Jawanza Kobie Band

A growing dedicated and supporting fan base that attends our shows We are a positive, spirited and swinging ensemble that likes to engage with our audience first with the selection of music and little anecdotes.

Our sets are tailored to the venue and their requirements.

JAWANZA KOBIE BIO
After years of working as a sideman for other artists and composer for various TV and film projects, pianist and keyboardist Jawanza Kobie drew on his eclectic background and vast array of classical, R&B, jazz and jazz fusion influences to create his stylistically diverse debut album with the provocative title, Feels Better Than It Sounds. Balancing his talent for composing infectious, memorable melodies with a penchant for harmonic and rhythmic twists and turns and unique chord patterns, the Philly bred, Wilmington, Delaware based performer’s swirl of contemporary urban jazz, straight ahead jazz, electric fusion, blues, Latin and Brazilian music emerges from his desire to tell a musical story in an unpredictable way. His driving philosophy: write and produce the kinds of songs he would want buy himself!
Feels Better Than It Sounds’ ability to stand out in a competitive independent jazz market speaks to fact that jazz fans across the country have the same desire to hear fresh approaches as Kobie does. In addition to widespread critical praise – including a three star out of four rating from the Philadelphia Inquirer and raves from Jazz Times - the 10 track collection was an across the board success during its initial college radio campaign, making numerous Top Ten airplay lists along the way. Various tracks were played everywhere from Honolulu and Portland ME to Hampton NY, Tulsa, OK and KPS at Penn State. In addition, the soulful mid-tempo ballad “A Good Day” was featured on the “Good Day Philadelphia” morning show as part of a promotional appearance.
While it’s common for veteran musicians recording their debut albums to keep things as inexpensive and stripped down as possible, Kobie’s renown as a “sonic freak” drove him to create a powerhouse production featuring many musicians from his alma mater, Berklee College of Music (a few of whom are contemporaries) and work with top veteran engineers Phil Nicolo (Bob Dylan, Santana, Billy Joel), Mitch Goldfarb (Teddy Pendergrass, George Benson, Brian McKnight) and Donald Robinson (Grover Washington, Jr., Vanessa Williams). Kobie’s Berklee connection includes Webb Thomas (drums), Buddy Fambro (guitar), Dwight Sutton (trumpet), Terry Thompson (alto sax) and Dexter Sims (bass). The ensemble also features percussionist Doc Gibbs and bassist Lee Smith (father of Christian McBride).
“Even now as I’m working on a lot of fresh material for my upcoming next project, I think Feels Better Than It Sounds was a strong first effort that reflects my goal as a composer to take the listener from one emotion to another,” says Kobie. “I didn’t start the project with an overriding concept in mind, but once I had all the songs, I purposefully sequenced them so that the overall impact was a descriptive musical story that would stay embedded in people’s hearts and minds. My favorite part of the recording was working with these great musicians and receiving their ongoing input, which upped my game as a debut artist tremendously.”
ON STAGE
Since the initial release of Feels Better Than It Sounds in 2013, jazz fans in both Kobie’s hometown of Philly and his long adopted home of Wilmington have been treated to performances with several different sized groups featuring top local musicians. Kobie has done everything from trio and quartet gigs to larger ensembles that include a full rhythm and horn section as well as vocalist. In Philly, he has played Chris’ Jazz Café and since September 2014, he’s been a regular at the popular Ubon’s Thai Restaurant in Wilmington; he has also played at that city’s renowned Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. His sets include a few covers but mostly originals from the album and even newer material. Kobie engages his audiences with anecdotes between songs and is keen on getting them to participate. In his quest to ensure they have a good time and leave with a joyful feeling, he is always trying to find ways to bring in more animated moments into the show.

Backline will be provided upon request