Holiday Jazz Show featuring Al Strong, Aaron McCoy, Peter Lamb & The Wolves

Al Strong is an award-winning trumpet player, composer, recording artist, and educator. A cultural innovator, he is the co-founder of the non-profit the Art of Cool Project, which spawned the internationally recognized Art of Cool Music Festival.

Strong is lauded for his distinctively unique sound. Whether melting hearts at a whisper volume or delivering piercing musical intensity while being gracefully dynamic, his natural ability to strike listeners at their core is unmatched.

A native of Washington, D.C., Strong is a graduate of the renowned Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts and a passionate advocate for young people in music education. His experiences studying music at renowned Jazz Studies programs North Carolina Central University and Northern Illinois University, afforded him invaluable opportunities to perform at premiere jazz festivals; Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and The Peru Jazz Festival, to name a few.

Strong’s discipline and dedication to his craft have forged a prominent career that includes performances and recordings with music legends such as Aretha Franklin, The Count Basie Orchestra, The Foreign Exchange, Dwele, Eric Roberson, and The Hamiltones. He’s also served as music director for hip-hop pioneer Rakim and has headlined shows at the Blue Note Jazz Festival, Winter Jazz Fest, and Blues Alley.

Known for his creative ability to seamlessly re-imagine existing works such as “Blue Monk”, “Fly Me To The Moon” and the classic “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Strong aims to challenge the boundaries of music while connecting with his audiences via familiar musical textures. He continues this mission of storytelling with his latest musical offering “Love Stronger”, which includes an array of beautifully introspective original compositions and Strong’s heartfelt arrangement of the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Fan favorites from the album include the singles “Black Love” and “At-Nimara’s Journey”, a tribute to the freedom fighter Araminta Ross, aka, Harriet Tubman. Music enthusiasts can find “Love Stronger” for purchase and streaming on all digital media outlets.

For more information on Al Strong’s musical journey, visit alstrongmusic.com.

National Recording artist Aaron “Saxoholic1” McCoy Jr. graduated from Shaw University in Raleigh, NC, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Musical performance and production with a concentration in Alto Saxophone. He was a woodwind instructor at South East Raleigh High School, Knightdale High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Also, a member, announcer and student instructor for Platinum Sound Marching Band. While at Shaw University Aaron was a member of the Concert Bands, Jazz bands and Pep Band, where he became the Pep band Director. After graduation Aaron recruited for the Jazz ensemble for the University.

Aaron has performed and open with artist such as The O’jays , Yolanda Adams, Jocelyn Brown, Yahzarah, Omar Lyefook, Coco McMillan, Donald Lawrence, Richard Smallwood, Gerald Hinton, Fantasia, Mary J. Blige, Chuck Brown, Dougie Fresh, North Carolina Jazz Band, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Eric Gales, Shirley Caesar, Lenny Williams, Marcus Anderson, Nicholas Cole, Darnell “Showcase” Taylor, Foreign Exchange, Tony Terry, and Peabo Bryson. His own band Mixed Water toured the east coast and the house band for Zydeco Downtown owned by the two-time super bowl star Antwan Harris, just to name a few.

Aaron was born in Norfolk, Virginia. His early schooling was in Virginia Beach, Va., where he fell in love with the saxophone, and music. Starting his musical journey in church at the age of 9, where he was a young musician. His craft was enhanced during his high school years at Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk, Virginia, under the direction of Mr. Elston Fitzgerald who helped perfect his musicianship and performance.

He is currently the Saxophonist on tour for the International Band “Who’s Bad” The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience, where he keeps Michael’s spirit alive playing the sweet sound of his classic hits. He has traveled the US and a list of countries such as Brazil, Bahamas, Bermuda, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, and Jamaica among others.

Aaron’s current projects include Mxd Sgnalz, Next Level, Happy Holidays streaming on all music platforms

His main character energy keeps the crowd engaged and entertained from start to finish. His sound and stage presence is Smooth, energetic and sexy. From the young to the young at heart, Aaron will have you moving and grooving.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a club wondering, "Is this the Star Wars theme song arranged as a jazz piece?” you’ve had your first taste of Peter Lamb and the Wolves.

For over a decade, Peter Lamb and his jazz quintet have been playing music together, or, as Peter would put it, “melting peoples faces off!" Each band member writes and arranges music for the band thereby adding to their eclectic and playful repertoire.

Imagine a fantastic rhythm section and amazing solos over a mixture of stormy Russian folk songs, the Super Mario Brothers theme, topped with incredible vocals on numbers such as ‘Mess Around’ by Ray Charles. PLATW’s music ranges from innovative originals to classics arranged with a surprise twist, from 1920s New Orleans jazz to 1980s pop to eastern European brass band.

Arranging video game or movie themes into a New Orleans jazz style is not the only way the band draws in and inspires a new generation of jazz musicians. All the Wolves teach lessons, (hyperlink) and their students frequently join them on stage.

Peter Lamb and the Wolves have released three albums, and their upcoming fourth album is set to be released in the spring of 2022. They have held a residency at Humble Pie in Raleigh, NC for 9 years and have played for countless special events, including:

• 2012 Inaugural Ball for President Obama at Fort Myer in Washington D.C.

• 2011 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte

• 2021 Main Stage Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Josh Cellars Jazz Series

They were three-time guests on NPR's The State of Things with Frank Stasio and were named Best Jazz Band in the Triangle by the Indy Week magazine for two consecutive years.