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Virginia MayhewSaxophonist • Composer • Arranger
Bandleader • Educator
Virginia Mayhew• biography •
Saxophonist/composer/arranger/bandleader Virginia Mayhew has been an ac-tive participant in the New York jazz scene since 1987, and has lead her own groups for over 25 years. She currently leads several quartets, a quintet, and a septet.
In the course of her career, Virginia has worked with renowned artists from Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, Cab Calloway, Frank Zappa, James Brown, Norman Simmons, Al Grey, Junior Mance, Joe Williams, Chico O'Farrill, Marlena Shaw, to Toshiko Aki-yoshi, Kenny Barron, Leon Parker, Ingrid Jensen, Claudio Roditi, Nnenna Freelon, and many others.
Virginia has been a guest on Marian McPartlandʼs ʻPiano Jazz’, the featured art-ist on NPRʼs ʻAll Things Considered’, and has appeared twice on ʻJazz Setʼ with Dee Dee Bridgewater. She was selected by Downbeat magazine as a 'Rising Starʼ on soprano saxophone, and has been the subject of several feature articles in Downbeat, Jazztimes and Jazziz magazines.Her latest recording, Mary Lou Williams – The Next 100 Years, was just selected by Downbeat as one of the Best New Releases of 2012 and by Rhapsody as one of the ten best new CDs of 2012.
Virginia has appeared in most of New York City's major jazz venues (including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Jazz Standard, Blue Note, Sweet Basil, Smalls), and has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia as well as in the Caribbean and Bermuda. Virginia has also been featured as a leader at many jazz festivals, both within the United States and abroad, and has traveled twice as a representative of the United States as a Jazz
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
Virginia Mayhew• biography •
Ambassador (in the tradition of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington), once to the Newly Independent States and a second time to Southeast Asia.
Early in her career, Virginia worked with veteran trombonist Al Grey for several years. She is featured on his 1992 release, FAB (Capri), and contributed several ar-rangements to his 1995 CD, Centerpiece (Telarc). She also worked for several years with Brazilian trumpet and flugelhorn player/ composer/ arranger Claudio Roditi, and was recently part of ʻDreaminʼ the Duke', featuring Nnenna Freelon, Harolyn Blackwell, Mike Garson, and Terell Stafford. In addition, Virginia free-lances with in the NYC area.
Current Projects
Virginiaʼs current projects include a tribute to pianist/composer/arranger Mary Lou Williams. Extensively researched, Mary Lou Williams - The Next 100 Years (Renma Recordings), features Virginia's arrangements of eight MLW compositions and two Mayhew originals. The group includes guitarist Ed Cherry, bassist Harvie S, and drummer Andy Watson, with special guest Wycliffe Gordon (trombonist Noah Bless plays most live quintet performances). This group has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., in Europe and in numerous other locations. Virginia continues to develop the project by adding repertoire and arranging the material for larger ensembles. (Please go to www.renmarecordings for reviews, mp3s, and additional information.)
Virginia is also the saxophonist and musical director of the Duke Ellington Leg-acy, an 8-piece group founded by two of Duke Ellington's grandchildren, Edward
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
Virginia Mayhew• biography •
Ellington II and Gaye Ellington. The Ellington Legacy is dedicated to keeping El-lington's music in the public ear through performances, recordings, and master classes. The groupʼs debut recording, Thank You Uncle Edward, (Renma Record-ings), features special guests Joe Temperley and Wycliffe Gordon. The sophomore release, Single Petal of a Rose (Renma Recordings), features tenor great Houston Person.
Another current project is a quartet with two horns, bass and drums. Virginia utilized a similar instrumentation as for her very well-received 2001 'Phantoms' project with Ingrid Jensen. (Please see review/quote pages.) The current quartet features Noah Bless on trombone, Anthony Pinciotti on drums and Gary Wang on bass. She continues to work with her Mary Lou Williams project, taking it around the States and expanding the music for larger ensembles.
Virginia and Katherine Kramer, tap and modern dancer/ choreographer have cre-ated a multi-disciplinary group that utilizes tap dancing in place of a drum-set. Katherine Kramer is an incredible master of her arts, and this project is really fun, refreshing and entertaining. (video clips on site).
In addition to her weekly performances around the City as a leader, she freelances and also performs weekly with Carl Thompson and Friends, and the Howard Wil-liams Big Band.
Educator
Virginia has established her credentials in the field of jazz education, working around the world teaching master classes, serving as an adjudicator (including for
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
Virginia Mayhew• biography •
the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.), and as an experienced clinician and Artist-In-Residence, (including University of Massachusetts, University of Louis-ville, Bloomsburg University, College of William and Mary, Montclair State Col-lege, and others). She also works with school and jazz program ensembles.She is a teacher of private students, and works as faculty at numerous jazz camps, (including Stanford Jazz Workshop, Monterey Jazz Festival summer camp, Litchfield Jazz Camp, and Jazz Camp West).
She has worked with Don Braden's innovative program in Newark, NJ, Jazz For Teens, as well as with Melissa Walker and Christian McBride's exceptional, Jazz House Kids. Virginia founded the very successful, Greenwich House Music School Jazz Workshop in New York City, and is currently the saxophone and jazz teacher for Music for Nikhil, which offers 2-4 person group lessons once a week to middle and high school students in West Orange, N.J.
Recording Artist
In addition to her recordings with others, Virginia has six releases as a leader, all of which have all received rave reviews and lots of airplay. (Please see review/quote sections.) In addition to radio play, and with her own station on Pandora, Virginiaʼs recordings have been featured on HBO (television) and in movies. She has been commissioned several times to write and arrange her compositions for other groups, some of which have been recorded.
. . . . . . .
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
Virginia Mayhew• groups & projects •
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
DUKE ELLINGTON LEGACYThe Duke Ellington Legacy is a 9-piece
band led by Ellington’s namesake grand-son, Edward Kennedy Ellington II.
The band is dedicated to keepingthe Duke’s music alive and
moving forward.
More info at DukeEllingtonLegacy.com
VIRGINIA MAYHEW SEPTETVirginia Mayhew
(tenor & soprano saxophones)Lisa Parrott (alto & bari sax)
Scott Harrell (trumpet)Noah Bless (trombone)Kenny Wessel (guitar)
Harvie S (bass)Victor Jones (drums)
VIRGINIA MAYHEW QUARTETMary Lou Williams
THE NEXT 100 YEARSVirginia Mayhew(tenor saxophone)Ed Cherry (guitar)
Harvie S (bass)Andy Watson (drums)
Download MLW Media/Booking Kit
Art To Come
Virginia Mayhew• recordings •
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
Virginia’s latest recording, “Mary Lou Williams - The Next 100 Years” (Renma Recordings, 2011) is a spirited tribute to legendary Jazz pianist, com-poser and arranger Mary Lou Williams in honor of the 100th anniversary of her birth (2010).
The CD features fresh Mayhew-arrangements of eight Mary Lou Williams tunes and two new tunes composed by Virginia. The quartet features Virginia on tenor saxophone, blues-tinged Dizzy-alum Ed Cherry on guitar, veteran bas-sist Harvie S, seasoned drummer Andy Watson and special guest trombonist Wycliffe Gordon.
“...wonderful musically...Mary Lou would be most pleased.”
—Father Peter F. O’BrienMary Lou Williams’ manager, long-time friend and director of the
Mary Lou Williams Foundation• • •
Mary Lou Williams Photo Credit: William P. Gottlieb/Ira and Leonore S. Gershwin Fund Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress.
Virginia Mayhew• recordings •
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
Virginia’s 2008 recordings, “A Simple Thank You” (Renma Recordings) with the Virginia Mayhew Septet, and The Ellington Legacy’s “Thank You Uncle Edward” (Renma Record-ings) both feature larger ensembles.
The Virginia Mayhew Septet is the “Sandan Shuffle” rhythm section (Kenny Wessel, Har-vie S, and Victor Jones), and a 4-horn front line. The Septet plays almost all originals, with a few of Virginia’s arrangements of standards. As with all of Virginia’s music, this is classic jazz at its finest. Downbeat calls “A Simple Thank You” a “first-rate outing ...a small big-band feel, a mainstream-with-twist sensibility, solid writing and inspired playing.”
Virginia is the band leader and saxophonist of the Duke Ellington Legacy and the Duke El-lington Big Band, led by Ellington's name-sake grandson, Edward Kennedy Ellington II.
The Legacy’s debut CD “Thank You Uncle Edward” is a wonderful, fresh take on Elling-ton’s music, with new arrangements by Nor-man Simmons and Virginia.
“Thank You Uncle Edward” is a “welcomed addition of arrangements and interpretation of the music of Duke Ellington” (Jazz Improv Magazine), and was chosen “New and Note-worthy” by JAZZIZ magazine.
• • •
Virginia Mayhew• recordings •
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
“Sandan Shuffle” (Renma Recordings, 2006) features Kenny Wessel on guitar, Harvie S on bass and Victor Jones on drums. New band members Wessel and Jones add a dif-ferent sound to Virginia's music. All About Jazz asks, “Who is this Virginia Mayhew woman, anyhow? Dexter Gordon's daughter? Sonny Rollins' niece? She plays the saxophone like a blood relative of those two giants.”
“Phantoms” (Renma Recordings, 2003) features Ingrid Jensen, Harvie S, and Allison Miller with Virginia in a less-often-found instrumentation (two horns, bass and drums). A live performance of this group was the focus of a one-hour feature on NPR's “Jazzset”. The group was also on “Fresh Air” and the web stream site “All Songs Consid-ered.” Royal Stokes of the Jazz Journalists Association se-lected “Phantoms” as one of 2003’s Top Ten Recordings.
Virginia's “No Walls” (Renma Recordings, 2000) gathered rave reviews, and received a lot of airplay. “No Walls” again features Kenny Barron, Ingrid Jensen and Harvie S, with Allison Miller on drums and Adam Cruz on percussion. “No Walls” was chosen Critics Pick 2001 by JAZZIZ magazine, and one of the "Top Ten of 2001" by Cadence Magazine. JAZZIZ: “My favorite disc of the young cen-tury...”
Virginia’s 1997 debut recording on Chiaroscuro Records, “Nini Green” was chosen "Best New Release” by both Ca-dence and JAZZIZ magazines. Downbeat magazine gave it four stars and called Virginia “… a fresh, intelligent, pol-ished player.” This recording features Virginia’s long-time collaborators Ingrid Jensen, Harvie S, Adam Cruz, Leon Parker, as well as piano master Kenny Barron.
Virginia Mayhew• discography •
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
2012 – Single Petal of A Rose – Duke Ellington Legacy – Renma Recordings
2011 – Mary Lou Williams - The Next 100 Years – Virginia Mayhew Quartet – Renma Recordings
2008 – Thank You Uncle Edward – Duke Ellington Legacy – Renma Recordings
2008 – A Simple Thank You – Virginia Mayhew Septet – Renma Recordings
2006 – Sandan Shuffle – Virginia Mayhew Group – Renma Recordings
2003 – Phantoms – Virginia Mayhew Group – Renma Recordings
2003 – New York Still Life – Lou Caputo Not-So-Big Band
2002 – Live At The Garage – Howard Williams Big Band
2000 – No Walls – Virginia Mayhew Group – Foxhaven Records
1999 – Intersect – Sharp Five - Consensus Records
1999 – Jazz Nativity – All-Star Jazz Christmas Extravaganza (featuring Tito Puente, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Jimmy Slyde, Dave Brubeck, Slide Hampton, and others.)
1998 – Deadlines and Commitments – Ursel Schlicht/Tony Romano Group
1997 – Leave It To Diva – Diva Big Band featuring Sherrie Maricle – Diva Ltd.
1997 – Nini Green – Virginia Mayhew Group – Chiaroscuro Records
1995 – Centerpiece (arrangements only) – Al Grey Group – Telarc
1994 – No Man's Band – Diva Big Band featuring Sherrie Maricle
1992 – Fab - Al Grey Group (Capri)
1991 – Lady Bird – Sahib Shihab Big Band
1990 – It's About Time – Virginia Mayhew/Rebecca Franks – Philology Records
Download Quote Sheet PDF for Virginia Mayhew Recordings
Hear Music Samples at Renma Recordings
Virginia Mayhew• high resolution photos •
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
VIRGINIA MAYHEW©Ulysses Beato, 300 dpi CMYK TIFFDownload File: GinnyPRCMYKRet300dpi.tiff
VIRGINIA MAYHEW©George Kopp, 300 dpi RGB JPGDownload File: Virginia_Mayhew_Studio.jpg
VIRGINIA MAYHEW QUARTET (left to right) Andy Watson, Ed Cherry, Virginia Mayhew, Harvie S. ©Tom Contrino, 300 dpi JPG, Download: VM_BandPhoto.jpg
Virginia Mayhew• booking & resources •
Virginia Mayhew • Website: www.VirginiaMayhew.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 917.608.7051
Virginia Mayhew and her groups are available for performance worldwide. Virginia is also available for educational purposes. Please contact her for more information.
Booking Contact:
Jay Nachowitz @ Preferred Artists
914-441-1476
Primary Websites:
Virginia Mayhew
www.virginiamayhew.com
Renma Recordings
www.renmarecordings.com
Duke Ellington Legacy
www.dukeellingtonlegacy.com
Additional Resources & Links:
VIRGINIA MAYHEW MAGAZINE FEATURES
(Click to download full text PDF’S)“Chamber Music of America” Magazine: “Sax in the City”
“Downbeat” Magazine: “Get Out There and Live”
PHOTOGRAPHERSTom Contrino, Paul Aresu, George Kopp, William P. Gottlieb
GRAPHIC DESIGN & TECHNOLOGYVeenix, LLC
