FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, Doors 8:30pm, Show 9pm – JAZZ
$10 at the door / $8 in advance (at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/93010) – BYO
LUCKY OLD SOULS Presents
ALFIE POLLITT
(Alfie Pollitt, piano)
and O’NEILL/MICELI DUO
(Ben “Bananas” O’Neill, guitar; Tony Miceli, vibraphone – performing music by Ellington & Strayhorn)
ALFRED POLLITT, known to many in the music world as “Alfie,” has been studying and playing music since the tender age of three. A native of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Alfie was surrounded and inspired by all types of music and was given classical piano instruction from his mother and father, both respected and influential members of the Philadelphia art and music communities. Since his first piece of musical composition in 1958, entitled “15th Street,” Alfie has written well over one hundred songs.
Some of his major influences include John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, and Jimmy Smith. These and other musical greats helped to shape and formulate Alfie’s diverse playing style. Throughout Alfie’s musical career he has had the fortunate opportunity to perform with a broad spectrum of prominent jazz and R&B performers, including Donald Byrd, Archie Shepp, Art Blakey, Norman Connors, Sister Sledge, Billy Paul, Stephanie Mills, George Howard, and the Four Tops, in addition to his own bands and ensembles. He toured extensively with legendary R&B superstar Teddy Pendergrass, which added two platinum-recording credits to Alfie’s impressive list of achievements. Mr. Pollitt has also represented Philadelphia at the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival in Jamaica (1995) and at the Festin Third International Music Festival in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil (1993). Besides being a musician, Alfie is known as a teacher and mentor to many musicians and other people in the surrounding communities.
Additionally, Alfie has extensive experience composing musical works, including theme songs and jingles for events and organizations including the Mataah Network, the Black Music Association, and the Africamericas festival. He was also a collaborator on “Our Family Reunion,” a piece that promotes family reunions, and “Malcolm X,” an epic work that depicts events in Malcolm’s life in song.
Guitarist BEN O’NEILL, known to some as “Bananas,” moved to Philadelphia in 2000 to attend The University of the Arts, where he studied with many excellent musicians and educators including Jimmy Bruno, Tom Giacabetti, and the legendary Pat Martino. He graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Music with Honors. During college he toured and recorded with Columbia Records gospel artist Tye Tribbett and G.A. Upon graduation Ben began a full time career of touring, recording, and teaching. Over the last five years Ben has performed with Christina Aguilera, Common, Musiq Soulchild, Erykah Badu, Will.i.am, Kanye West, Cee-lo Green, and Bilal, among others, and has appeared on many TV shows including The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ellen Degeneres and 106th & Park. He has also taught many students of all ages, independently, and at Tirpak Music School and Independence Charter School. In 2009 he received a Grammy nomination for a vocal performance with independent R&B star Eric Roberson. He is currently making a full time study of gospel music and performing in support of his third independently released album–The Corduroy Pants EP by The MLMs. Joining Ben for this performance is TONY MICELI, the ubiquitous vibraphonist on the Philadelphia jazz scene and a faculty member at The University of the Arts and Rowan University.
