History

The conception of the Armand Boatman Be Bop Revolution evolved in the summer of 2005 during a concert at Jazz In The Hills, a local venue in Fountain Hills, Arizona.  Armand is the music coordinator at Jazz In The Hills and just happened to collect five of his finest jazz musicians together for an evening concert.  The rest is history.  The Be Bop Revolution was born that day...

Armand has always been a follower and fan of Be Bop as a young man studying the art of playing jazz piano.  It’s the ‘spirit’ of the music he says that keeps his love and desire to keep and preserve Be Bop ‘alive’.  Armand is constantly striving to attain the high standards of playing Be Bop.  It’s not easy music to play but its sure fun to play and listen to.  It’s exciting, joyful and gives the listener the feeling to do some toe tapping. The members of Armand’s quintet are first call musicians in Phoenix.  They are educators either teaching privately or involved in the public school systems.  They are also clinicians who conduct music clinics throughout the U.S.  They are recording artists in their own right. Armand has been the leader and organizer of many musical collaborations during his career but he feels that the ‘Revolution’ is his best!  Armand associates his quintet to a basketball team.  There is chemistry, team w0rk and responsibility required from each member.  Armand says, “This is quite a team of musical players”.  “I’m proud of them and they are all winners”. 

About The Music

The Armand Boatman Be Bop revolution is a high-energy, daring, crowd-pleasing jazz quintet performing music encompassing the emergence of modern jazz with Be Bop to Neo Traditional original compositions.  The music of pioneering jazz composers Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Dizzy Gillepsie Tadd Dameron and Hank Mobley is the featured repertoire, with original compositions spanning swing, blues gospel and Bop styles.  The personnel is an all-star cast from phoenix, Arizona, all with a long track record of recording dates, appearances with major jazz figures, festivals and tours.  “The musicians are having so much fun on stage and playing with such energy, you can’t help but get caught up in the infectious happy vibe of the music”

Featuring:

Armand Boatman - Piano
A Pianist since he was four years old, Armand was educated at Washington State, served in the army and taught public school before returning to jazz. He leads his own ensembles and is a first call sideman.
View Armand Boatman's Full Bio

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Fred Forney - Trumpet
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Fred began playing in third grade, moving to Arizona in 1973 earning a BM in Music Education from the University of Arizona and MM in Trumpet Performance from Arizona State University.  He has become one of the most in demand freelance trumpeters in the Phoenix Metropolitan area and first call lead trumpet player for Star Acts like Johnny Mathis, David Foster, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, Al Jarreau and many others.  Fred also plays lead trumpet for touring Broadway Shows from New York, such as 42nd Street, wicked, The Producers, All Shook Up and virtually every tour that comes into Phoenix.  Fred has also been a salaried musician with the Tucson Symphony and Phoenix Symphony Orchestras.

Fred has held faculty positions at Tempe High School, Arizona State University and is currently the Director of Jazz Studies at Mesa Community College.  He has been a clinician, adjudicator, or guest performer at high schools and universities in Arizona, Iowa, Oklahoma and Kansas.   His former students are teaching or performing in New York La, Nashville, Chicago and Phoenix.

Fred has played with Internationally known jazz artists Bob Mintzer, Don Menza, roger Kellaway, Pete Magadini, Bill Watrous, Judy Roberts, Ernie Watts, David Friesen, John Stowell, Dan Haerle, Pat LaBarbera, Bob Sheppard, Jim Snidero, Bobby Shew, Carl Saunders, Lewis Nash and others.
www.fredforney.com


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Jerry Donato - Saxaphone
Since moving to the Valley in 1983 from Baltimore, MS, Jerry has been a mainstay on the Phoenix music scene.  He has performed and recorded with many valley favorites such as Dennis Rowland, Khani Cole and Big Pete Pearson.  Jerry also enjoyed an extensive career in television, having performed on the Arsenio Hall Show.  He has also done soundtracks for CBS Television’s Evening Shade and for several TNT movies.  His most recent CD, It’s A Cool Heat, features the last recording of west Coast legend Pee Jolly.
www.jerrydonato.com

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Dom Moio - Drums
Dom has been playing drums since the fifth grade.  His first influence was funk master Bernard Purdie (drummer for Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin and Steely Dan).  However, after hearing Miles Davis with drummer Jimmy Cobb, Moio’s attention was directed toward Jazz.  Leaving the East Coast in 1979, Moio played with jazz luminaries such as Mose Allison, Herb Elis, Ahmad Jamal and Clark Terry.  He also had the opportunity to meet and study with legendary Cuban Master Percussionist Walfredo de los Reyes, Sr.  It was then he developed a lifelong passion for Latin rhythms.

Moio is currently teaching courses and drum set at Mesa Community College, Arizona State University and traveling clinician for Trick Drums Latin Percussion, Evans Drum Heads, Calato/Regal Tip Drumsticks and Sabian Cymbals.
www.dommoio.com


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Dwight Kilian - Bass
Dwight grew up in Kansas, the “heartland” of America.  He started his musical journey by playing guitar, which led to tuba and finally to electric and acoustic bass.  He graduated from Wichita State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music.  From 1982 to 1988, Dwight was a “Kansas Jazz Artist in Residence” and a member of the “Kansas Touring Arts”.  He also taught jazz bass at WSU, Bethe College and Hutchinson Community College.  In 1988 he moved to Denver CO and freelanced with local and national artists.

Relocating to Phoenix in 1998, Dwight performs Jazz concerts with some of the area’s top musicians.  Dwight has played at The Wichita Jazz Festival, Carefree Music Festival and the Prescott Jazz Summit from 2003 to 2006 and has been the jazz bass instructor at Glendale Community College, Mesa Community College and Arizona State University and is currently teaching applied bass lessons and leading Music Serving the Word seminars at Southwestern College.  In 2005 Dwight became executive Director of Music Serving the word Ministries and the bassist for Inner Journeys led by pianist Bob Ravenscroft.

Dwight has performed with many top jazz artists such as Sheila Jordan, Art Lande, Herbie Mann, Teddy Edwards, Mark Murphy, Ernie watts, Richie Cole, Mose Allison, Myra Melford, Jerry Hahn, Milcho Leviev, Claudio Slon, Paul McCandless, Nick Brignola, Lee Konitz, Ken Peplowski, Bob Florence, Lennie Niehaus and Marvin Stamm.

For information on recordings and performances click here

 

 
  available now
Armand Boatman's:
Be Bop Revolution CD
Listen  |  Buy
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April 24
Armand Boatman Trio with special guest, Jerry Donato

May 1
Armand Boatman's Be Bop Revolution at Botanical Gardens

May 7
The BJQ (Boatman Jazz Quartet) with Dom Moio, Bill Moio, Tom Williams

May 15
Armand Boatman Trio with special guest, Jerry Donato

May 29
Armand Boatman Trio with special guest, Joe Corral

 
 
© 2009 Armand Boatman. All rights reserved.