| Jay
Beckenstein was born on May 14, 1951 in New York,
New York. Beckenstein was introduced to Jazz at an early
age by his father. He first started on piano then by seven
he was playing sax. Jay enrolled at the University of
New York in Buffalo and studied Classical and Avante Garde
music. It is there that Beckenstein and long time friend
Jeremy Wall developed into a larger ensemble and Spyro
Gyra was created. Their single "Morning Dance"
has become a UK Top 20 hit and an Adult Contemporary #1
single in 1979. His debut album as a solo artist is called
'Eye Contact.' |
|
| Enya
was born on May 17, 1961 in Gweedore, Donegal, Ireland.
In 1979 she joined the band Clannad that featured her
brothers and sisters. In 1988 Enya released 'Watermark'
which sold over eight million copies. Her 1991 follow
up Album 'Shepherd Moons' was even more successful selling
more than ten million albums. The CD entered the charts
at #17 and stayed in the Top 200 for four years. She has
also won three Grammy
Awards, one for 1992 'Shepherd Moons,' 1996 'Memory
of Trees' and 2001 'Day Without Rain.' |
|
| Gregg
Karukas was born May 18 in Baltimore, MD. In 1987 Karukas
recorded his first album 'Night Owl' with featuring the
popular tunes, 'Walking With You' and 'Drivetime.' That
same year he became the original keyboardist for the Rippingtons
recording the classic 'Moonlighting,' a project with Kenny
G, David Benoit
and Dave Koz. Karukas
has also done work on many films such as 'Stand and Deliver,'
'Money for Nothing' and television shows Santa Barbara
and Cheers. |
|
|
Ramsey Lewis was born on May 27, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois.
He started playing the piano at the age of four and had
no experience playing jazz until the age of fifteen when
a fellow church musician asked him to join a jazz band
called the 'The Cleffs.' Lewis formed the 'Ramsey Lewis
Trio' with Eldee Young and Redd Holt. He has topped the
charts with songs 'The In Crowd,' 'Hang On Sloopy' and
'Wade In The Water.' Ramsey has three Grammy
Awards and seven gold records to his credit. |
|
|
Marc Antoine
was born on May 28, 1963 in Paris, France. Antoine started
playing at an early age; in fact he entered a scooter
competition and won the money for his first guitar. At
age sixteen he won a scholarship to the Paris Conservatory
of Music. At age nineteen a severe cut on his wrist almost
ended his career but he fought the odds and began playing
again. He recorded his first album in 1994 called 'Classical
Soul' with songs 'Unity' and 'Follow Your Bliss.' Antoine's
music can also be heard on the movie 'Midnight in the
Garden of Good and Evil.'. |
|
