Nicolas Bearde vocal | Peter Horvath piano | Ruth Davies bass | Michael O'Neill saxophone
"Bearde's interpretations are as affecting as they are elegant."
-Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
Internationally renowned jazz vocalist, songwriter, recording artist and actor, NICOLAS BEARDE is a seasoned and highly respected showman who has established himself as a powerful presence in the contemporary jazz vocal milieu over the past couple of decades. His silky baritone sound invites comparisons to Johnny Hartman, Lou Rawls, and Joe Williams, and his wit and engaging rapport captures and draws the audience into his live performances. Nicolas has 5 CD's out on his own label, Right Groove Records… his most recent album release, "Invitation” in January 2016, rose quickly to the Top 20 on the Jazz Week Charts, garnering rave reviews at home and abroad.
Nicolas is also the featured vocalist on sax legend Vincent Herring's latest chart-topping CD, " Hard Times” as well as the vocalist and narrator with Vincent’s "Story of Jazz Orchestra” a 10-piece ensemble of jazz luminaries who are travelling the world, surveying Jazz music's 100+ year history.
For the past 30+ years, Nicolas has made major marks in the world of jazz as an original member of Bobby McFerrin's innovative a cappella ensemble, "Voicestra”, while carving out his own distinctive solo career. With classic performances and innovative interpretations of jazz standards and blues - Nicolas is the definitive jazz romantic. He'll steam you up with an original soulful song like Love Me, pull you into the nuanced emotion of a classic Bill Wither's tune, Can We Pretend, or captivate you with a stirring rendition of Naima, a John Coltrane ballad.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, PETER HORVATH attended the Bela Bartok Conservatory of Music. At age 17, he won the National Jazz Combo Competition in Hungary and two years later moved to Austria to attend the Vienna Conservatory of Music. In 1983, Peter moved to the United States, where he studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has since performed, recorded and toured nationally and worldwide with Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Richie Cole, Ernie Watts, Eddie Henderson, Charles McPherson, Benny Maupin, the Victor Bailey Group, Lenny White, Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Marcus Miller, Bob Mintzer, Bob Sheppard, Craig Handy, Pete Escovedo and the Oakland Symphony. Peter is currently on faculty at the California Jazz Conservatory, Saint Mary’s College of California and Stanford Jazz Consortium.
RUTH DAVIES has performed with Clark Terry, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Jay McShann, Van Morrison, Maria Muldaur, Junior Mance, Barbara Morrison, Etta Jones, Terry Gibbs, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Little Jimmy Scott. She toured the world for ten years with the late Charles Brown, performing at major jazz festivals, concerts and radio and television broadcasts. Ruth continues to spend considerable time abroad. Lately she performs and travels with Elvin Bishop's band. She has been on the faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop for 17 years and has had a very successful annual "Ruth Davies Blues Night" series at the Stanford Jazz Festival. She also is actively engaged in the San Francisco Symphony’s "Adventures in Music" program and the "Just Say Jazz” project.
MICHAEL O'NEILL, a San Diego native, began studying clarinet at an early age. His first mentor was his neighbor, the great jazz and studio drummer, John Guerin. After the usual involvement with school bands and orchestras, Michael did a stint in the Air Force Band. In college, while majoring in Biology, he minored in music studying composition and arranging as well as jazz performance. After a brief career in science, Michael returned to music full time, studying saxophone with the great Joe Henderson while playing in dance bands, salsa bands and doing local jazz gigs. During this time Michael became interested in composition and formed groups to perform his original material, a trend that is ongoing today. Besides jazz composition, Michael’s interests have taken him into orchestral and ethnic musical forms. In the 1980's he began writing music for documentaries and television for which he now has a long list of credits. Jazz performance residencies as leader include 13 years at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon bay, 7 years at Cetrella Half Moon Bay and 6 years at the Hotel Sofitel in Redwood Shores. Michael has performed and/or recorded with Idris Muhammad, Joe Locke, Michael Wolff, Giacomo Gates, Geoffrey Keezer, Maria Muldaur, Eddie Fisher, Rodney Jones, Kim Nalley, Jackie Ryan, Tony Lindsay, Margie Baker, Faye Carol, Brenda Boykin, Jeff Chambers, Rob Schneiderman, Mark Levine, Frank Jackson, and many others.The Michael O'Neill Quintet featuring the great vocalist, Kenny Washington, has headlined the Monterey Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, SF Jazz, the Blue Note in Napa, Jazz at Pearl’s, Oakland and San Francisco Yoshi’s, Anna’s Jazz Island, the Jazz on the Hill Festival, the Oakland Art and Soul Festival, the San Jose Jazz Society Concert Series and many others.