LOS: Leon Boykins Trio & Justin Sekelewski Quintet

Friday, April 8 – Doors: 8:30 p.m. Show: 9 pm sharp – BYOB – Jazz
$10 at the door / $8 in advance (at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165951)
Lucky Old Souls @ Moonstone Presents
Leon Boykins Trio & Justin Sekelewski Quintet

LEON BOYKINS TRIO: Leon Boykins, bass; Alex LoRe, alto saxophone; Dustin Kaufman, drums
Bassist/composer LEON BOYKINS strives to positively influence the public through music. Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Leon showed an interest in music at a young age. His musical journey started on the piano, where he learned the basics of melody and harmony. He then moved to the bass, which introduced him to the foundations of rhythm. In high school, after performing with various regional high school jazz bands and all state orchestras, Leon decided to make music his career path. Upon graduating from Schenley High School, Leon enrolled in West Virginia University. In the fall of 2005, he transfered to Temple University in Philadelphia, where he received a Bachelor of Music in jazz performance. While living in Philadelphia, Leon quickly made a name for himself as both a performer and an educator. He had the opportunity to share the stage with many musical greats, including pianist Orrin Evans, saxophonist Ben Schachter, trumpeter John Swana, trumpeter Terrel Stafford, drummer ?uestlove, and many more. Currently, Leon lives in New York City, pursuing a Master’s degree in music performance at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. He is focusing on jazz performance, classical bass technique, and composition. Bass mentors have included Harvie S, Jeremy McCoy, Larry Grenadier, Madison Rast, Mike Boone, Douglas Mapp, Dr.
Andrew Kohn, Paul Thompson, Bill Howard and Dwayne Dolphin. He would like to thank his friends, family, books, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and New York City for all the educational experiences that they have provided.

JUSTIN SEKELEWSKI QUINTET featuring JIM HOLTON: Michael Pracher, tenor saxophone; Adam Siegel, alto saxophone; Jim Holton, piano; Justin Sekelewski, bass Nick Wight, drums
The band consists of musicians who are all based in Philadelphia and perform regularly in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas up and down the East Coast. Bassist Justin Sekelewski, pianist JIM HOLTON, and drummer NICK WIGHT have been playing together on a consistent basis for several years. Saxophonists ADAM SIEGEL and MIKE PRACHER provide the perfect complement to the ethos of this group: moving jazz in a new and exciting direction while holding a firm grasp on the history of the music and the idea that jazz was and still is music of the people. Pianist, cellist, composer, and arranger Jim Holton has performed extensively in the Philadelphia Area, New York, and New Jersey with several groups, including the critically-acclaimed Rhythm and Brass, Orrin Evans’s Captain Black Big Band, and Joe Sudler’s Swing Machine, which backed artists such as Jon Faddis, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, and Al Grey. Some of the many musicians he has worked with over the years include bassists Tyrone Brown, Mike Boone, and Charles Fambrough; drummers Byron Landham, Mickey Roker, Billy James, Ryan Faulkner, and Cornell Rochester; and horn players John Swana, Bootsie Barnes, Larry McKenna, and Clifford Adams. In addition to performing, he teaches cello and piano, and is one of the ministers of music at Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Ambler, Pa.