Karen Lovejoy ~ vocals
Sammy Muguia ~ piano
Bob Shann ~ bass
Ian Dylan ~ drumsKaren Lovejoy migrated from the Midwest where she began singing contemporary ballads, rhythm & blues and top 40. However, when she discovered jazz, she found a home. The freedom to reinterpret music at a whim, turning a tune inside out, and choosing generous lyrics, appealed to her expansive spirit.
To the delight of many, Lovejoy settled on the east coast where she has honed her skills. In performance the Lovejoy name rings true. Her warm stage presence and harmonious tone resonates a kind of joy that leaves the music always hopeful. Karen knows that the blues is an integral part of jazz and will frequently add a twist of down home blues to her repertoire. Lovejoy has produced a number of original tunes including the title cut for the groups latest CD, Spellbound.Samuel Munguia studied piano and classical guitar in El Salvador. In 1989, he relocated to the Washington DC area where he studied jazz piano and jazz arranging at UDC with the late Calvin Jones. Over the last 25 years he's been performing with many Latin, Brazilian, and Jazz groups in the metropolitan area including Grammy Award-winning artists such as Mya, Nestor Torres, and percussionist Alex Acuna.
Born and raised in the New York Metro area, Bob Shann complements the group on upright bass. A master bassist with over 25 years under his belt, he received a BA degree in Classical Performance from SUNY at Stony Brook University. Bob has performed with Dave Liebman, Toots Thieleman, Mulgrew Miller, Joanne Brackeen and many others.
Drummer, Ian Dylan studied for numerous years with several drummers including Lenny Robinson, Chuck Redd and Alan Dale. His varied skillset have enabled him to work with groups lead by musicians such as Peter Edelman, Butch Warren, and Michael Nicholas.Heralded for his musicianship by renowned musical legends such as, Antonio Parker, Cora Coleman, and Steve Novosel, his fans range from everyday working-class professionals to heads-of-state. Ian's formula is simple: "My strength is learning from the successes and mistakes of past masters, rather than inventing a completely new way of playing."
Watch The Lovejoy Group at the Kennedy Center present The Giant That Lived in the Shadows, honoring Billy Strayhorn as the genius behind Ellington, his life, and his music -- click here.
check out their website at http://www.lovejoygroupmusic.com