THE BERTHA HOPE QUINTET
PIANO: BERTHA HOPE TRUMPET: EDDIE ALLEN SAXOPHONE: EUGENE GHEE BASS: KIM CLARKE DRUMS: LUCIANNA PADMORE
Trumpet
Eddie Allen is one of the more versatile musicians on the New York scene. He’s called upon to play everything from jazz (big band as well as small ensembles) to R&B/Pop to latin to symphonic to Broadway, and everything in between. He studied music, theory and arranging at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay before moving to the east coast. He then attended the William Paterson University of New Jersey where he received a Bachelor of Music degree. Since his arrival on the New York scene he’s worked with such jazz greats as; Art Blakey, Billy Harper, Randy Weston, Dizzy Gillespie, Henry Threadgill, Bobby Watson, Jon Faddis, Benny Carter, Panama Francis, Joe Henders
Saxophone
Gene Ghee is a long-time performer and educator. He graduated from NYU with a music education undergrad degree, from the Manhattan School of Music with an MA for music performance and from Columbia University Teachers College with a Master of Education degree. He has appeared as a sideman with an array of performers from Art Blakey to Stevie Wonder, and is also a recipient of the Daily News Music Teacher Recognition Award.
Bass
Kim Clarke traveled most notably with the late Joe Henderson Quartet (1986-7) throughout Europe. She has notably recorded with Nona Hendrix, Clifford Jordan, Defunkt and Queen Latifah. Clarke has toured and performed with Nancy Wilson, Art Blakey, Junior Cooke, National Black Theatre and the Kit McClure Big Band. Internationally she is noted as “at home in the Ron Carter School of HardBop”, “a dynamic Woman in Jazz who supported the intense rhythm of the Henderson group with unsuspected vitality and melodic solo passages..” as electric bassist is noted in the bio of the famed bassist Larry Graham; a great early influence on her playing concept.As an electric bassist she has toured most extensively with Joseph Bowie's Defunkt Downtown in the 80's & Millenium Lineups. President of a 501c3, Lady Got Chops Woman’s History Month Music and Arts Festival Inc.
Drums
Lucianna Padmore has been praised by Modern Drummer magazine for the “Deep grooves and serious fusion chops.” She has been playing the Drums since the age of nine. Her musical playing styles range from Jazz and Hip -Hop, to Funk and Rock Fusion. Lucianna is an alumnus of LaGuardia High School for Music and the Performing Arts as well as the New School University. While in school, she received awards from Jazz at Lincoln center and BMI for outstanding soloing /jazz improvisation. An active drummer on stage and in the studio, Lucianna has been involved in many different projects in the New York scene. Miss Padmore currently plays in the rock fusion band Stratospheerius with electric violinist Joe Deninzon, appearing on their last two CD’s,"Live Wires" and “Headspace” as well as their latest release "The Next World".