Trombonist Bob McChesney leads a stellar quartet with pianist Jon Cowherd, Steve Kovalcheck on guitar, Rob Linton on bass and Josh Hunt on drums.
Bob McChesney is an internationally recognized trombone soloist, renowned for his harmonic mastery, emotional delivery, and lightning-fast technique. McChesney's trademarks as a trombonist are his smooth, lightning-fast technique, his mastery of jazz harmony, beautiful sound, and a strong emotional connection to the music. With complete mastery of the instrument, McChesney has distinguished himself as one of the pre-eminent trombone soloists in the world. McChesney's recent solo release, "Chez Sez" is an album of re-imagined standards and McChesney's own compositions with jazz organist, Larry Goldings. Bob has been featured on many Grammy-winning CDs and has scored hundreds of television shows and motion pictures. He also holds the honor of having performed the virtuosic classical cornet piece on trombone, "The Carnival of Venice" with The Idaho Falls Symphony. Famed composer Lalo Schifrin said, "Bob McChesney is a virtuoso and has the gift to bring us the joy of music at the highest level".
The Kentucky-raised, New Orleans-schooled, New York-based revered keyboardist Jon Cowherd is best known for his long- running partnership with drummer/bandleader Brian Blade, with whom he co-founded the Grammy nominated Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, whose acclaimed, influential albums showcase Cowherd's stellar keyboard work and singular compositional skills. When not recording and touring with the Fellowship, Cowherd has worked extensively with a broad array of players and singers from the jazz, pop and rock worlds including Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, Brandi Carlile, Nate Smith & Kinfolk, Bill Frisell, John Patitucci, KD Lang, Rosanne Cash, Iggy Pop, Glen Hansard, Cassandra Wilson, John Scofield and Lizz Wright.
Guitarist/composer Steve Kovalcheck hails from Nashville, Tennessee. He has performed with many notable musicians including Joey DeFrancesco, Christian McBride, Louis Hayes, Carmen Bradford, Byron Stripling, Joel Frahm, Ron Miles, McClenty Hunter, Brad Goode, Terrell Stafford, Howard Levy, Todd Parks, Sam Bush, Donald Harrison, Eddie Daniels, Jim White, Pat Bianchi as well as many others. Kovalcheck has performed internationally in China, Romania, France, and Sweden. He holds a B.M. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and an M.M from the University of Northern Colorado. In 2009, Kovalcheck joined the Jazz Studies faculty at the University of Northern Colorado. He is an active educator, giving master classes and clinics at universities and colleges throughout the United States.
Rob Linton is a versatile bassist from Charlotte, North Carolina. Linton has had the privilege of performing and touring with Eric Reed, Greg Tardy, Dave Potter and Retro Groove, and Variego3. He has also performed with other standout musicians including Don Aliquo, Miguel Alvarado, Taber Gable, Kenneth Brown, Jack Roben, Jonathan Barber, Stacey Dillard, Will Boyd, Mark Boling, Troy Conn, Ocie Davis, and many others. Rob teaches jazz bass and jazz combos at Blair School of Music. Linton has also taught at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Gardner-Webb University, and The University of Tennessee. He was also the bass instructor for the Knoxville Jazz Workshop. Rob Linton holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a M.M. from the University of Tennessee.
Nashville based Drummer and percussionist Joshua Hunt began playing drums at an early age and went on to earn a Bachelors degree from Western Kentucky University and a Masters degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While living in Illinois, Josh was an in-demand orchestral percussionist with the Peoria Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera, and the Danville Symphony, and simultaneously maintained a busy freelance career within the jazz community. Upon moving to Nashville, he was introduced to the Nashville music scene through gigs with the Nashville Jazz Orchestra, and shortly after, landed with Alison Krauss and Union Station for their North American/UK tour in support of the multi-Grammy winning album, Paper Airplane. He has since gone on to play with the Jerry Douglas Band, Clint Black, The Time Jumpers, Charlie Worsham, Emily West, and Mandy Barnett, to name just a few. As part of a trio with renowned guitarist, Jack Pearson, of the Allman Brothers, he has shared the stage with the Tedeschi Trucks Band and been a part of the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam. Josh continues to be a sought-after drummer both in the studio and on the stage.
