Eric Wyatt is a saxophonist who plays tenor, alto, and soprano sax. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Eric was taught music by his dad, Charles Jolly Wyatt, who played in the army band in Germany. Eric at 11 years old drove with his father in 1972 to Storrs, CT with bassist Larry Ridley and pianist Albert Dailey. The band leader was Eric’s godfather Sonny Rollins. Jim Hall was on the gig as well. Some of his dad’s friends were, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Dexter Gordon, Gary Bartz, Big Nick Nicholas, Gilley Coggins, Wilber Ware, and Dizzy Gillespie. Eric went with his dad to see Miles Davis at the Bottom Line club and went backstage after the gig.
At Lehman college Eric studied with pianist Stanley Cowell. He had some opportunities early in his career to write and license an original song to channel 5 in NY for a tv news show called Black News with host Bill McCreary in 1985.
In the 90s, Eric started playing in Europe as a leader performing in Paris, France at the La Villa Jazz Club, Half Note Jazz Club, Moscow, Russia, as well as in Slovakia, Prague, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Athens in Greece, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. He has 5 recordings as a leader and has played as a sideman on cds with Kenny Garrett, Jeff Tain Watts, Bob Crenshaw, Al Foster, Rufus Reid, Warren Wolf, Wallace Roney, and Steve Jordan. His Cds currently out today are Borough Of Kings, Positone, Look to the Sky, and The Golden Rule 4 Sonny, both on Whaling City Sound Records. He recorded a cd called The Blue Print which features Robert Glasper, Keyon Harrold, Anthony Wonsey, Darryl Hall, E-J Strickland, and Master James Spaulding. He has also played with Grammy winner Roy Hargrove’s Big band, Roy’s Quintet, Branford Marsalis’Quartet and recorded on the Frank Foster Songbook cd with Wynton Marsalis. Eric can also be heard performing with Dewey Redman on an album released in 1995 under Verve Records called Last Chance for Common Sense.
In 2021 he released the album titled Golden Rule 4 Sonny featuring Russell Malone, Clifton Anderson, Sullivan Fortner, Giveton Gelin, Willie Jones III, Tyler Mitchell, Eric Wheeler, Chris Beck, Charles Gould, and Benito Gonzalez.
Tyreek McDole, an outstanding 24-year-old vocalist, has been making waves and enchanting audiences with his remarkable talent, characterized by a velvety tone and polished delivery. With a string of prestigious awards to his name, Tyreek shines as a rising star in the music world.
During the acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2018 Essentially Ellington National Competition, Tyreek made his vocal debut leaving an indelible mark as he walked away with the prestigious Outstanding Vocalist Award, presented by none other than the iconic Wynton Marsalis.
His performances have seen him share the stage with an impressive roster of musicians and acts, including Theo Croker, Gary Bartz, Nicholas Payton, Rodney Whitaker, Russell Hall, Johnny O’Neal, Emmet Cohen, Miki Yamanaka, Mike King, Mike Ode, Eric Wheeler, Ted Nash, Matt Wilson, Ben Allison, Rockelle Whitaker, Winard Harper, Marcus Printup, Eric Reed, Carl Allen, Victor Goines, Chris Crenshaw, Jonathan Michel, Isaiah J. Thompson, Charlie Sigler, Chris Beck, Kyle Koehler and many others. Together, they have graced renowned venues like The Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club, Birdland Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Minton’s Playhouse, enthralling audiences with their collective artistry and musical prowess.
He has been recently declared the 1st place winner of the Sarah International Jazz Vocal Competition. Noted as one of the most anticipated events in jazz, McDole’s accolade now ranks him among the competition’s previous winners including the standout artists Samara Joy (2019 winner) and Jazzmeia Horn (2013 winner). Tyreek is the 2nd male to ever win in the competition’s 12 year history.