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A showcase album featuring new music by stand-out
jazz artists Ron Haynes, Fareed Haque, and Kevin Randolph.
From Haynes’ cool trumpet, Haque’s soulful guitar, and Randolph’s smooth keys, each player’s tracks bring new perspectives to the
Urban
Knights’ groove. Produced by Frayne T. Lewis.
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RON HAYNES
Born and raised on Chicago’s west side, Ron Haynes began his musical career while still in his teens, gigging with blues artists Tyrone Davis, Otis Clay, and Artie "Blues Boy" White as well as with his own band. He honed his lead trumpet chops at Shaw University in Raleigh, and later at North Carolina Central University where he studied under jazz great Donald Byrd. After returning to Chicago, Ron eventually joined Jazz Friends, the house band at the Cotton Club. It was through his many years at the Cotton Club that Haynes met actor/comedian Bernie Mac. Haynes took on the role of horn section leader of the Mac Men for the HBO variety show,
Midnight Mac with Bernie Mac, backing up an array of artists including Chaka Khan, George Duke, Brian McKnight, Sugar Blue, Sheila E, and Brown Stone. Haynes eventually started his own horn section, the Chicago Storm Horns, which went on to join the classic, old-school funk band The Ohio Players. An early recruit to Liquid Soul, Haynes continued touring with the Players and performing with other bands. In 1997, Haynes released his first CD as a solo artist which featured arrangements and originals written by him and long-time friend Spright E. Simpson III. Most recently, Haynes added his stylish horn to the widely-acclaimed
URBAN KNIGHTS
IV.
FAREED HAQUE
Guitar virtuoso Fareed Haque enjoys a career that spans the spectrum of musical styles. Born to a Pakistani father and Chilean mother, extensive travels, especially long stays in Spain, France, Iran, Pakistan and Chile, exposed Haque to different musical genres from a very early age. Moving easily between jazz and classical guitar, Haque's versatility has created a buzz with prominent jazz and classical artists, performing with Paquito D'Rivera, Cassandra Wilson, Kurt Elling, Lester Bowie, Arturo Sandoval, Nigel Kennedy, Edgar Meyer, Bob James, Dave Holland, Sting, Javon Jackson, Joe Henderson, Kahil el Zabar, Defunckt, Ramsey Lewis, and Urban Knights.
Haque has been featured on WTTW's ArtBeat, Ben Sidran's New Visions, Michelob Presents Sunday Night with David Sanborn on NBC, his own Lonesome Pines Special for PBS, and on BET cable jazz channel. Haque has twice been selected Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in Downbeat magazine. In 1989, Haque joined the faculty of Northern Illinois University, where he currently holds an associate professorship in jazz and classical guitar studies – but don't ever call him “Professor
Haque”!
KEVIN RANDOLPH
Kevin Randolph is one of the brightest keyboard stars on the horizon. A Chicagoan by birth and soul, Randolph’s music exudes a unique and deeply personal creativity and style — as he mentions, “my goal is to be felt through playing what I feel and to re-create what I heard in my heart and mind.” In addition to lending his talents on
URBAN
KNIGHTS II, III, and IV, Randolph has also performed on albums by Ramsey Lewis (BETWEEN THE KEYS and DANCE OF THE SOUL), Gospel diva Yolanda Adams (SONGS FROM THE HEART), Latin guitarist Oscar Lopez (ARMANDO’S FIRE), and many others. On stage, Randolph has joined the likes of Bebe Winans, Ramsey Lewis, Earl Klugh, Dave Koz, to name but a few. Beyond tickling the ivories into a wicked groove, Randolph has also made a name for himself as a composer, writing for Ramsey Lewis, Urban Knights, and Youth Edition.
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