Jack Kilby and the Front Line was formed in 2015 in New York City and includes members from New York, Washington DC, and Virginia while also spanning several generations of musicians. Kilby, age 29, and bassist Kris Monson, 26, both grew up in northern Virginia and attended UVA where they met veteran trumpeter John D’earth who directs the UVA Jazz Ensemble and is a centerpiece of Charlottesville’s music scene. They also met tenor saxophonist Charles Owens (46), who had grown up in northern Virginia and went on to spend a dozen years in New York City performing with some of the world’s finest musicians before moving to Charlottesville. As they became more serious about jazz, Kilby and Monson’s relationships with D’earth and Owens blossomed from teacher-student to a brotherhood bound by their love of music. The group’s sextet formation was solidified upon Kilby meeting trombonist Elad Cohen (29) in New York, another kindred spirit who shared his love for Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Washington D.C. native Allyn Johnson joins on piano. “The core members of the Front Line are firmly rooted in the hard bop tradition, upholding the standards that were established by the aforementioned jazz masters,” says former Count Basie Orchestra drummer and conductor Dennis Mackrel, who adds “<i>Love Is A Song Anyone Can Sing</i> is a wonderful recording that is as uplifting as it is enjoyable and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who wants to feel good all day.”