CJ Manning || bass
CJ Manning was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. He had the good luck to be born into a musical family, as his father is a working bass-player and his mother is an amateur pianist, both of whom encouraged CJ to play music when he was young. At an early age, CJ met trumpeter Ken Watters and immediately began studying under him, learning the basics of theory and improvisation.
In 2003, CJ began studying at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis and studied under bass instructor Tim Goodwin and composition instructor Jack Cooper. During his stay in Memphis, CJ has performed on numerous recording sessions, including a recording with technician Jeff Cline and singer/songwriter Lauren McCuistion which was submitted to Shure's "Fantastic Scholastic Recording Competition 2" and took first prize, winning the recording department over $15,000 in microphone equipment.
CJ is currently finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Memphis and plans on graduating in the fall of 2007.
