Dave Ellis
|
Dave Ellis began practicing music at the age of 6, and quickly accumulated experience on piano, guitar, drums, and violin. He finally found his father’s saxophone and, at the age of 12, settled on his true vocation. Since then, Dave has played in a number of bands beginning with high school and garage bands, and various groups he met while attending Berklee College of Music where he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree, cum laude, in 1982.
After graduation, Dave went on the road with a dance band named “City Rhythm” to tour the East Coast of the United Stated, Canada, and Europe.
Later, he studied jazz improvisation with Jerry Bergonzi and Charlie Banacos, and began teaching saxophone in the Boston area. He continued to play, working with groups and musicians in Boston and New York--including respected local musicians such as Bob Moses and Tiger Okoshi.
In 1983, Dave joined a local 8-piece horn band, the Marsels, playing weddings, large parties, and high-profile gigs, often with celebrities such as Tina Turner, the Four Tops, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, The Platters, The Guess Who, Del Shannon, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and the Shirelles. During this time, Dave also performed with the lead singer from the band Boston, whose solo project was called the Brad Delp Band. From 1983 until 1991, they played throughout New England. Their performances included the 1988 Boston Music Awards, and dates with the New Kids on the Block, The Del Fuegos, George Garzone, and Pat Metheny.
Dave began Soul of Boston in 1992, shortly after the birth of his son. Since then, he has worked as artistic director and saxophonist for the band, playing hundreds of weddings and private parties, and continually attracting some of Boston’s finest musicians. Dave’s love of music and easy-going, yet highly professional management style have made him a favorite of brides, grooms, corporate clients, facility managers, party planners, and musicians throughout the New England area.
|
Gilson Schachnik
– Keyboards |
Born in 1963 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Gilson Schachnik started music instruction when he was eleven at the Yamaha Organ School. Later on he studied piano with Hilton "Gogo" Valente and Antonio Bezzan. His professional career began when he was 22 years old, playing at nightclubs in Sao Paulo. A few years later he was performing with BMG/Ariola artist Patricia Marx and touring throughout Brazil with Polygram recording artist Rosa Maria. During this same period, Gilson composed jingles for BASF cassette tapes and Playboy magazine, among others. He composed music for the soundtrack of the children's television program Ratimbum, which aired on the State of Sao Paulo TV Network and was awarded Best TV show by the New York Film Festival.
In 1990, Gilson won a scholarship to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he graduated with a diploma in jazz composition. Since that time he has made the United States his home. Gilson has played or recorded with some of the most important names of the jazz and Brazilian music scenes, such as Claudio Roditti, Bill Pierce, Romero Lubambo, Yoron Israel, Jerry Bergonzi, Luciana Souza, Mick Goodrick, John Lockwood, Paulo Braga, Peri Ribeiro, Antonio Sanchez, Miguel Zenon, and Cafe. In addition, Gilson has studied with Danilo Perez, Charlie Banacos, and Bob Durso.
Gilson's debut CD Raw appeared in 1998, and received rave reviews. Bob Young, of the BostonHerald and Jazziz Magazine, wrote, "Gilson Schachnik creates the kind of all-encompassing jazz mix that fans of the music's new world order now demand: entertaining, uncliched and flavored with tastes from around the globe." Raw was nominated for the 1999 Boston Music Awards. Gilson's new, soon to be released CD features an all-star Latin Jazz ensemble: drummer Antonio Sanchez, saxophonist Miguel Zenon, bassist Fernando Huergo, guitarist Guilherme Monteiro, and percussionist Sula da Silva.
Gilson is a performing keyboardist, composer, arranger, and teacher. |
| Athene Wilson – Female Vocalist |
Athene Wilson, a familiar voice around Boston’s music scene, has performed Jazz, Gospel and R&B in different venues in and around Boston. She has accompanied local artists, Larry Watson, Andre Ward and several other bands.
Ms. Wilson has done background work for renowned artist, Patti Labelle, Natalie Cole and Smokey Robinson. Ms. Wilson’s multi-faceted vocals have resonated across stages in Germany, France and the Caribbean.
Her singing career began at the tender age of seven in a small Pentecostal church in Jamaica. She sang in several church choirs until her transition to Boston where she started her professional singing career. Ms. Wilson received her first break with Larry Watson when she sang, ‘Since I fell for you.’ For over fifteen years, Boston has enjoyed the melodic sounds of Ms. Wilson in jazz clubs, churches, and city-wide events.>
|
| David Cowan – Drums |
Cleveland, Ohio native - David Cowan the young professor is known for his famous chittlin jello recipe. Many have sought after this beat-chef to acquire the recipe, but to no avail. However, many have enjoyed the buoyancy of his BIG, PHAT, NASTY groove, which has been known to send fellow band members and listeners into a booty shaking frenzy. David has worked with many national and internationally known artists such as Brian McKnight, Les McCann, Walter Beasley, Lalah Hathaway, Abraham Laboriel, The Clara Ward Singers, Daryl Coley, The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Steve Lukather and David Paich from Toto, Andre Ward and many others. No stranger to the Boston music scene, David has also supplied the beat for a number of Boston artists and bands such as Actual Proof, Shake Senora, LUKE THE BAND, Adriana Balic, Jude Crossen of Atlas Shrugged and LUKE THE BAND. He is currently recording and performing with the band ESO who describe their unique style of funky new rock as WILDCORE and Soul of Boston.
"David Cowan is amazing. I am a deep fan of his LIFE-CHANGING intensity focus and passion behind the kit."
Kenwood Dennard
(Sting, Jaco Pastorius, John Mclaughlin, Dizzy Gillespie, Maceo Parker)
'It's always refreshing to hear riff-oriented groove music played by
musicians with substantial chops. David Cowan's powerful yet musical drumming is the perfect complement to ESO's effective blend of funk and rock.'
Rod Morgenstein
(Drummer for Winger, Jelly Jam, Dixie Dregs)
|
|
