Born and raised in Chicago, Marvin Sewell was exposed to a variety of styles of music such as: Blues, Gospel, Soul, Rock, and Fusion. He learned how to play the guitar by hanging out with many Chicago basement bands. At the same time, he played acoustic guitar in a Catholic Church guitar band. A few years later he became interested in Jazz. In high school, he started playing with the Malcolm X Community College Big Band. From there, he started playing with many famous local Chicago musicians such as Von Freeman, Ramsey Lewis, Billy Branch, Jody Christian, Big Time Sarah, and Barbara La Shore. He went on to attend Roosevelt University in Chicago where he studied Composition.
Marvin moved to New York in 1990. His first tour in New York was with an Algerian Pop music band. Since that time, he has played with various bands of different styles of music, ranging from acoustic to electric music. In 1992, he joined his first major Jazz band when he began working with Jack Dejohnette’s Special Edition. At that same time, he was playing with Jazz cellist Diedre Murray and Jazz Bassist Fred Hopkins. The following year, he recorded albums with Jack Dejohnette, Diedre Murray, and Gary Thomas. That same year he played in Hannibal Peterson’s composition African Portraits, an opera in which he played blues slide guitar in collaboration with the St. Louis Symphony, New Music Symphony, and the Westchester Symphony Orchestra.
Sewell has performed and recorded with David Sandborn, Marcus Miller, Jorge Sylvester, Greg Osby, Joe Lovano, George Benson, Sekou Sundiata, Peter Herborn, and a host of many other esteemed musicians.
In 1995, he began playing with Cassandra Wilson with whom he played a variety of string instruments for six years. Before leaving, he acted as the musical director of her band for a little over a year.
In the summer of 2001, he went on tour with Sekou Sundiata along with Ani Difranco. While on tour, Marvin got a chance to share the stage with Ani Difranco.
Today, he spends most of his time writing music for his own band, The Marvin Sewell Group, which has received great reviews in many of the local New York papers.
He has performed all over New York City and is preparing to release his debut self titled recording.
www.marvinsewell.com
