Friends and Links

Al Jarreau

Al Jarreau’s unique vocal style is one of the world’s most precious treasures. His innovative musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically-acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide.

Al Jarreau — “Takes 5” — while he intros Tony’s new CD project at Wolf Trap
– 6,800 capacity.

Jean Carne

Tony flexes his bass muscles with the Jean Carne Ensemble at Blues Alley in Baltimore, Maryland, May 6, 1989.

Jean Carne is an American jazz and pop singer known for her unique vocalizing and her impressive interpretative and improvisational skills.

Jean Carne

Tony Whitfield’s🎸 live performance with Ms. Jean Carne🎤 on The Tim and Daphne Reid TV Show in Baltimore, MD.
– August 2023

Hiram Bullock

Hiram is perhaps best known as the barefoot guitar player on Late Nite with David Letterman. From the inception of the show until 1984, he was a regular member of the World’s Most Dangerous Band, led by Paul Shaffer. Other television work includes being a member of the house band on Saturday Night Live and working as the musical director on David Sanborn’s critically acclaimed Night Music Show. Hiram was also seen acting the part of a musician in Under Siege starring Steven Segal (he wrote six of the internal songs in the film)

Hiram Bullock

Onaje Allan Gumbs

Onaje Allan Gumbs is one of the industry’s most respected and talented musical collaborators. He has worked for more than 27 years with an illustrious list of jazz, R&B and pop artists.

Onaje provided the arrangement for the song that was to become the signature piece for the late, great vocalist Phyllis Hyman, “Betcha By Golly Wow.”

Onaje Allan Gumbs continues to contribute his talents as a keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer. As he states: “Music has a healing force that is immeasurable and I am committed to being a part of it.”

Cedric Napoleon

When native Philadelphians and life long friends James K. Lloyd, Curtis Harmon and Cedric Napoleon first began jamming together in junior high in the mid-70’s, they had no idea that their vague musical dreams would evolve into one of contemporary jazz’s most enduring legacies. Nor did the teenagers realize that their Grover Washington produced 1981 debut “Pieces of a Dream” would prove a groundbreaking recording which would help pave the way for the type of urban styled smooth jazz that we hear on the airwaves today.

While their 1997 album “Pieces” mined similar retro territory, it was conceived as a high profile superstar collaboration, with artist/producers George Duke, Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp and Maxi Priest. The title of Pieces of a Dream’s latest, “Ahead To The Past”, reflects the new album’s more home grown approach to the classic Pieces sound.