Jonathan Scales Fourchestra

Biography

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra explodes onto stages with an indescribable sound that is as much felt as it is heard: “a Thelonius Monk-like attitude with a Mozart creativity” (Pan on the Net). Weaving together collective and individual influences without compromise, they are as much themselves as they are a unit—a crucial trait of landmark instrumental ensembles. At center stage, steel pannist and founder Jonathan Scales’ compositional skill mixes with tasteful, avant-garde improvisations to form an unmistakably unique approach to an instrument often associated with cruise ships and tropical music.

Driftwood Magazine says: “Scales is to steel pans ….what Béla Fleck is to the banjo—an über innovator.”

Jay White With over a solid decade as a professional musician, Jay has performed both domestically and internationally. With instrumental mastery, vocal dexterity, youthful exuberance and professional maturity, Jay is a virtual musical chameleon able to execute all genres of music with exceptional ease. Performing since he was a small child, Jay White grew up infused with music all around him. This environment of musical nurturing has not only equipped Jay to adapt to all things musical, But has given him a genuine love for the art, the artists and its industry. Jay White has performed with such great artists as Rita Ora, Donnie McCurklin, Michael McDonald, Snarky Puppy and Kim Burrell. Comfortable in either live or recorded settings, Jay White has proven himself to be both a desirable and dependable asset for all types of musical productions.

Xavier Breaker Drummer, composer and arranger, Xavier Breaker has played with various artists throughout his career including Joe Sample, Randy Crawford, Howard Hewitt, Lalah Hathaway, Ernie Watts, Joey DeFrancesco, Bob Mintzer, Brad Leali, and Jonathan Scales. He has also played for some of Chicago’s finest including Corey Wilkes, Kahil El Zabar, Dee
Alexander, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Chicago Yestet, Sidewalk Chalk, and many others. The Xavier Breaker Coalition was formed in 2013 as an effort to design a group that can thrive in a variety of musical situations. The Coalition opened for many groups, including Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express and HBC (Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin, Dennis Chambers). They
have been featured in many festivals including the Chicago Jazz Festival and have been the firstcall house band for the Keilworth “Saxophone Idol” competition since 2013. The Coalition released their debut album, “Dreamology,” in 2015.

Weaving together collective and individual influences without compromise, they are as much themselves as they are a unit—a crucial trait of landmark instrumental ensembles. Jonathan Scales Fourchestra’s self-titled 2013 debut album on Ropeadope Records featured guest collaborators Victor Wooten and Howard Levy of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and is fully orchestrated with horns and strings. In 2014, the Fourchestra released Mixtape Symphony (Ropeadope.), a dense, half-hour long-form album inspired by and dedicated to Roy “Futureman” Wooten, which peaked at #6 on the iTunes Jazz charts. The trio recently toured Japan and Europe to great acclaim.

Languages: English, Spanish, German