Saxophone master, John Bolivar, leads a talented quintet to perform the music of the well known jazz/soul/funk/r&b group, The Crusaders, who were one of the most popular jazz and crossover groups of the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s and beyond, that had an identifiable sound of a great two horn(sax and trombone) combination, and infectious rhythm section(piano, bass, and drums). The well known members were Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Wayne Henderson, and Stix Hooper. Other members included Hubert Laws, and Larry Carlton.
John Bolivar’s Quintet includes John on saxophones, Jock Ellis on trombone, Stu Pearlman on piano, Hilliard Wilson on bass, and Quentin Dennard on drums.
Leader John Bolivar has a 4 decade long recording career, having appeared on nearly 50 recordings. John has has performed and toured with many jazz and blues greats at jazz festivals, live on stage, on T.V., in Film, and has mentored young musicians of the local Boys and Girls Club Heatwave Showband. John has performed with Aretha Franklin, Chuck Mangione, Ernie Andrews, Lou Rawls, Buddy Collette, Dionne Warwick, B.B. King, Prince, Herb Alpert, Hank Crawford, Joe Turner, Percy Mayfield, Jay McShann, Esther Phillips, Billy Paul, Maxine Weldon, Lalo Schifrin, Willie Bobo, Brian Wilson, Johnny Rivers, O.C.Smith, Jimmy Smith, Chaka Khan, Marla Gibbs, Jefferey Osborne Jr., Little Anthony and The Imperials, Gerald Albright, Johnny Hammond, Jack McDuff, Charles Earland, Joe Sample, Billy Mitchell, Ry Cooder, Joe Bonner and many others.
Trombonist Jock Ellis has played on over 20 recordings and performed with the Don Ellis Big Band, Frank Zappa, Dave Mason, Mark Almond, Robbie Krieger, Canned Heat, and the Steve Huffsteter Big Band.
Pianist Stu Pearlman has performed, recorded, and taught jazz, r&b, blues, Motown, pop, fusion, funk, world, reggae, latin, rock, smooth, and original music for over 40 years. Stu studied at Brown University, and the Berklee School of Music, and has performed at the Playboy Jazz Festival, the Pacific Symphony, Disney Hall, the Long Beach Blues Festival, has toured Asia and Canada, played on T.V.’s Seinfeld, at celebrity weddings, Oscar parties, and with Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Brian Wilson, Kenny G, David Foster, Natalie Cole and many musical greats at local and national venues.
Jazz and Soul bassist Hilliard Wilson has performed on 15 recordings, and plays a wide variety of styles: covering jazz, fusion, blues, reggae, r&b, funk, pop, country, rock, oldies, classic rock, and southern rock.
Drummer Quentin Dennard, a Detroit native, has played with many prominent jazz, r&b, and soul artists like Diana Ross and the Supremes, Dionne Warwick, the Temptations, and many others, playing with a powerful and uplifting style with impeccable touch and timing.
Come out and enjoy this talented group who will play fun- loving, joyful music that is inspiring, original, full of beauty.
