John Moulder Organ Trio ft Vijay Tellis-Nayak

John Moulder is a guitarist and composer whose music has evolved from various musical traditions. His most recent release entitled Metamorphosis (Origin 2022) features pianist Richie Beirach, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico  and new compositions penned by Moulder and described by Raul da Gama as, “an album of music to die for.” Decade:Memoirs (2018) was named one of Chicago Tribune’s 10 best new jazz recordings of the year in 2018. Earthborn Tales of Soul and Spirit (Origin 2016) features saxophonist Donny McCaslin and many other long- time musical companions. Inspired by soulful individuals, it has been described as a contemporary musical narrative. Earthborn Tales was a featured performance for the 2014 Made in Chicago concert series in Millennium Park. John’s compositions and playing are featured on his CDs entitled Awakening (Mo-Tonal Records 1993), Through the Open Door (Igmod/Mo-Tonal Records 1997), Spirit Talk (NAIM 2003), and Trinity (Origin 2006) and Bifrost (Origin 2009) were both named one of the ten best jazz CDs of 2006 and 2009 respectively by the Chicago Tribune.

In the course of his career John is grateful to have played with a range of talented musicians, both known and unknown. In live performances and recordings, John has played with diverse artists such as Eddie Harris, Paul McCandless, Lyle Mays, Arild Anderson, Bendik Hofseth and Kurt Elling. From his hometown of Chicago, he has performed with some outstanding musicians too numerous to mention and enjoys collaborating with them for various projects. He has worked in a number of groups with trumpeter and conductor Orbert Davis including his dynamic Chicago Jazz Philharmonic which he has been a member of for over 10 years

Televised feature stories on John and his work have aired on Artbeat (WTTW) and Chicago Tonight (WTTW).He has played nationally and internationally at numerous festivals, clubs and concert halls. John received his Masters degree in music from Northwestern University. As an educator, he is currently a faculty member at Northwestern University, and the College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He teaches master classes and conducts clinics at universities, high schools, music institutes and other settings.

Vijay Tellis-Nayak has received accolades for his prodigious musical talents since childhood and is currently sought after as one of the top musicians in Chicago as a keyboardist, producer, composer/arranger, and engineer.

Vijay began studying classical piano at the age of 5 and by 11 had won numerous awards for his symphonic compositions. He began playing electric guitar at 13 and by 16 was performing professionally. Vijay attended Northwestern University receiving an undergraduate in Music Technology and a masters degree in Rhetoric/Mass Media.

As a keyboardist he has performed top artists in genres ranging from jazz to pop to musical theater. Some of these include Jennifer Hudson, Chuck Berry, Randy Brecker, Wicked, The Supremes, The Lion King, Howard Levy, Joe Piscopo, Umphrey’s McGee, Fareed Haque, Bill Dickens, Congolese Soukous legend Diblo Dibala, Frank Catalano, John Moulder, John McLean, and Grazyna Auguscik. He has also been featured in Keyboard/EQ magazine for his work with pioneering Chicago-based fusion group Kick the Cat.

Vijay is also an owner/producer of the top ranked Chicago recording studio Transient Sound. Here he has been an engineer/producer/studio-musician for some of the top local and national acts including Los Lobos, Oz Noy, Naked Raygun, Howard Levy, Trio Globo, Candyrat Records, Joe Locke/John McLean, and many more.

Current Hammond products used include A100 w/122, RT-3 w/145, Hammond Melodion, Hammond SK-2.

Dane Richeson is Professor of Music at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he has been Director of Percussion Studies since 1984. He is recognized as one of the most versatile performers in the percussive arts. Throughout the world he has been featured in such diverse roles as solo marimbist, contemporary chamber music percussionist, world percussion specialist and jazz drummer. Performances have been with such diverse artists as Bobby McFerrin, Gordon Stout, Nancy Zeltsman, Gunther Schuller, Geoffrey Keezer, Joe Lovano, NDR Big Band of Germany, Roscoe Mitchell, Medeski-Martin-Woods, Kenny Wheeler , Danilo Perez, and Lyle Mays. He has performed extensively with a variety of contemporary chamber ensembles and has been a featured marimba artist/teacher at several of the Zeltsman Marimba Festivals, the Ivana Bilic Marimba/Percussion Week in Croatia, and the Central Conservatory Chamber Music Festival in Beijing. Moreover, he has performed at festivals such as Ravinia, North Sea and Montreux Jazz Festivals, and Beijing Music Festival. In addition, Dane has lived and studied music traditions in Ghana, Brazil, and Cuba.

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