THANK YOU FOR 28 YEARS OF SUPPORTING
THE PAPPY MARTIN LEGACY MASTEN JAZZ FESTIVAL!
NATIONAL ARTIST BIOS
LAKECIA BENJAMIN
One of the most sought-after and revered saxophonists in the world, Lakecia was voted 2020 Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Alto Saxophonist and Up and Coming Artist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. Known for her charisma and dynamism as a player, as a composer she has an inimitable skill of fusing traditional conceptions of jazz, hiphop and soul. She’s performed alongside Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, The Roots, Macy Gray and many more. Full bio HERE.
BUSTER WILLIAMS
Buster Williams is a prodigious artist whose playing knows no limits. He has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, The Jazz Crusaders, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Lee Morgan, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, and Freddie Hubbard to name a few.
Buster has recorded soundtracks for movies including Les Choix des Armes, McKenna's Gold with Gregory Peck, David Lynch's Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me , Spike Lee's Clockers, and more. His work in Television includes commercials for Coca-Cola, Old Spice, Prudential Insurance, Chemical Bank, HBO, Budweiser Beer and more. TV shows appearances include The Johnny Carson Tonight Show, The Jay Leno Tonight Show, where he performed five of his original compositions with the Branford Marsalis Tonight Show Band. Other television shows include The Today Show, A&E, The Grammy Awards with Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Bobby McFerrin. to name a few.
Williams was nominated for a Grammy Award for his work with Hank Jones and Tony Williams on Love For Sale. Williams was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant for composition as well as a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship Grant in 1991.
Buster has lead his Something More quartet since its inception in 1990. The group has toured in Europe including the first International Jazz Festival in Moscow as well as in Japan, Australia and countless engagements throughout the U.S.
CURTIS LUNDY
Bassist Curtis Lundy (brother of Carmen Lundy) is best-known for his work as part of jazz vocalist Betty Carter's band, which has at one point or another had several eventual renowned musicians pass through their ranks (including Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, and Don Braden, among others). Lundy has also played on other jazz artist's recordings (including select albums by John Hicks, Bobby Watson, Steve Nelson Quintet, Johnny Griffin, etc.) and in the late '80s briefly stepped out of the background and issued Just Be Yourself (1988). A decade later he united with Justin Time Records for Against All Odds (1999), followed shortly thereafter by Purpose (2002). Both albums features pianists John Hicks and Anthony Wonsey.
NASAR ABADEY
Nasar Abadey
(Drummer) is the founder, leader and driving force of his band SUPERNOVA®. Though a bandleader for many years he has also built a solid reputation as a sideman with several groups from his home base in Washington, DC; and he has performed and/or recorded with many artists throughout his career. Inspired by Tony Williams, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones and his cousin Frankie Dunlop (Thelonious Monk), he creates jazz music steeped in hard bop, modal, fusion, and avant-garde styles. Nasar attended University of Buffalo, in NY; Howard University, and the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, DC. Most recently SUPERNOVA® was selected by the US State Department and the Lincoln Center as Ambassadors to tour with the American Music Abroad Rhythm Road. This one month tour took them to five (5) countries in East Africa; Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Mozambique. He is Professor of Jazz Percussion at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD; teaches privately, and is a clinician as well. His debut CD, Mirage was released on the Amosaya Record Label and a follow-up CD, Diamond In The Rough, was released on the DPC Music label in 2011. Abadey has performed with Sonny Fortune, Pharoah Sanders, Gary Bartz, Andrew White, Dizzy Gillespie, Hank Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Ella Fitzgerald, Sun Ra, Russell Malone, Malachi Thompson, and many other jazz greats. He has also appeared in various festivals in the USA and abroad.
PREVIOUS YEARS
On July 24th and 31th in 2022, WNY experienced a powerful homage to Women in Jazz, featuring The Baylor Project, Endea Owens & The Cookout, Shamie Royston, George Caldwell with Curtis Lovell, Carol McLaughlin featuring Joyce Carolyn and the Love Supreme School of Music.
“Pappy Martin Legacy Masten Jazz Festival celebrates women as it seeks to strengthen a Black musical heritage.” BUFFALO NEWS - FULL ARTICLE HERE
THE 28TH ANNUAL PAPPY MARTIN LEGACY MASTEN JAZZ FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD JULY 23 + 30, 2023. This year’s Line-up is as follows:
Buster Williams, Lakecia Benjamin, Curtis Lundy and UMOJA, Nasar Abadey and SUPERNOVA, George Caldwell, Brian Freeman, Odyssey, Carol McLaughlin and Trigger and The Sermon, and The Love Supreme School of Music.
(Art by Alexa Wajed)
HISTORY OF OUR FESTIVAL
In 1996, James “Pappy” Martin collaborated with Councilmember Byron Brown, Darryl Peebles, Council President James Pitts and Steve Porter to implement an innovative community enhancement program entitled Masten Jazz Festival. READ MORE…
VIDEOS
COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET
BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY
The Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective graciously thanks you for supporting our vision and mission. You are helping to preserve the legacy of one of the finest straight ahead jazz festivals in WNY, the Love Supreme Music School, and year-round events.
Help us to keep our festival free to the community with your sponsorship!
Photos courtesy of Deborah Cahee-Christopher.