The Half of It is:
Dan Paul: Keys
Dan Paul is a go-to keyboardist, music director, and composer/studio owner based in Philadelphia, PA. He is the owner of IvorySmash Studios, a freelance song production and mixing house. He is a Jazz Piano Instructor at the Univ. of Pennsylvania, his alma mater. His current projects include writing for and performing with The Half of It and tU pHAce.
Dan's long-term collaborations include: Lars Halle Jazz Orchestra, BD Lenz, Lucky Thompson, All About Me Band, 1812 Productions theater troupe, tU pHAce, The Half of It, Ritz Reynolds, Fuzilla, George Reed, G. Lawrence Francis & Abstract Truth, and Tariq Khan. He has performed or recorded with: LL Cool J, Jennifer Lopez, Jill Scott, Drake, Max Swan, Jon Smith, Philly Bloco, Aaron Shragge, Khari Mateen, Peedi Peedi, Young Chris, Tim Wendell, Pablo Battista, Jeannette Berry, and many others.
Tony Peebles: Sax
Tony was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, then moved to Philadelphia, where he has spent eight years studying music theory at the University of Pennsylvania (B.A.), and jazz saxophone at The University of the Arts (MM degree). He has studied saxophone with Chris Farr, Ron Kerber, and Ben Schachter.
In 2000, he toured Europe with the Hamilton All-Star Jazz Band, including stops at the Juan-les-Pins and Montreux jazz festivals. Since then, Tony Peebles has played and recorded with a variety of fine original groups including jazz fusion bands Big Breakfast, The Half Of It, MusiQology, and The Abstract Truth.
Tony has performed alongside such artists as Geri Allen, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Oliver Lake, and Andy Bey. He currently has two albums on sale that feature his original compositions, “Drop” and “The Half Of It”, both recorded with his jazz fusion quartet, The Half Of It. In early summer 2008, Tony moved to San Francisco, where he currently lives, teaches and performs with Ryze the Band and his own jazz group, the Strong Move Quartet.
Credit: Tiffany Yoon
The Half of It
The Half of It is a Philadelphia-based jazz/funk fusion band, now in its 5th year of creative and experimental music-making.
The Half of It was instrumental in establishing the nu jazz scene in Philadelphia, PA with a 2-year residency at popular nightspot Cafe Habana in 2004-05. The band has performed at Philadelphia jazz houses Natalie's Lounge, Warmdaddy's, Chris' Jazz Cafe, and Time. Festival and PAC appearances include the West Virginia Wine and Jazz Festival, the Longwood Gardens Wine and Jazz Festival, the Jersey City Summer Concert Series, Utica Monday Nite (NY), the Fraze Pavillion (Ohio), and the University of Pennsylvania.
The band is a workshop for an endless stream of new compositions by its members. Originally conceived as a jazz organ trio, the band has blossomed into a funk/electronic/improv/jazz group with influences ranging from Soulive and Joshua Redman to Joe Zawinul and James Brown.
Josh Orlando: Drums
Josh Orlando graduated from Temple University in 2002 with a degree in Jazz Performance. He has played with Chuck Berry, Young Chris, Dice Raw, as well as played with groups that have opened up for Joshua Redman, Toots and the Maytals, and members of the Duke Ellington and Allman Brothers bands. He is endorsed by Sabian Cymbals and Silverfox drumsticks. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife Krisseey, and their son and daughter.
History
Ken Pendergast
Ken Pendergast is a Philadelphia based professional bass player and producer. Performing nationally and internationally, Pendergast is heard at upwards of 200 live shows a year appearing in venues as large as the Kennedy Center and as quaint as Chris’ Jazz Cafe. He performs and has recorded with Melody Gardot, the Subliminal Orphans, Musiqology, Ralph Bowen, Aaron Parks, Rachael Yamagata, and The Monday Quintet among many others. As a session musician (upright bass, electric bass and 8-string guitar), Pendergast is regularly in the studio recording primarily Jazz, R & B, Rock and Hip-Hop, though is often called to venture into genres as varied as Haitian Rock and Indian Pop. He is also now teaching jazz bass at the University of Pennsylvania.
This project is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by The Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.