At The 1 Food & Spirits, we feature a rotating group of musicians with extensive musical experience and individual styles. We will continue to add new musicians to the mix as our live entertainment continues to evolve. We hope that you enjoy getting to know more about our current live entertainers featured below. We look forward to seeing you and providing you with an exceptional dining and musical experience.
Stewart Freedman has been performing in solo and small group bands in Northeast Ohio for over forty years. He has played with the Danjo Big Band, the Dave Banks Big Band, Swing Machine, Bone-Afide, and the Twenty First Century Big Band. He was the in-house pianist for the Akron City Club and plays local clubs and festivals. Over twenty years Stewart filled the piano chair for various groups headlined by Danny Mazzocco, an Akron jazz legend. He is currently performing solo piano at the BLU-Tique Hotel in Akron.
Eddie’s love for music has been with him his whole life. He began taking music lessons at the age of six He composed his first song at the age of eight.
He began getting booked to perform music at the age of fifteen. Also, at that time, he performed at piano recitals and talent shows. He has been providing live music ever since. It has been his pleasure to perform in front of large gatherings and for more intimate settings as a pianist, as well as a pianist/vocalist.
Eddie earned a Bachelor degree at Cleveland State University. He worked his way through college as a musician, along with working various part time jobs.
He has performed for Cleveland corporations, foundation fund raising events, and private parties throughout Ohio and, regionally, in Baltimore and Wheeling. He has often performed as a pianist/vocalist , at prestigious hotels such as The Renaissance Hotel and Ritz Carlton, along with performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the nationally known Night town, the BLU Jazz Restaurant and BLU Jazz Hotel of the national known BLU Jazz in Akron, Ohio, and the Jack Casino in downtown Cleveland.
Country clubs, restaurants, lounges, party centers, as well as churches, and assisted living facilities are among various venues where he performs.
He is proud to be a member of Cleveland’s Local 4 Musicians Union,
whose officers feel confident in providing him with gigs. He is on a first call basis to perform for various venues and for private parties
Eddie has a strong affinity for the jazz standards, bossa nova, the “great American song book,” Van Morrison, Billy Joel, John Legend, Neal Diamond, Sting, and others. His piano stylings, warm baritone voice and eclectic repertoire create just the right atmosphere. He considers it a privilege to be a musician.
John Chapman has been performing for over 40 years. He has traveled the country performing in every major city, paying special attention to the OHIO and LAS VEGAS areas. He is known as a man of many talents because along with being a lead singer, he can play more than 9 instruments. Some of which include piano, guitar, saxophone, bass, and flute to name a few! He has mastered the art of taking control of the audience, and patrons always enjoy his fun and energetic performances. He is socially diverse and has performed in high profile weddings for the most prestigious venues. He has also performed for some of the largest celebrity names among which include Michael Jordan. John Chapman will keep you on the dance floor and ensure that everyone will have a good time!
Joshua Porter is a professional keyboardist, producer, and music director hailing from Akron, Ohio. Coming from a very musical family, he was exposed to various instruments and musical styles at an early age. However, being the son of a gospel songstress and choir director, he naturally gravitated toward the rhythmic and soulful musical styles of the Black Church. At the age of 15, he landed his first job as the pianist and organist at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, rising to the position of Music Director by the age of 17. After graduating from Buchtel High School in 2013, Joshua went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in Piano and Jazz Studies at Clark Atlanta University, followed by a Master’s degree in Global Entertainment & Music Business from Berklee College of Music – Valencia. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate years of study, Josh gained countless hours of experience working with artists as a music producer, live show programmer, music director, and session keyboardist. These experiences allowed him to venture away from the familiar church genres into other, contrasting genres that gave him a well-rounded and diverse musical experience. He is currently residing back in his hometown where he serves as the Pastor of Worship at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, and as the bandleader for his Jazz Ensemble, PORTER CONNECTION.
Joe Fagan began playing piano by ear when he was three years old. Throughout his youth, Joe continued with his musical training on piano; however, and at age 10 began playing violin and at age 13 began playing bassoon. During his high school years, he played violin in one orchestra, bassoon in another, and played piano in the jazz ensemble. Upon entering college, he chose bassoon as his primary instrument and graduated from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville with a bachelor’s degree in music education. He began playing piano professionally at local clubs in the Alton, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri areas, initially with the Harry Simon Orchestra as the pianist and arranger. Upon graduation from college, he performed for one season as the principal bassoonist in the Midland-Odessa Symphony in Odessa, Texas. In 1979, Joe joined the Air Force to fly jet fighters, and throughout his 24-year military career, maintained his jazz piano skills by playing in clubs with various musicians wherever he was stationed. After moving to Stuttgart, Germany in 1997, Joe worked with several local musicians and performed with his trio at multiple venues around Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Joe relocated from Germany back to the US in 2018 and now resides in northeast Ohio. His latest recording, My Foolish Heart featuring Barbara Burkle, was produced at the Bauer Studio in Ludwigsburg, Germany and is available on Amazon, iTunes, Rhapsody, and other download services.
