Jazz | Jazz Trio

With:
Fred Johnson, vocals
Daniel Kelly, piano
Victor See Yuen, percussion

FREDERICK JOHNSON is an international performer who has spent the past 35 years presenting concerts and seminars on the power of creative expression as a tool for personal well-being and healing. He is an accomplished vocalist and percussionist and is recognized internationally as one of the world’s greatest vocal jazz improvisers. He has also been honored as one of the world’s most passionate and versed chanters of sacred text. Frederick has been involved in the development of global programs in America, Europe and the Middle East, bringing people together from diverse spiritual and cultural backgrounds to create artistic forums for learning, sharing, reconciliation, vision and hope. Frederick has performed on stage with, or as the opening act for, such musical greats as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Herbie Mann, Nat Adderly, Joe Zawinul, David Sanborn, Richard Elliot, Ramsey Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Patti La Belle, Patti Austin, George Benson, BB King and many others. For over 20 years in Tampa Bay, Frederick was a key contributor in both schools and community centers presenting programs which served to empower the understanding of arts as a conduit for educational enrichment and enhancement of core curriculum skills training in our educational system.

DANIEL KELLY is a composer, pianist and jazz educator who has been called “stunningly original” with “a visionary imagination.” His music draws nspiration from literature, visual art and journalism, captivating audiences across the country. A prolific composer and tireless musical explorer, Kelly continually seeks out new avenues for his creativity. Kelly is the recipient of the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award, Chamber Music America Residency Partnership Grant, New York State Arts Council Individual Artist Grant and the Aaron Copland Fund. He is the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Connection Works, an artist-run non-profit organization based in Brooklyn. Kelly has toured throughout Southeast Asia and India as part of the Kennedy Center and US State Department sponsored Jazz Ambassador program. Other notable international performances include benefit concerts for orphan children in the Kangemi slums of Nairobi, Kenya and a concert for the president of Costa Rica.

VICTOR Y. SEE YUEN, songwriter, record producer, poet and arranger, came to New York City at the age of 17 from the Caribbean Island of Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies. He studied multiple percussion instruments for four years with the legendary Joe Papo Daddiego, founder of Jopa Percussion Instruments. Victor has recorded over 300 CDs with various artists including Sonny Rollins, Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, The Mighty Sparrow, Mos Def, Sarah Vaughn, Luther Vandross, Kathleen Battle, T.S. Monk, Andre Previn, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, among others. Victor has accompanied classes at numerous dance schools throughout the country. He is the co-founder of the dynamic ensemble Heritage O.P. (Organic Percussion) and has released four original CDs. He has also co-written CDs with William Catanzaro and Ana Marie Forsythe entitled Percussion for the Dance Technique of Lester Horton. His solo CD, entitled Raise Your Hand for Love, is a fusion of poetry and music. He is currently the musical director for the ICHNUSA festival in Sardinia, Italy. He remains a much sought after and highly regarded musician because of his enduring style and the unique skill set he brings to every endeavor.