Agora Latin Jazz Quartet

Agora Latin Jazz Quartet in Istanbul

January 28, 2006

The U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul in cooperation with the Istanbul Art and Culture Foundation organized a concert at Bosphorous University, Albert Long Hall given by The Agora Latin Jazz Quartet to many jazz lovers.

Born in South Carolina, a guitarist, composer and bandleader, Clay Ross was encouraged musically from a young age.  After receiving a BFA from the University of Charleston, he became an integral part of the South Carolina jazz scene. Mr. Ross has been featured in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, First Night Charleston, the Charleston Jazz Festival, the Moja Arts Festival and the Asheville Jazz Composers Forum.  He has also served as a guest clinician and artist at the University of Charleston. 

Bassist Solomon Dorsey, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, now lives in Harlem, New York.  He attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City and currently attends New School University in New York City.  Mr. Dorsey spent three years playing with legendary alto saxophonist Bobby Watson. He has also performed with Victor Lewis, Ralph Peterson, Jimmy Owens, Terrell Stafford, and John Hicks.

Nate Shaw has recorded four CDs with the group The Motion Poets, a jazz sextet that he helped found in 1993. The group has toured the United States dozens of times and their latest release, Lose You Mind and Come To Your Senses, was awarded jazz record of the year at this year’s Minnesota music awards.  He currently tours extensively with the New York based Afro-Cuban group, The New Power Trio.  Mr. Shaw’s passion has always been music from around the globe, and he has spent time living and studying in Africa, Hong Kong, and China in pursuit of new sounds.  As a performer, he integrates those influences into his keyboard playing.  As a teacher, he has created many lesson plans to show the vital connection between music from other cultures and America's unique music, Jazz.

Born in Melbourne, Florida, drummer, percussionist, composer and recording artist Scott Kettner is creating a unique position for himself in the world of jazz and contemporary music. Since arriving in New York City in 1997, Mr. Kettner has performed with great artists from Cyro Baptista to Jane Ira Bloom. Mr. Kettner released his first CD, Holy Oak, as a bandleader in 2000.  More recently, Mr. Kettner was the recipient of an artist grant from the Brooklyn Arts Council for his Brazilian percussion project, entitled “Maracatu N.Y.” in 2003.