Come experience the incomparable thrill of The Katalyst Collective Group live jazz music with us at Clements Place Jazz! Gather together with friends and members of the vibrant jazz-loving community to be awed by these talented musicians – it’s sure to be an unforgettable evening with The Katalyst Collective Group !
Katalyst is a nine piece band formed on September 27th, 2014, after a show for L.A. Renaissance. Since then, Katalyst has gone on to play in the prestigious Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, backing recording artist Dion at Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek’s Reflection Eternal concert at the Belasco Theater, and a host of events and concerts in the Los Angeles area. Katalyst is also the creator of #Inglewoodstock, a popup concert series featuring many of Los Angeles’ most talented bands, rappers, and vocalists
Katalyst’s style of music can best be described as “Contemporary Instrumental”. Each one of “The Kats” writes and composes, and as such, original compositions are filled with a variety of musical influences. Katalyst is not just a band however, it is a collective of producers, composers, session musicians, and writers. Whether it’s scoring an independent film, producing tracks for artists, or arranging and performing an artist’s music for a live show, Katalyst has all the elements to bring musical visions to life.
The Katalyst Collective Group
BRANDON CORDOBA
Brandon Cordoba is a Los Angeles based pianist, producer, and composer. With roots in Jazz, Hiphop, Soul, Gospel, and R&B, he has released several solo projects. Brandon has had the pleasure of collaborating with numerous bands and artists, and is continuously pursuing new and exciting musical territory.
BRIAN HARGROVE
Brian Hargrove is a Los Angeles based composer/pianist from Dallas, Texas and an alumnus of USC’s Thornton School of Music and Annenberg School of Communication.
An award-winning composer/arranger, Hargrove’s commissioned and personal work spans a wide range of idioms and contexts – from jazz to pop; chamber/orchestral to art music fusing aesthetics of hip-hop and avant-garde. Collaborations include projects with Michael Jackson, Vesper Theatre Company, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Strings and more. As keyboardist, he was a long-time member of Roy Hargrove’s The RH Factor, currently tours worldwide with Solange and also performed with Harvey Mason, Alice Smith, The Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra and many others.
DAVID OTIS
David Otis from Downey, California, is one of the upcoming Saxophonists of today. A graduate from Cal state Northridge with a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies, David also has a Masters degree from the prestigious Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz from UCLA. Through the Institute, David has preformed, toured, and studied with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, Stefon Harris, Dee Bridgewater, and more.
Outside of the institute, David has preformed with recording artists such as Usher, Mac Miller, SiR, Theo Crocker, Anderson Paak, Shafiq Husayn, Kendrick Lamar and many more. David can be heard on recordings for artists such as RZA, Maxo, and Shafiq Husayn, to name a few. He has also been on a number of TV shows such as Americas Got Talent.
CORBIN JONES
California-born, Colorado-rasied arranger and multi-instrumentalist Corbin Jones has credits with such artists as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Lizzo, Lucky Daye, Lupe Fiasco, Gwen Stefani, and Kendrick Lamar. He’s performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, the Appel Room at Jazz @ Lincoln Center, and on NPR’s Tiny Desk. A graduate of USC Thornton Jazz Studies program, Jones’ love of groove has led him to the a career on not only double bass, but bass guitar, synth bass, sousaphone, baritone saxophone, and leading his own group The Corbin Jones Big Band (featuring other members of Katalyst).
JONAH LEVINE
Jonah Levine is a Grammy-award winning musician, composer, and bandleader based in Los Angeles, California. He released his debut record Attention Deficit under the Jonah Levine Collective moniker in March 2017 on the Alpha Pup Records jazz imprint World Galaxy Records.
Attention Deficit garnished wide acclaim and attention from press as diverse as Bandcamp Daily to Forbes. LA Weekly featured it as an honorable mention in its lists of “Best Albums of 2017” and was also showcased on Noisey’s radio station with Apple Beats 1 and Gilles Peterson’s BBC Radio 6 program.
Levine is the type of dedicated musician and composer that maintains a busy schedule through all cycles of the year. His most recent recording credits include Jay-Z’s 4:44 and the Damian Marley featured track “Bam,” and Mon Laferte’s “Norma” which won beat alternative album of the year at the Latin Grammys. He served as musical director for Josef Leimberg and his debut concert on the World Galaxy imprint, has performed with Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, and also writes, records, and produces regularly.
EMILE MARTINEZ
Emile Martinez is a Los Angeles raised and Grammy nominated trumpeter, composer, and arranger. A graduate from California Institute of the Arts with a Masters of Fine Arts, a graduate from Berklee College of Music, and a presidential scholar recipient, Martinez started playing trumpet at the age of ten. Martinez has studied with trumpeters including Clay Jenkins, Oscar Brashear, James Ford III, Charlie Lewis, Wadada Leo Smith, and Ed Carroll. Martinez’ interactions with his mentors not only motivated him musically and creatively but motivated him to become an educator to inspire creative pathways and to help guide future generations through their musical journeys.
While many would say Martinez to be a jazz musician, he says otherwise. Martinez has expanded his repertoire having listened to, performed, and recorded with artists and musicians of various genres including Hip-Hop, R&B, Neo Soul, Classical, and Soul Electronica.
Martinez continues to incorporate these styles into his unique sound and has expanded his skills to producing. Martinez has worked with MNDSN, Anderson .Paak, SiR, Tiron and Ayomari, Rza, The Game, Ed Sheeran, Van Hunt, Iman Omari, Shafiq Husayn, Nanna B, and Ill Camille. He has performed at the Reno Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center, West Philippines Sea Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, and various venues throughout Los Angeles and the states.
Outside of Katalyst Collective and teaching, Martinez is working and producing on his debut album.
AHMAD DUBOSE
Ahmad DuBose-Dawson is a professional percussionist , producer, & recording artist from the Central Coast of California. His music style is a kaleidoscopic expression of Traditional African, Afro Cuban, World Music, Hip Hop and Jazz all. He currently resides in Los Angeles where he is heavily involved in the recording as we as the live performance scene playing for multiple talents platform around the city and for multiple LA Based Bands including The Katalyst Collective. His versatility, charisma, and passionate approach to all musical scenarios led him to master a myriad of sound and rhythms that make him a reference among artists, composers and producers in various genres of music.
GREG PAUL
Greg Paul is a Buffalo raised drummer, composer and band leader based in Los Angeles, CA. He is a graduate of the USC Jazz studies Masters program and currently tours the world with artist like Kamaal Williams (Henry Wu), China Moses and Mark de Clive-Lowe. Greg is also heavily involved in L.A’s recording community, playing on records for Gary Bartz, Roy Ayers, Joao Donato, Chronixx, Protoje etc..Along with a busy live performance and recording schedule, Greg’s primary focus is the Katalyst, a band of talented musicians, composers, producers and creatives that he established in 2014. Although the group is still in it’s early stages, the band has had many accomplishments on and off the bandstand and Greg plans on pursuing the full potential of the Katalyst for the duration of his career.
MARLON SPEARS
A professional bassist since 2006, Marlon Spears has played for a variety of artists across various genres ranging from SiR to Lonnie Liston Smith. Marlon has performed at some of the country’s great stages and events, including SXSW, Coachella, The Walt Disney Concert Hall, N.Y.E.L.A., and the Staples Center. as well as abroad, on tour with Kamaal Williams. In addition to live performances, Marlon has also recorded for numerous projects, albums, and singles ranging from Pop and Rock to Gospel and Jazz, including SiR’s album “Chasing Summer”.
Marlon prides himself on his tone which is often described as full, rich, and warm, and his approach to bass playing is inspired by some of his favorite players, including Derrick Hodge and Pino Palladino.
Join Us
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the soul-stirring sounds of amazing jazz! Seats are limited, so sign up via Eventbrite or Facebook for your chance to join other music and Jazz Loving fans in an unforgettable evening. Get ready for a night full of musical inspiration – all absolutely free!
