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AACM Presents

Brief Bio

The 5 after 7 project was started by Saalik Ahmad Ziyad. Saalik who is a native Chicago, is a new member of the AACM: the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. While perfroming with the AACM he has been able to explore various types of music. His major influences are John Coltrane, Edward Wilkerson, Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hedricks, Joe Williams, Gil Scott Heron and many others to name a few. Here is a short bio on Mr. Ziyad: While at Northern Illinois University the multi-faceted Ziyad regularly performed in classical, opera and jazz ensembles at NIU. Ziyad who is receiving his degree of Bachelor of Music in vocal performance is no stranger to performing. As a young child Ziyad began his music training at the AACM School of Music at age 8, studying with Edward Wilkerson, Ernest Dawkins, Vandy Harris, Ann Ward and many other AACM faculty. He also began his singing career at age 7 with the Chicago Children's Choir and has performed with the Kenwood Academy Concert Choir, Willie Pickens, Amina Claudine Myers, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (under the direction of Zubin Mehta and James Levine), and Chicago's Association of the Advancement of Creative Musicians." "In addition, he has appeared in George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" under the direction of Bobby McFerrin and has performed the roles of Elder McLean in the opera "Susannah", Vicomte Cascada in the "Merry Widow", Aeneas in "Dido and Aeneas, St. Stephen in the opera "Four Saints in Three Acts" the role of the Rabbi in the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" and the role of Sammy Davis Jr. in the production of “The Rat Pack Live” Ziyad was also the jazz vocalist of The world-renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble, while perfoming with the NIU Jazz Ensemble he toured with the likes of Hammiet Blueitt, Steve Turre and Rufus Reid. "Ziyad has toured extensively in the United States, Poland, Russia and South Africa and has performed for Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Mayor and Mrs. Daley, the Archbishop Demond Tutu, Cicely Tyson and Richard Dreyfuss." Ziyad currently has two groups in projects, The 5 after 7 Project and The PS:JT Quartet. Ziyad is currently teaching voice, theory and ear training at the AACM School of Music