Fresh faces, fresh voices, and fresh ideas take over Chicago’s Navy Pier on Friday, July 15 as part of Navy Pier’s Water Color series! Catch these young and inspiring musicians from Jazz Institute of Chicago’s NextGenJazz Emerging Artists Project.
Water Colors is a weekly free outdoor Jazz music series at the Lake Stage in Polk Bros Park.
FRIDAY, JULY 15
Tate Sherman Trio (6:30pm)
Stillwater Septet (7:15pm)
Milano Wilkins Experiment (8:00PM)
TATE SHERMAN TRIO
Tate Sherman is a drummer who has performed with the Merit School of Music Honors Jazz Combo, the Birch Creek Jazz Ambassadors, and the Oak Park and River Forest High School Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo. Tate has been a member of the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Links Student Council since 2020. He studied with Tim Davis from 2017 to 2019, and is currently studying with Donald Skoog. In the fall, Tate will head to Indiana University to study with Sean Dobbins at the Jacobs School of Music. He has worked with Steve Million, Katie Ernst, and Fred Simon, along with many other Chicago artists. He has also participated in ILMEA, performing with the Jazz I Big Band in 2020 and 2021. Tate’s musical partners, Rufus Parenti (tenor saxophone) and Leo Buczkowski (bass), are both sophomores at DePaul University.
STILLWATER SEPTET
Led By 2021 Kiewit -Wang Scholarship recipient Brandon Harper is a 16-year-old Junior at Chicago Public Schools Lincoln Park High School.Originally starting his musical journey playing the drums at the age of 6, he found new interest and started playing the piano in 7th grade. Though still very young, Brandon has been turning heads. He currently participates in the Jazz Links Student Council Program (JLSC), Ravinia Jazz Scholars, and CYSO's Jazz Orchestra which is under the direction of Pharez Whitted. He currently studies with Richard Johnson and Ernie Adams.Leading his band Stillwater Septet,He will be joined by Jack Nelson-Tenor sax, Elijah Brown- Alto Sax, Joel Fisher-Guitar, Brandon Harper (me) Piano, Tom Gotsch-Bass, Oscar Evely-Drums playing original compositions and arrangements.
Milano Wilkins Experiment
Leo Milano started playing tenor saxophone at the age of 11 Studying jazz and blues and eventually setting out to play across Chicago Leo has been a part of a number of programs/ensembles such as the Jazz Link Student Council, CYSO Jazz Orchestra, Ernest Dawkins's Young masters, and The Herbie Hancock Institutes performing arts high school mentorship program. Leo Milano Has worked with many mentors/educators such as Rajiv Halim, John Brumbach, Ari Brown, John Foster Brooks, Jb Dyas, Tim McNamara, Ernest Dawkins, Anthony Bruno, and Geof Bradfield. Some Playing experiences leo has had include the Englewood Jazz Fest (2021, ’20, ’19) Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference, New Orleans (2020) Chicago Jazz Fest (2019)Chicago Blues Fest (2019, ’18, ’17) Navy pier Chicago (2020,2021) Some Awards Leo has received is the Kiewit-Wang Mentorship Award (2021), Clare Charitable Foundation Scholarship(2020, ‘19, ‘18) and The Jazz In Chi Festival Best soloist award(2020). Leo currently Attends the Chicago Highschool For The Arts.