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Warren Wolf Receives “Baltimore Jazz Award For Musical Excellence”

Mack Avenue Records is proud to announce vibraphonist Warren Wolf as the recipient of a "Baltimore Jazz Award for Musical Excellence" at the 2011 Baltimore Jazz Awards. Wolf, a native of Baltimore, received the award on Thursday, August 18 at Enoch Pratt Library Central in Baltimore.

"I feel very honored and privileged to win the award," says Wolf. "It's very important for me to keep the rich tradition of Baltimore Jazz alive and well. I look forward to contributing more live and educational jazz to the city of Baltimore."

Born and raised in Baltimore, where he currently resides, Wolf released his debut self-titled album in the U.S. last week. In addition, the musician has two self-released recordings in the Japanese market, and his CV includes gigs with such eminent veterans as Bobby Watson, Mulgrew Miller and Tim Warfield, and recent encounters with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the George Coleman-Joey DeFrancesco Quartet and a Music of the Modern Jazz Quartet project led by pianist Aaron Diehl, the 2011 American Pianists Association Cole Porter Fellowship winner. Most recently, Wolf has been touring with Christian McBride's Inside Straight band. McBride has not only played a prominent role in the development of Wolf's career by serving as a mentor, he also filled the role of producer and bassist for Wolf's new album, Warren Wolf. In addition to his role as a sideman, Wolf leads a strong working unit with Green, pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Kris Funn and drummer John Lamkin.

The First Annual Baltimore Jazz Awards honor Baltimore-based musicians, singers, music writers, photographers, broadcasters and new media producers. The awards ceremony was presented in partnership with Baltimore Jazzine and hosted by Trish Hennessey of Hybrid Jazz Online Radio and Cheryl Goodman of WEAA. The ceremony was free to the public and invited area musicians to bring their instruments for an open mic "Jazz Jam" with area band, The Rodney Kelley Experience. Other 2011 Baltimore Jazz Awards honorees include saxophonist Gary Bartz and founder of the jazz studies degree program at Peabody University, educator Gary Thomas, among others.