About the Artist

About Alexander/McLean Project

The Alexander/McLean Project is a collaboration between a group of like-minded musicians who are interested in working along the nexus of poetry, long form composition and jazz improvisation. This project is designed to expand upon each of the band members’ previous artistic efforts and incorporates a variety of stylistic approaches and strategies. Dee Alexander, the ensemble’s vocalist and co-leader and Westside native has been a prominent member of Chicago’s arts scene for the last four decades. Dee is widely known for her close association and long time membership with Chicago’s legendary AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). In addition, Ms. Alexander has recorded and toured extensively in both leadership and collaborative roles. Likewise, John McLean the co-leader of the ensemble has a long standing relationship with Chicago’s creative music scene. Mr. McLean has participated in over sixty recordings as both sideman and a leader and has toured worldwide in a variety of creative music ensembles.
The goal of the Alexander/McLean Project is to delve as deeply and as creatively as possible into the art of songwriting as it relates to and intersects with the world of jazz improvisation. While the beloved works that we refer to as the “The Great American Songbook” provide us with a sturdy and beautiful template for this undertaking, the purpose of this project is to explore the extension of that legacy as well as presenting original material that reflect the times we are living in with love, hope and happiness being the goal of every man, woman and child.

About Pamela York

Canadian-born jazz pianist, composer, and vocalist Pamela York audaciously invites her audience to enter her life for a moment in time—for she is also a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend. What matters most to her is connecting with people as she tells a story through her music, either through one of her CDs or in a live performance. Naturally drawn to the piano, Pamela was playing local gigs by age fifteen. She earned an associate degree in piano performance from the prestigious Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto then studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, a move which transformed her musical ideas and helped develop her voice. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she went on to complete her master’s degree in jazz from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she held a full-tuition graduate teaching assistantship. Using her tradition as a jazz pianist, she reveals her imaginative conviction that proves her skill as a leader and arranger who paints new colors on timeless, beloved songs. As a Jazzreview.com interview declared, “While playing tunes made famous by some of the legendary masters, Pamela York makes her own statement without being a pretender.” In Pamela, both newcomers and jazz aficionados will discover an exceptional talent on a journey of ascent.

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