ABOUT SOLAR QUINTET

	Solar Quintet is a writer's group. Since there is no actual bandleader in the quintet, the creative process is one of collaboration and discovery. This process holds true for jazz standards as well as original music. Miles Davis’ concept that innovation is standard in jazz is at the heart of everything Solar Quintet does. David Morgan, Donald Tipton, David Johnston, Stan Murray (front), Elwood Madeo (shown left-right) Music by Solar Quintet is available online at CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon. SOLAR QUINTET is: Stan Murray, alto saxophonist, is an accomplished musician who has played the saxophone since the age of 10. Coming from a musical family, he grew up playing standard repertoire tunes from the great American songbook with his father, a guitarist. By age 15, he was playing professionally. A native of Columbus, Georgia, Stan earned a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Columbus State University. He has toured extensively with major concert artists and has shared stages with a variety of musical giants including: Lionel Hampton, Guy Lombardo, Mickey Thomas, the Cornelius Brothers, Buddy Miles, the Classics Four, Carlos Santana, and others. Elwood Madeo, guitarist, studied classical guitar and theory at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. While in San Francisco, he performed at several jazz clubs including Keystone Korner, Great American Music Hall, and Peta’s. He received a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University where he studied and performed with Dr. Gordon Vernick. He also studied with Steve Kahn in N.Y.C. Elwood is currently teaching and directing music at St. Anne and Our Lady of Lords schools. He has served on the board of directors for the *San Francisco Jazz Society* and the *Columbus Jazz Society. Donald Tipton, pianist, received his Bachelor of Music from Columbus State University. He has continued to study jazz piano and composition with the directors of jazz studies at Columbus State University: Dr. Shirantha Beddage, and Dr. Alexander Pershounin. Don has worked as a video producer and commercial photographer with special expertise in underwater image making. His most recent film, DREAMING INTO BLUE, makes use of Donald’s own music for its film score. David Johnston, bassist, began studying music at age five when he began playing the organ. He began the trombone at age ten, bass and percussion at age fifteen. David has toured extensively with the United States Navy Band playing a wide variety of styles in both big band and small ensemble settings. He has performed with the Cavaliers Orchestra led by Dr. George Corradino and the Auburn Knights Orchestra. David Morgan, percussionist, has worked in a variety of styles from orchestral to jazz & pop, in pit orchestras and recording sessions. He received a B.A. from Columbus State University* where he continued his studies in music theory and percussion methods. David has performed with the Cavaliers Orchestra, the Auburn Knights Orchestra, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with the Pied Pipers led by Warren Covington, Marcus Hampton, Michael Hoskin, Phineas Johnson, Dr. Gordon Vernick, David Ragsdale, Kevin Vannoy and others.

Solar Quintet is a writer's group. Since there is no actual bandleader in the quintet, the creative process is one of collaboration and discovery. This process holds true for jazz standards as well as original music. Miles Davis’ concept that innovation is standard in jazz is at the heart of everything Solar Quintet does.

SOLAR QUINTET at The Loft

David Morgan, Donald Tipton, David Johnston, Stan Murray (front), Elwood Madeo
(shown left-right)

Music by Solar Quintet is available online at CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon.

SOLAR QUINTET is:

Stan Murray, alto saxophonist, is an accomplished musician who has played the saxophone since the age of 10. Coming from a musical family, he grew up playing standard repertoire tunes from the great American songbook with his father, a guitarist. By age 15, he was playing professionally. A native of Columbus, Georgia, Stan earned a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Columbus State University. He has toured extensively with major concert artists and has shared stages with a variety of musical giants including: Lionel Hampton, Guy Lombardo, Mickey Thomas, the Cornelius Brothers, Buddy Miles, the Classics Four, Carlos Santana, and others.

Elwood Madeo, guitarist, studied classical guitar and theory at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. While in San Francisco, he performed at several jazz clubs including Keystone Korner, Great American Music Hall, and Peta’s. He received a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University where he studied and performed with Dr. Gordon Vernick. He also studied with Steve Kahn in N.Y.C. Elwood is currently teaching and directing music at St. Anne and Our Lady of Lords schools. He has served on the board of directors for the San Francisco Jazz Society and the Columbus Jazz Society.

Donald Tipton, pianist, received his Bachelor of Music from Columbus State University. He has continued to study jazz piano and composition with the directors of jazz studies at Columbus State University: Dr. Shirantha Beddage, and Dr. Alexander Pershounin. Don has worked as a video producer and commercial photographer with special expertise in underwater image making. His most recent film, DREAMING INTO BLUE, makes use of Donald’s own music for its film score.

David Johnston, bassist, began studying music at age five when he began playing the organ. He began the trombone at age ten, bass and percussion at age fifteen. David has toured extensively with the United States Navy Band playing a wide variety of styles in both big band and small ensemble settings. He has performed with the Cavaliers Orchestra led by Dr. George Corradino and the Auburn Knights Orchestra.

David Morgan, percussionist, has worked in a variety of styles from orchestral to jazz & pop, in pit orchestras and recording sessions. He received a B.A. from Columbus State University where he continued his studies in music theory and percussion methods. David has performed with the Cavaliers Orchestra, the Auburn Knights Orchestra, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with the Pied Pipers led by Warren Covington, Marcus Hampton, Michael Hoskin, Phineas Johnson, Dr. Gordon Vernick, David Ragsdale, Kevin Vannoy and others.