The Speakeasy Quartet
a vintage swing "chamber jazz" combo
THE MUSICIANS of THE SPEAKEASY QUARTET
Clarinet virtuoso Dave Bennett has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops and has performed his Tribute to Benny Goodman with forty other orchestras across the USA and Canada. He made his European debut in 2008 at the Bern Jazz Festival in a combo with the jazz legends (and Benny Goodman band alumni) guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and vibraphonist, the late Peter Appleyard.
Supplying rhythm for bandleaders, between them “hot jazz” cellist Mike Karoub and tenor guitarist Hugh Leal have played major stages such as The Hollywood Bowl, Roy Thompson Hall, The Kennedy Center and Orchestra Hall, Detroit. Karoub’s playing (with Michigan’s Royal Garden Trio) is heard on the radio and TV promotion for The Detroit Institute of Arts. Leal has toured the US extensively in the bands of the late Detroit trumpet legend Marcus Belgrave and in Dave Bennett’s bands.
Bennett, Karoub and Leal have all been featured on national network radio programs: Dave on NPR’s Jazz at Riverwalk, Mike on A Prairie Home Companion and Hugh on CBC Radio’s Night Camp.
The Speakeasy Quartet is one of Canada's top jazz combos playing classic jazz of the 1920's and '30's with a fresh and unique instrumentation and sonority: the early music of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Sydney Bechet and many more. The band makes Windsor’s historic Mackenzie Hall, a former courthouse built in 1856, as their home stage for a concert series now in its fourth year. SEQ have performed at The Detroit Institute of Arts and Art Gallery of Windsor. For more info. or bookings call Hugh Leal 727 744 2724 or email: lealjazz@gmail.com
The SEQ’s pianist/arranger Mike Karloff is a product of Wayne State University’s jazz program. He oversees music production for Windsor’s St. Clair College music theatre program handling rehearsals, theory instruction, coaching and conducting. The City of Windsor assigned Mike as contractor/music director for the orchestra at the opening ceremonies of the 2011 International Children’s Games. Mike is Windsor’s most in-demand musician: getting calls for work in pop, modern jazz, rock, dixieland, casino and church music as well as accompanying choral and classical music recitalists.
The Speakeasy Quartet are in the fourth year of their concert series at Windsor’s historic Mackenzie Hall. Their second CD will be released in fall 2015. The all Duke Ellington program on the album features the icon of Detroit jazz, the late trumpeter Marcus Belgrave as guest artist.
"A delightful band, a sound all their own…highly recommended" Scott Yanow in LA JAZZ SCENE MAGAZINE (Los Angeles)
“The Speakeasy Quartet are magical…a great CD” Chris Felcyn, host of The Listening Room WRCJ-FM (Detroit)
“classic jazz with a fresh sonority…impressive playing” Jim Galloway THE WHOLE NOTE Magazine (Toronto)
SCHEDULE
The Speakeasy Quartet (SEQ) present their ongoing concert series at Windsor's historic former courthouse Mackenzie Hall (3277 Sandwich St., 4 blocks west of the Ambassador Bridge.) To receive email notice of concerts or other SEQ appearances email: lealjazz@gmail.com
Caricature by Bob Monks
Here's the latest You Tube Speakeasy Quartet video http://youtu.be/A_tyOs1IYlc
Video Gallery:
A Letter from Bechet
The Mooche
Willie the Weeper
Wrap Your Troubles
in Dreams
CD Samples
- 16:06
(1st CD is sold out)
More videos: visit FACEBOOK
or YOU TUBE:
Blue Prelude
I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby