Avery Wyman Quintet Featuring Nat Reeves

Avery Wyman

Mark Zaleski – Alto Saxophone

Anthony Bolden – Tenor Saxophone

Caelan Cardello – Piano

Nat Reeves – Bass

Avery Wyman – Drums

Avery Wyman is a Drummer and Percussionist from Old Lyme, Connecticut and is a current student at the esteemed New York University Jazz Program under a full scholarship. He has played gigs and gotten the chance to sit in with many great musicians including Nat Reeves, George Coleman, Delfeayo Marsalis, Eric Alexander, Keith Brown, Ron McClure, Ricky Ford, Michael Rodriguez, Sullivan Fortner, Rodney Whitaker, Brandon Lee and many more. Avery has gotten the chance to learn and study under many musicians, including Joe McCarthy, Billy Drummond, Lenny White, Jonathan Barber, Ryan Sands, Joe Farnsworth, Kenny Washington, Dezron Douglas and more. Avery plays gigs throughout the Connecticut area and the New York City area.

Nat Reeves:

For over 40 years, Nat Reeves has been one of the top bassists in jazz. His supportive and stimulating playing has uplifted a countless number of sessions and recording dates (most notably with the great altoists Jackie McLean and Kenny Garrett). He has lead his own CDs State of Emergency and Blue Ridge. Both as a performer and an educator, he has made a strong impact on the jazz world.

Nat Reeves was born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia. “My grandfather played the banjo, mandolin and guitar. One day I picked up his guitar and started playing the bass part. He noticed and, for my 16th birthday, he bought me an electric bass.” Nat had grown up hearing bluegrass, rock and soul records but did not get an opportunity to listen to jazz until he was already a bassist. “As a teenager, I listened closely to the radio, learning everything by ear. Originally I gravitated towards soul artists such as Marvin Gaye and the music of the time. In high school, I worked for a time with a band called the Dynatones. We learned all of the top 40 songs as soon as they came out. Whenever a new hit record was released, we would purchase the recording, go in the basement, put it on the turntable, and learn the song. Quite often the same day we would play the song for dances.”