammond Organ, USA. Note: following its premiere, this concert will be available on demand through February 3, 2021. 1 ABOUT THE ARTISTS atthew Whitaker (piano and Ham - Portugal, Spain, Switzer land, Mor occo, Indo - mond B3 organ) was born in 2001 in nesia, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. MHackensack, NJ, and grew up sur- Whitaker has performed with an array of rounded by music. His love for performing outstanding musicians, including Ray Chew, first became apparent at the tender age of three, Christian McBride, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Rhoda after Matthew’s grandfather gave him a small Scott, Ca mer on Carpenter, Regina Carter, Jason Yamaha keyboard. Moran, Jon Batiste, Cory Henry, Marc Cary, At age nine, Whitaker began teaching him- Arturo O’Farrill, James Carter, Roy Ayers, D.D. self how to play the Hammond B3 organ. Four Jack son, the New York Pops Orchestra, the EFG years later, he became the youngest artist to London Jazz Orchestra, and Hamiet Blui ett and be endorsed by Hammond in its more than his Bio-Electric Ensemble. 80-year history. He was also named a Yamaha In 2010, Whitaker was a winning participant Artist at age 15, becoming the youngest musi- in the “Child Stars of Tomorrow” competition, cian to join that stellar group of jazz pianists. as part of Amateur Night at the Apollo. A year Whitaker has had years of music instruction, later and just 10 years old, he was invited to studying classical piano and drums at the Filo - perform at Stevie Wonder’s induction into the men M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School Apollo Theater’s Hall of Fame. He returned to in New York City. It is the only community the venue for Fox television’s revival of Show - music school for the blind and visually im- time at the Apollo in 2016, where he thrilled the paired in the United States. audience with his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s He has previously studied at the Harlem classic “I Wish.” Whitaker’s television appear- School of the Arts and was a member of both ances also include NBC’s Today show, where the Jazz House Big Band and the Organ Mes - he was one of three young men featured in the sengers at Jazz House Kids in Montclair, NJ. program’s “Boys Changing the World” series; Whitaker also attended the Manhattan School Harry Connick Jr.’s Harry; Ellen DeGeneres’ of Music’s Precollege Jazz Program. He is cur- Ellen; and CBS’ 60 Minutes. rently enrolled in the jazz studies program at Having composed several original composi- Juilliard in New York City. tions, Whitaker names a list of stellar musicians Whitaker has received the Outstanding Solo - and composers/arrangers as his artistic influ- ist Award from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Charles ences, including organists Dr. Lonnie Smith, Mingus High School Competition & Festival Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, and Rhoda and the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Scott; pianists Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Band Competition & Festival. He was also Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Ahmad Jamal, recognized by the Harlem International Film The lonious Monk, Bud Powell, Chick Corea, Festival, which named him “Most Remarkable Jon Batiste, Cory Henry, Marc Cary, Jason Young Person on Screen.” Moran, and D.D. Jackson; Chopin and Bach; He has already toured both here in the and drum mers Roy Haynes, T.S. Monk, Herlin United States and abroad, performing before Riley, Otis Brown III, Otis Brown Jr., and John - the Youth Assembly at the United Nations athan Blake. head quarters in New York City and on other In 2017, Whitaker was named one of 17 world-renowned stages including Lincoln Cen - “People to Watch” in New Jersey’s The Record, ter for the Performing Arts, the Apollo Theater, one of the state’s largest newspapers. He was also Carnegie Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center in cited as an outstanding performer in Crain’s NYC; SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco; the New York Business’ “20 under 20” list. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts In 2018, the online magazine The Root added in Washington, DC; the Raymond F. Kravis Cen - Whitaker to its list of “Young Futurist Leaders.” ter for the Performing Arts (FL); the Monterey Also that year, he received the Harlem Stage and Newport jazz festivals; and at international Emerging Artist Award and was singled-out as venues in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, a rising star by USA Today and 201 Magazine. Opposite: Matthew Whitaker. Photo by Jacob Blickenstaff. 3 ABOUT THE ARTISTS In 2019 and 2020, Whitaker received the Isaiah Johnson (drums) was born in 1991 in Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award for Brooklyn, NY, and has been honing his drum- his original compositions “Emotions” and ming skills since age five. At six, he became the “Under ground.” primary drummer in his local assembly, after Whitaker’s first release,Outta the Box, de- which he moved on to play for other churches, buted in March 2017 and his second project, groups, and ensembles. He thanks his father— Now Hear This, came out on the Resilience a source of expert knowledge and coaching— Music Alliance recording label in August 2019. for his early exposure to music. Johnson grew up listening to the sounds of Having been raised in a religious family, Mar - many fine percussionists, talented performers cos Robinson (guitar) has been surrounded who motivated him and inspired his passion to by gospel music since birth. At the age of 14, become a drummer. Although gospel drum- his mother gave him a starter guitar kit and he ming is his prominent style of playing, he began taking lessons right away. Robinson enjoys and has experienced multiple kinds of continued his studies and in 2016 graduated performance styles. from the New School for Jazz and Con - Johnson’s work extends to Off-Broadway, temporary Music. He has performed with Bebe where he has been heard in the play Tell It, Sing Winans, Michelle Wil liams, and Kelly Row land It, Shout It. He has toured Germany with the and recorded with artists including Le’Andria New York Gospel Stars and has been the drum- Johnson, Doobie Powell, and Naomi Raine. mer for Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Fred Ham - mond, the Winans Brothers, Bee Bee Winans, Karim “Kace” Hutton (electric bass) is a musi- Dorinda Clarke-Cole, and Hezekiah Walker, to cian and producer from New York City. In name only a few. 2017, he obtained his bachelor’s degree from Johnson began working with the Matthew Cornell University, where he majored in biol- Whitaker Quartet in January 2019. When not ogy and completed minors in music and busi- on tour, he can be heard as the house drummer ness. He prides himself on both his ability to at venues around the New York/Tri-State area. interpret and execute the artist’s vision and his versatility, which allows him to work with an array of artists, producers, and events. Whether Special Thanks live on stage or in the studio, Hutton is known Bonnie Barrett and Makia Matsumura, as a disciplined and reliable team player. He Yamaha Artist Services, New York pursues excellence through a holistic approach Myles and Lorraine Weinstein and to life and strives to make his mark in the world, Rory Trainor, Unlimited Myles, Inc. both on and off stage. Hutton has had the pleas- Michelle Taylor, Passion Music Group ure of working with a broad range of artists that Moses and May Whitaker, Matthew Whitaker, includes Omari Hardwick, Anita Wilson, Kurt LLC Carr, Kennedy Administration, Vojtech Dyk, Jimmy Cozier, and SAFE. 4 CREDITS For Cal Performances at Home MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Tiffani Snow, Producer Jenny Reik, Director of Marketing and Jeremy Little, Technical Director Communications Ron Foster-Smith, Associate Director of For Ibis Productions, Inc. Marketing Jeremy Robins, Video Director Mark Van Oss, Communications Editor Zach Herchen, Audio Engineer Louisa Spier, Public Relations Manager Chris Scarafile, Camera Operator Cheryl Games, Digital Platform Program Hugo Faraco, Camera Operator Manager Francis Adjei, Camera Operator Jeanette Peach, Public Relations Senior Associate Kharon Benson, Camera Operator Elise Chen, Email Production Associate Lynn Zummo, New Technology Coordinator For Future Tense Media Terri Washington, Social Media and Digital Jesse Yang, Creative Director Content Specialist For Cal Performances OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE OFFICE Jeremy Little, Production Manager Jeremy Geffen, Executive and Artistic Director Alan Herro, Production Admin Manager Kelly Brown, Executive Assistant to the Director Kevin Riggall, Head Carpenter Matt Norman, Head Electrician ADMINISTRATION Tom Craft, Audio/Video Department Head Andy Kraus, Director of Strategy and Jo Parks, Video Engineer Administration Amy Ferrara, Event Manager/Greek Theatre Calvin Eng, Chief Financial Officer Tiffani Snow, Event Manager Rafael Soto, Finance Specialist Ginarose Perino, Rental Business Manager Marilyn Stanley, Finance Specialist Rob Bean, Event Operations Manager Gawain Lavers, Applications Programmer Marybeth Baluyot, Assistant Manager, Ingrid Williams, IT Support Analyst Audience Services Sean Nittner, Systems Administrator STAGE CREW ARTISTIC PLANNING Charles Clear, Senior Scene Technician Katy Tucker, Director