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Take Five with Andre Hoxter
ByI grew up in Roxbury, Mass, a town just out side of Boston. I attended and preformed many talent shows in the Boston and surrounding areas, I played with some pretty cool musicians. I later moved to Wilmington, DE were I studied at the Christiana Cultural Art Center.
I studied Jazz under Robert "Boise" Lowery and became friends with some of Wilmington's finest Jazz musicians. While in Wilmington I hooked up with a band called the Wizards, they were a model of the group Earth, Wind & Fire. We did many gigs in the surrounding area. I also played for the Howard High Stage Band under the direction of Lonnie Thomas.
While attending Howard High I played for one of the area choirs, The Wilmington Chester Mass Choir under the direction of Ernest Davis Jr. Gospel was a new world for me, I learned a lot and became a stronger player. After school I moved to the Atlantic City area and became a showcase musician for any local or professional act or group passing by, whoever needed a musician. I met and became friends with a lot of celebrity players.
After a few years I moved to the Baltimore area and recorded my first record, it was for a gospel group named "Called By Christ." I later produced a few more Gospel records and played with some area groups. As time went on I moved to Newark, DE and began recording and producing records and CDs. I now do preproduction work and am thinking about starting an Indie record label to help the musicians who just need a little push. So watch out for my label, soon to come. My latest CD is a solo project called InfinitySmooth Jazz, the way I hear it. So pick up a copy and tell me what you think. I sequenced the whole CD just getting warmed up for my label. May God Bless You, Dre.
Instrument(s):
Keyboards.
Teachers and/or influences?
Eric Dunn from Earth, Wind & Fire.
I knew I wanted to be a musician when...
I used to hookey school and go hang around the halls at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Your sound and approach to music:
www.CDbaby.com/hoxter
Your teaching approach:
Make it simple and feel the music.
Your dream band:
I would like to work with Chaka Khan.
Did you know...
My first instrument was the drums.
How do you use the internet to help your career? MySpace and YouTube.
How would you describe the state of jazz today?
Many styles, many faces, lots of color for everyone.
What is in the near future?
Working on new CD.
By Day:
Computer Tech for Comcast.
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