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 When Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed into Buffalo, NY
home on February 12th, 2009 fifty people tragically lost their
lives. People of all walks of life and careers were aboard Flight 3407 that
day, including musicians Coleman Mellett and Gerry Niewood. Both musicians were
members of jazz trumpeter Chuck Mangione’s group, and were scheduled to perform
with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on February 13th.
Guitarist Coleman Mellett was raised in Washington,
D.C., before moving to Pittsburg
to attend Duquesne
University. At Duquesne,
Mallett studied with legendary guitarist Joe Negri before transferring to William Patterson
University so he could be closer to
the New York
jazz scene. After graduating from William Patterson, Mellett completed his education
with a Masters degree from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. Mallett
stayed in New York
after graduation where he was able to play with some of the genre’s finest
musicians including Rufus Reid, Kenny Burrell and Steve Turre before being
asked to join Mangione’s band in 1999.
Mellett is survived by his wife Jeanie Bryson, who is the
daughter of legendary jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.
Saxophonist Gerry Niewood was a graduate of the world
renowned Eastman School of Music in Rochester,
New York. During his illustrious
career he performed with many legendary players including Peggy Lee, Thad
Jones, Mel Lewis, Simon and Garfunkel and Sinead O’Conner. Niewood's versatile
playing style was also highly coveted on the highly competitive New York studio scene.
Over his fourteen years as a studio player Niewood’s playing can be heard on
Robert DeNiro’s A Bronx Tale, comedy
classic When Harry Met Sally, and
many, many more. He was twice voted “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition –
Soprano Saxophone” by critics for Downbeat magazine’s annual poll.
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