Harare, January 26, 2012- A Chicago-based jazz band, The Dennis Luxion / Michael Raynor Quartet, will visit Zimbabwe this weekend to perform live shows at cultural centers in Harare and Chitungwiza as well as conduct workshops with local musicians.

The Dennis Luxion / Michael Raynor Quartet plays original, hard-swinging jazz. The group came together to create music that encompasses a wide range of styles based on the jazz tradition.

In Harare, the group will perform two free shows at Prince Edward School and Jazz 105. The Quartet will also hold workshops with music students at the College of Music, with aspiring local musicians at Jazz 105, with disabled children at the St. Giles Center, and with youth in Chitungwiza.

The Dennis Luxion/ Michael Raynor Quartet is one of ten quartets selected from a national pool of 110 bands in a competitive audition process in the U.S., which focused on the artistic integrity and educational ability of each group. 

The band members are Dennis Luxion (Piano); a jazz pianist, composer and educator; Michael Raynor (Drums); Jeff Pedraz (Bass); and Greg Ward (Saxophone).

The legacy of the legendary Chicago-based tenor saxophonist, Von Freeman, is especially influential on the ensemble’s expressive style of improvisation. 

From introspective solo explorations to a powerful group dynamic, The Dennis Luxion / Michael Raynor Quartet’s performances encompass the breadth of human expression.