PORTRAIT OF DAVID HARDIMAN CD MUSICIAN BIO NOTES DAVID HARDIMAN, Trumpet and Flugelhorn, Pianist, Professor of Theory, Harmony, Jazz Music History, Adjudicator, the band’s leader, is known as a Composer/Arranger. He comes from Indianapolis, where his early jazz training was developed with other home town associates David Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Larry Ridley, and James Spaulding. David is the leader of “The San Francisco All Star Big Band” and Director of “The African American Jazz Caucus Dance Band” (IAJE), “Saint Gabriel’s Celestial Brass Band”, and has PLAYED IN BANDS ACCOMPANYING: JACKIE WILSON, "THE DELLS", "THE HONEY CONES", DONNY HATHAWAY, RED PRYSOCK, JOHNNIE RAY, GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS, NANCY WILSON, TONY BENNETT, PEGGY LEE, JIMMY WITHERSPOON, MUSICAL THEATER SHOWS:” SOPHISTICATED LADIES”, etc. David received a B.M. degree in Music Education from Indiana University and a M.M. from Butler University, Indianapolis, Ind. David has been an Educator in the Indianapolis Public Schools for 11 years before moving to Berkeley, CA, and teaching in the Berkeley Public Schools for 3 years. He retired as Professor of Jazz Studies at City College of San Francisco after teaching 30 years. Website: www.freewebs.com/davidhardiman WILLIS KIRK, has been known as an outstanding Percussionist, Composer/Arranger and Author. Kirk comes from Indianapolis, and has performed with many noted musicians such as Earl Hines, Duke Ellington, Slide Hampton, J.J. Johnson, Charlie Parker, Wes Montgomery, Buddy Montgomery, Jon Hendricks, Hank Marr, John Handy and other legendary artist during his professional career. Willis received a M.M. from Butler University and a Doctorate from Walden University and honorary Doctorate from Butler University. Willis has been an Educator in the Indianapolis and Oakland Public Schools. He was an administrator at City College of San Francisco where he retired as the President. He has created a musical oratorio, “Rejoice! Rejoice!” which began at the University of Evansville in 1968 with a small group and has grown in size with further performances since then. There have been performances in Indianapolis,Ind, New York City, Brooklyn, New York, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, and San Francisco, Ca. A CD of the work was recorded in Indianapolis in June of 2004. It features a 40 voice choir, a ten piece orchestra, 4 soloists, and a narrator. All of the music was copy written, composed, and arranged by Dr. Kirk with the one exception of "He Looked Beyond My Fault" which he arranged. Website: www.cdbaby.com/cd/drwilliskirk HARLEY WHITE, Bassist and Vocalist, comes from Oakland, CA, and has been enchanting audiences for ages. He has performed with Frank Sinatra, Anita O’Day, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Dizzy Gillespie, Jon Hendricks, John Handy, Sonny Stitt, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, George Coleman, Ernestine Anderson, Billy Eckstine, Linda Ronstad, and “The San Francisco All Star Big Band”, etc. Harley has been an Educator for over 30 years in numerous Bay Area districts as well as at San Francisco State University. Harley received his B.A and M.A. from Cal State Hayward, Hayward CA, and A.A. at Merritt College, Oakland, CA. He began playing professionally since 1960, and in 1969 he joined the Edwin Hawkins Singers as a bassist and performed the first crossover Page 2. gospel song “O’ Happy Day.” In 1974, Earl “Fatha” Hines heard Harley playing with Martha Young, niece of the famous Lester Young, and hired him. Website: www.harleywhite.com PERCY SCOTT, Pianist, Composer/Arranger, comes from Magnolia, Miss., and has performed with Milt Jackson, George Duke, Bobby Bryant, Les McCann, Teddy Edwards, Joe Henderson, John Handy, “The San Francisco All Star Big Band”, Jules Broussard, Keith Washington, Chaka Kahn, Delfeayo Marsalis, Gerald Lebert, Howard Hewett, and presently the pianist for the “Whispers”, etc. He has had extensive experience in writing music scores, television themes, along with music for commercials, marching band, studio work, record recording, concert bands, big jazz orchestras, jazz/rock, pop and church music. Percy has a B.S. degree in Music Education from Alcorn State University in Lorman, Miss. and a Diploma in Jazz Arrangement and Composition from the Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. SONNY LEWIS, Tenor/Soprano Sax & Flute, comes from Boston, and has performed with “Azteca”, Ike & Tina Turner, Barry White, Micki Lynn, “The San Francisco All Star Big Band”, and “The Whispers”, etc. His performances have been at The Blue Note, Paris; Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden and The Apollo, New York; as well as Bogotá, Columbia; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; Lagos, Nigeria; Libya, North Africa; Singapore; Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and locally at The Monterey Jazz Festival. Sonny attended Berklee School of Music, and has studied sax with Jacki Byard. DON RAMSEY, Saxophones & Flute, comes from Oklahoma City, and has played in bands backing Marshall Royal, “Sweets” Edison, James Moody, Pharoah Sanders, Monk Montgomery, Tee Carson, Eddie Henderson, Hadley Caliman, “Temptations”, “Four Tops”, “The Dells”, Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, “Coasters”, Red Skelton, Louie Belson, “The San Francisco All Star Big Band”, and Bobby Lyle, etc. Don has been an Educator in the Oakland Public Schools, and retired from the Moraga School District where he was awarded “Teacher of the Year. Don has a B.A. in Performing Arts from CA State University, and a Masters from CA State University and CA Teacher Ed. Credential specializing in Microcomputers. LESTER COBB, Percussionist, Composer & Visual Artist, comes from Birmingham, Alabama, and has played with Ralph Williams, James Brown, “Big” Joe Williams, Kenny Durham, Stanley Turrentine and Shirley Scott, Barry Harris, Kenny Burrell, Jaki Byard, Stanley Cowell, Frank Foster, Eddie Bert, Bob Cranshaw, Frank Waldron, Joe Newman, Ed Kelly, “Hanif and the Sound Voyagers”, and “The San Francisco All Star Big Band”, etc. Lester attended New York State Univ, and worked as a Social Worker, Psychotherapist, Artist, Television Producer, and he founded the “Drum Academy”. SPENCER ALLEN, Pianist/Keyboardist, Bassist, comes from San Francisco, CA, and has played with Herb Gibson, Jeff Chambers, Dave Ellis, Kitty Margolis, Marcia Miget, Dima, Kayla Taylor, and “The San Francisco All Star Big Band”, etc. Spencer has been an Educator in the Oakland Public Schools, Contra Costa Public Schools and City College of San Francisco. He has a Bachelors Degree from San Francisco State University and an AA from City College of San Francisco.