Pianist and composer, Jon Mayer leads a talented quartet, featuring Saxophone great, Doug Webb, Bass standout, Mike Gurrola, and Drum legend, Roy McCurdy, playing high level, straight ahead Jazz favorites that include standards, originals, and classics from the Great American Songbook. Jon Mayer grew up in NYC, and learned the craft of playing be-bop, and hard bop jazz, recording in the 50’s with Jazz giants, Saxophonist John Coltrane and Saxophonist Jackie McLean. Jon learned to express strong emotion with a muscular, blues style, as well as playing tender ballads. Mayer has worked with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughn, Anita O”Day, and the Manhattan Transfer. Jon’s compositions have been recorded by Les McCann, Barry White, Nancy Wilson, Gladys Knight, Ernie Watts, and Jackie Ryan. Most recently Mayer has worked and recorded with Darek Oles, Rufus Reid, Bob Maize, Harold Mason, Chuck Israels, Arnie Wise, Willie Jones III, Dirk Berk, Victor Lewis, and Roy McCurdy. Jon Mayer has 11 recordings as a leader and is an active clinician and educator, teaching Master’s classes and giving private lessons.
Saxophone great Doug Webb received his music degree from Berklee School of Music and has been featured on 100’s of recordings with artists like Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Sal Marquez, Stanley Clarke, Brian Bromberg, Quincy Jones, Mat Marucci, Bobby Caldwell, Kyle Eastwood, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Art Garfunkel, Queen Latifah, Cher, Art Davis, Kenny Rogers, Bonnie Raitt, Poncho Sanchez, and Vicki Carr. Doug was a 15 year member of Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Showband, and has recorded on 100’s of Movie and T.V. Programs, including the Family Guy Orchestra, and has been a soloist on Clint Eastwood’s film soundtracks: Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Mystic River, and Jersey Boys. Webb played on Dennis Miller’s T.V. show houseband, with the Jimmy Cleveland Orchestra, and has worked with most of L.A.’s top Jazz Big Bands. Originally from Chicago, Doug has lived and played in Southern California for most of his life. Doug started on the clarinet at the age of 8, and at the age of 15 was playing the saxophone and flute. Doug Webb has made 27 recordings as a leader, and has appeared on over 150 recordings in his career.
Bassist Mike Gurrola is in the lineage of Bass greats Ray Brown and John Clayton. As a high schooler, Mike received the first Ray Brown Scholarship through the L.A. County High School For The Arts Program, mentored by Ray Brown protege, John Clayton, and also studied at the Colburn School of Music. Mike has worked with Jazz artists Eric Reed, Mary Stallings, Jeff Hamilton, Houston Person, Benny Green, Larry Goldings, Ralph Moore, Willie Jones III, Harry Allen, Jane Monheit, Kenny Burrell, and Roy McCurdy and Teri Lyne Carrington. As a young player, Mike plays with a mature musicianship like that of a professional veteran, and supports the harmonic and melodic creativity of the other musicians, playing musical notes and rhythms that propel the band onward and upward with strength, humility, respect and even humor. Gurrola won competitions performing at the Berklee School of Music and the Monterey Jazz Festival with the Monterey Jazz Festival Next Generation Orchestra and also performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Kennedy Center. Mike is a bassist who swings with creative ease making him a first call bassist in both L.A. and N.Y.
Drum legend, Roy McCurdy, has been a vibrant performer on the Jazz scene for over 6 decades. Roy studied at the Eastman School of Music and began playing professionally at the age of 16. Roy has played with 100’s of Jazz artists like the Art Farmer-Benny Golson Sextet, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Betty Carter, Bobby Timmons, Roy Eldridge, Eddie Vinson, The Mangione Brothers, and for over 10 years with Cannonball Adderley’s Quintet. Roy’s influences include drummers Louie Bellson, Shelley Manne, Sam Woodyard, Buddy Rich, Papa Jo Jones, Philly Joe Jones, and the bands of Duke Ellington, Jimmy Lunceford, and Lionel Hampton. Roy teaches at both U.S.C.’s Thornton School of Music and the Pasadena Conservatory. McCurdy appeared on 25 of Cannonball and Nat Adderley’s recordings, and has played on over 50 recordings of dozens of artists. Roy McCurdy has worked in the NBC studios, both live and in movies, and has played and toured with over 60 different jazz groups.
