Gaea Schell / Lyle Link Quartet

Gaea Schell, piano
Lyle Link, tenor saxophone
John Wiitala, bass
Austin Lee Harris, drums

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Described as “one of the West Coast’s best kept secrets,” Gaea Schell pulls in the listener with an approach that shines with interpretive sensibility. Known among her peers for swinging every note, subtle phrasing, and unique writing, this West Coast-based pianist/vocalist/flutist is a native of Alberta, Canada where she grew up playing music from an early age.

Gaea is a graduate of acclaimed McGill University in Montreal and spent time in New York as a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant studying with pianist/composer Richie Beirach. Accomplished and versatile, she – as drummer Albert ‘Tootie’ Heath says, “plays the heck out of the piano with them small hands.”

She has three acclaimed CDs out, is a sideperson on multiple recordings, and has played with many notable names (Bob Sheppard, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Bobby Watson, Clare Fischer Big Band, Vince Lateano, Marcus Shelby and the late Stacy Rowles to name a few) in addition to often leading her own trio or quartet at venues regionally and internationally including Vibrato Grill & Jazz in Bel Air, Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Yoshi’s, and Knickerbocker in New York City.  Gaea headlined twice at the San Jose Jazz festival.

Saxophonist and flautist Lyle Link is an artist based in Washington, DC. A versatile musician and sought after sideman, he performs in many musical styles- from jazz, blues and R&B to latin and world beat. He has played with artists Patti Austin, Christian McBride, Larry Willis, George Duke, Curtis Lundy and Ralph Peterson, to name a few. He has also performed with pop icons Patti Labelle, James Ingram, Isaac Hayes, Aretha Franklin, and jammed with Prince.

He has shared his musical gifts in festivals and concerts in Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Europe, South America and throughout North America. A regular featured member of Washington, DC based groups Sine Qua Non, the Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra, and the Kenny Rittenhouse Sextet, he has also performed with the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In addition to working as a first call sideman, he also leads his group, the Lyle Link Quartet. As a music educator, Lyle teaches at Sheridan School and the Levine School of Music.

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