By Jack Reinhard | Facebook: @JohnJackReinhard

Internationally renowned vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris and his quartet will be performing Music of Nat “King” Cole and Eddie Jefferson at Allamuchy, New Jersey’s Rutherfurd Hall on August 24^th from 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Performing over the past 20 years, Harris has been described by the Miami Herald as an artist blessed with, “the warmth of Tony Bennett, the bite and rhythmic sense of Sinatra, and the sly elegance of Nat “King Cole.” The ample and aural evidence of Harris’ moving and magisterial artistry can be heard on his ten recordings as a leader; his far-flung and critically-acclaimed concerts around the world, from Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, and Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, to the 2012 London Olympics, and a number of prestigious bookings in Europe, The Middle East and Asia, and his numerous awards.

His Quartet, including himself consists of drummer and percussionist Shirazette Tinnin, pianist Arco-Iris Sandoval and bass player Nimrod Speaks.

Tinnin was born and raised in North Carolina. Her early influences were gospel music, R&B and soul music. They would eventually expand to jazz, rock and music from African diaspora. She graduated from Applachian State University where she studied with Todd Right, Dr. Rob Falvo, Rick Dilling and Scott Meister. She studied and continues to be mentored by drummers Cindy Blackman, Lewis Nash, Terri Lynne Carrington and Ernie Adams. Tinnin was the house drummer for season one of The Meredith Vieira Talk Show on NBC.

Born into a musical family, Sandoval began studying piano as a young child, giving her first recital of original compositions and Bach Preludes when she was six years old. While attaining a bachelor’s degree in piano studies from the University of Arizona under the tutelage of jazz pianist Jeff Haskell and classical instructor Paula Fan, ArcoIris had the opportunity to perform at major festivals throughout the U.S., Mexico, Europe, and China including the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Telluride Jazz Festival. Her education was highlighted by performances with Chris Potter, Brian Lynch, Brice Winston, John Fedchock, Brian Bromberg, Ralph Carmichael, Paul Horn and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Moving to New York City in 2010, she obtained her Masters degree in Jazz Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music while studying with Phil Markowitz, Jim McNeely, Garry Dial, and Dave Liebman while also regularly performing with her own trio as well as with bassist Mimi Jones. She’s performed at many venues across NYC including at MTV Studios, Smalls, the Steinway Hall, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Jazz Gallery, Symphony Space, among others.

Speaks, a Philadelphia native, has kept his ears open. According to Homer Jackson of the Philadelphia Jazz Project, “Speaks is one of the most in demand bassists in the Mid-Atlantic region and a powerful songwriter.” He started his musical progression at the age of 16 years old. Speaks splits his time between teaching privately, ministering with nonprofit organizations and traveling with Greg Osby, Ronnie Burrage, Doc Gibbs, Hanible Lokumbe, Jerry Topinka, Shirazette Tinnin, Dr. Matthew Clayton and others. Most recently, you can hear Nimrod as part of the Allan Harris Band or locally with the Leon Jordan Sr. Trio and also as part of the Luke O’Reilly Trio.

For more information, you can visit rutherfurdhall.org.