Edwin Daugherty

So many formidable jazz artists call Chicago home that some get a bit lost in the shuffle.
Alto saxophonist Edwin Daugherty stands as a prime example. A player who has turned in impressive work in ensembles led by Chicagoan Kahil El'Zabar and others, Daugherty has not enjoyed the kind of solo career he deserves.
That makes his engagement at the Velvet Lounge, where he's playing Wednesdays in June, an important event--for him, and for anyone who values full-throated, extroverted alto virtuosity.
Leading a quartet, Daugherty caught a small but devoted group of listeners off-guard in more ways than one.
"We're going to do something different tonight," he said to his fans. "were not going to just start on time-we're going to start early."
Within a few bars, he was unleashing ferocious, bebop-tinged lines, one climax cascading atop another. But it wasn't just the vigor of his improvisations or the drama of his honks, squeaks and rasps that seized ones attention. The depth of his compositions was worth savoring too.
In the epic "Tigris," Daugherty rode a surge of energy provided by a band less indebted to bebop than one might have expected. A quartet of rhythm players produced a high-decibel swirl of sound, in effect encouraging Daugherty to cry out above the din. He did.
In "Children's hour," Daugherty and friends raised the emotional temperature still higher, but this wasn't just noise. The Saxophonist packed so much content and musical detail into his solos that even his most rhetorical gestures did not sound overstated.
Yet he proved effective in ballads, too, particularly in "What Was," its genteel lyricism deepened by some surprising twists and turns of harmony. In "Shadow and Light," Daugherty proved that he can write tuneful material that's rich in musical substance.
Whether or not this engagement propels Daugherty to a higher level of recognition is unpredictable, but it ought to. He's a first rate player who obviously has invested a great deal of his life in developing an art as rich as this.
Howard Reich - Chicago Tribune

The Edwin Daugherty Quartet received a standing ovation following their stellar performance at the 29th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival in Grant Park on September 1, 2007. Aided by good weather and an excellent turnout, the quartet wowed an appreciative crowd with an eclectic selection of music, including a few original pieces written by the group's leader. alto saxophonist Edwin A. Daugherty.
The talented Quartet kicked off their hour-long performance with the up-tempo song Tigris, during which Daugherty gave everyone a taste of his musical prowess on the saxophone.Other noteworthy selections included the quartet's rendition of blues song "CC Rider", the heart wrenching ballad, "What Was", written by Daugherty, and the avant-garde piece, "Traffic," also written by Daugherty, which received two thumbs up from non-traditional jazz lovers in the audience. The quartet also performed "Jasmine," a smooth piece that Daugherty wrote in honor of his wife Shirley, who loves the soothing fragrance of jasmine.

The Edwin Daugherty Quartet has been in existence for approximately one year and has performed locally throughout the city of Chicago. Other members of the Edwin Daugherty Quartet include bass player David Williams, aka "Dawi," drummer Avreeayl Ra, and pianist Justin Dillard. During the Jazz Festival, this talented group of accomplished musicians took turns impressing the audience with their solo performances, which ranged in nature from high energy to pure brilliance.

Daugherty, a highly seasoned musician, has a musical career that spans 40 years. He has played with such well-known artists as Quincy Jones, Nancy Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, and BB King. His long list of credentials made him a much sought after performer for the 2007 Chicago Festival, and he did not disappoint.

Programmed b the Jazz institute of Chicago, the Chicago Jazz Festival is on the largest festivals in the City and takes place each year in Grant Park, located in downtown chicago. Over the years, this free event has featured many jazz greats, including Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Von Freeman, Johnny Frigo and Roy Haynes. This year's event kicked off with a concert by the legendary Herbie Hancock.

Dr. Jamie Y. Marable - Associated Content