Marcus Paul James And Jazz Pianist Addison Frei Release Holiday EP Christmas Gift

Just in time for Christmas, singer/songwriter Marcus Paul James (RENT, Motown: The Musical, In The Heights) and Pianist/Composer Addison Frei come together as JAMES & FREI to released a holiday EP titled "Christmas Gift". This collab brings together a mix of soul and jazz that stir up all the holiday joy and warm one craves this time of year. The EP contains an original title track "Christmas Gift" that has a nostalgic throwback swing feel as well as their take on a holiday classic "The Christmas Song". EP is available on iTunes, Cd Baby, Spotify, and more.

Actor, Singer/Songwriter - seen in Broadway's "MOTOWN: The Musical", Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony award-winning "In The Heights", and Jonathan Larson's Tony award-winning "RENT". TV/Film include Collateral Beauty, RENT: Filmed Live, The WIZ Live, and Golden Globe-nominated The Greatest Showman. A native New Yorker with albums available on iTunes and CD Baby, including his newest EP "Paper Hearts". For more info visit marcuspauljames.com

New York-based pianist Addison Frei ("Fry") has won first prize in several competitions including the 2017 Parmigiani Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition, the 2016 UNISA International Jazz Piano Competition in Pretoria, South Africa, the 2015 American Jazz Pianist Competition in Melbourne, Florida and the 2012 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. He has released two albums on Armored Records, Intentions (2014) and Transit (2016), featuring frequent collaborator and Manhattan Transfer co-founder Janis Siegel.

Upon participating in the 2016 Generations Jazz Festival Workshop in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, Frei was awarded a grant from TCB Records-The Montreux Jazz Label and will release a new trio album featuring bassist Tamir Shmerling and drummer Mario Gonzi in 2018. Frei also co-leads AMP Trio, contributing compositions to Three (2017), m(y)our world (2015), which rose to #24 on the Jazz Week charts, and Flow (2013). AMP Trio recently completed a Japanese tour, partnering to present workshops on behalf of the US Consulate in Sapporo. Alongside vocalist Tahira Clayton, AMP Trio was selected as the winner of the DC Jazz Prix, earning a DC Jazz Festival performance in 2018 as well as a cash prize and professional development partnership. In New York, Frei has active residencies at the Kitano and the Cell Theatre. He currently holds the piano chair in the Juilliard Artist Diploma Ensemble, consistently performing and touring with the conservatory's flagship jazz ensemble.

A 2014 graduate of the University of North Texas, he traveled with the One O'Clock Lab Band to headline the Next Generation Jazz Festival in Monterey, California and can be heard on Lab 2013. Frei is a two-time recipient of ASCAP's Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award and has earned invitations to Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead, Ravinia's Steans Music Institute, and recognition as a 2013 Yamaha Young Performing Artist. He has appeared as a guest artist and clinician at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the University of Kansas, the University of Central Florida, Wichita State University, Kansas State University, Baker University, TUTS University and Pretoria University. Frei is presently a member of the Orlando-based Dr. Phillips Center Jazz Orchestra, in their inaugural season under the direction of Rodney Whitaker.