The Calvin Hill Group will be performing the initial concert in the Englewood Public Library's 10th annual Summer Jazz Concert Series - "Jazz Under the Stars". This acclaimed series will be take place every Thursday evening at 7:30 from June 23 through August 25 on the library's front plaza. The concert series is free and open to the public. No registration is needed, but library parking is very limited.
In case of inclement weather, the concerts will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church one block north at 113 Engle St.
Bassist, Composer, Arranger, and Educator Calvin Hill was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and started the study of music at 10 years of age. Hill played trumpet, trombone, and saxophone in school bands, and switched to bass his last year of high school. Mr. Hill received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Berklee College of Music. He has also received a Master of Special Education from Hunter College.
Calvin's first musical experiences were on the Boston music scene, where he became the regular bassist in the area's nightclubs. This enabled him to perform with a wide variety of artists, everyone from Billy Eckstine, Mel Torme, Mose Allison to John Lee Hooker the Kirby Stone Four and Matt Monroe. While in Boston, Calvin met and played with Joanne Brackeen, whom he continues to play with today.
Hill moved to New York in 1969. His first big gig was with the McCoy Tyner Quartet. Calvin recorded Sahara with the group. The record was voted Album of the Year by the critics at Downbeat magazine.
Calvin has been a member of the groups of Pharaoh Sanders, Betty Carter, George Coleman, James Moody, Chet Baker, Junior Mance and Max Roach. Hill is still an active studio musician and also tours and works with various artists, including the Spirit of Life Ensemble, as well as his own Quartet or Quintet.
Hill's own 2005 CD release I Can't Give You Anything But Love was a critical success and is available in the Englewood Library through the BCCLS system.
For further information, visit the Library’s website at www.englewoodlibrary.org.
The lineup for the rest of the jazz series is as follows:
June 30-- The Darryl Yokley Band
July 7--Richard Barrata: The 3 B’s +2
July 14-- Bill Saxton
July 21-- Frank Noviello
July 28--Camille Thurman & Darrell Green
August 4—The Vince Ector Group
August 11--Mark Gross
August 18--Chris Beck
August 25--Sharp Radway

For further information, visit the Library’s website at www.englewoodlibrary.org.The Englewood Library is located at 31 Engle St., Englewood, N.J.