Dave Wright and
The Band Of Opportunity

Photo of Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity
Photo of Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity

Dave Wright and the Band Of Opportunity play ‘world fusion’ jazz, a term coined by Jeff Reimer of Faircraft Brauhaus, a local brewery where the band likes to play. Much of the band’s original jazz fusion music was composed around the world in places of amazing natural beauty. As a result, the songs pick up the vibe of the places where they were composed — and are as eclectic as those places around the world. As the group plays, Dave Wright moves easily between nylon-string acoustic guitar and steel-string electric and acoustic guitars, supported by the solid groove of Ryan Muchard on drums and Doug Fien on bass.

This website features the band’s original music, plus amazing travel photography and original art

The Band Of Opportunity’s albums “Aurora Borealis” (released April 2023) and “There and Gone” (released May 2022) are available for purchase through our secure web store, and can be streamed free of charge below the track listings on this web page. This website also features the travel and nature photography of Dave Wright — including beautiful photographs of the places where songs were written — as well as the eclectic artwork of Doris B Wright. In addition to the main sections for Music, Photography and Art, the site also includes many videos of live performances, blogs, gig schedule, interviews with the band, great content about Dave’s father Ray Wright of Eastman fame, and much more.

Origins of the ‘Band Of Opportunity’

Dave Wright explains the band’s name in the context of the journey each song takes the listener on. Each song is a land of opportunity … who knows where you’ll go and how the journey will end? And who better to take you to a musical land of opportunity than the Band Of Opportunity?

 

Dave Wright and the Band Of Opportunity formed in late 2019 at the request of drummer Ryan Muchard and bassist Doug Fien, who were desperate for some fun and challenging music to play, and reached out to Dave Wright for advice. Dave Wright — son of Rayburn Wright (founder of Eastman School of Music’s Jazz and Contemporary Media Department) — had been composing challenging original jazz fusion music since his teens, and with a backlog of fun and challenging tunes to play, the band was born.

The Band Of Opportunity creates and records original jazz music

The band worked up a challenging set of music to perform live, but alas, along came the Covid lockdown, and the entertainment industry went into a deep freeze. Undeterred, the Band Of Opportunity turned to the recording studio, and over the next years recorded an amazing 30 songs, nine of which are included on their second album Aurora Borealis, released in April of 2023. Another nine of these are included on their first album There and Gone, released in May of 2022. Their third album will contain others, plus more recent studio recordings.

In late 2020, the band added the talented Philippe Lewalle on keyboards, who recorded on many of the tunes through 2021, when he accepted a post-doctorate position at UC Berkeley. The much-in-demand pianist/trumpeter Scott Bradley came on board in October 2021, recording with the band, and — as clubs reopened and the entertainment industry resumed normal operations — performing with the Band Of Opportunity in local Rochester venues through 2022.

Check out the rest of the website for gig schedules, blogs, music and video samples, and lots of other great content.

Dave Wright, Doug Fien, Scott Bradley and Ryan Muchard: The Band Of Opportunity photo playing live at Faircraft Brauhaus

ABOUT THE BAND

Dave Wright: Guitar
In the course of his career, guitarist-composer Dave Wright has played gigs at venues from the US West Coast to Western Europe. Some musical accomplishments include more than 300 shows at Radio City Music Hall as house guitarist with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra; many shows with performers such as the Fifth Dimension, Diahann Carroll, Charo and Frank Sinatra Jr.; performing with the Rochester Philharmonic Pops for artists including Patti Page; recording on albums and industrial recording sessions; performing with many of western New York’s most talented musicians, including four years with Prime Time Funk, various dates with the Bill Tiberio Group and others.

Dave has recorded a number of original albums, the most recent of which is Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity’s “Aurora Borealis”, available on this website, Spotify, and other major resellers.

Dave studied jazz guitar with Gene Bertoncini (alum of Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, Clark Terry, Paul Desmond), Randall Dollohan (alum of Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Turrentine, Edgar Winter, Steve Morse) and Tom Rizzo (alum of Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen), and attended the Studio Jazz Program at the University of Miami, Coral Gables.

Dave is the son of Rayburn Wright, award-winning composer, arranger and jazz educator (as head of Eastman School of Music’s Jazz and Contemporary Media Department). While growing up, Dave was lucky enough to spend time around the many musicians his father worked with, for example Keith Jarrett, Toots Thielemans, Dave Brubeck, Nigerian drummer Olatunji, and Henry Mancini.

Dave is also the son of the talented artist Doris B. Wright. With an artist for a mother and a musician for a father, Dave grew up in a home where writing a song or creating art was a normal and consistent activity, and this had a deep effect on his life. When Dave is not at home, he is often traveling to beautiful and exotic places around the world, usually with a guitar and a big camera in hand.

Ryan Muchard: Drums and percussion
Ryan Muchard is a Rochester percussionist who enjoys playing funk, rock, Latin and the many subgenres of jazz. He has been making music with Dave Wright ever since saxophonist Dustin Wright (Dave’s son) invited him to a jam session. Ryan especially enjoys playing Dave’s music because it allows him to be creative and expressive on the drums. Ryan also produces his original music in another group called Crimson Dreams which can be found on Spotify.

Doug Fien: Bass
Doug started playing upright bass in elementary school as a prank. The joke was on him, but he continued and progressed to playing bass guitar in high school under jazz pianist George Giroux. Doug played in a jazz quintet in clubs and restaurants while in high school, attended Crane School of Music for one year and then left music for military service. Later he performed two years with the MCC jazz ensemble where he met many local musicians. During the 1980s and 1990s Doug was busy playing in local jazz, party and rock bands. Doug is pleased to be working with Dave, recording and performing his music.

ALUMNI OF THE BAND

Philippe Lewalle: Keyboards (2020–2021)
Philippe grew up in Syracuse, New York, where he was fortunate to begin taking piano lessons at age 7, and have the opportunity to begin studying jazz at age 10. Philippe ultimately studied both Music and Physics at the University of Rochester in New York. His contributions to the Band Of Opportunity recordings occurred as he was finishing his dissertation on quantum measurement and control. While Philippe has since moved to Berkeley, California for a Post-Doctoral position, he looks back on these pandemic recordings with gratitude.

Scott Bradley: Keyboards and trumpet (2021–2022)
Composer/pianist/trumpeter Scott Bradley’s music infuses memorable melodies and jazz harmonies into contemporary R&B rhythms. He is a freelance musician in Upstate New York with a Masters Degree from the Fredonia College of Music and additional graduate work at the Eastman School of Music. When he is not working in music, Scott volunteers as a translator at New Hope Immigration Legal Services in Rochester.

ALBUM RELEASE: AURORA BOREALIS

Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity continue their musical journey with the release of their second album: AURORA BOREALIS. This new collection of original jazz fusion music takes off where the band’s first album There And Gone left us, going ever-higher in energy and expression. Fans from the band’s live shows will recognize the music, starting with the opening track — ‘Quicksand’ is a crowd favorite which the band often uses as a closing number at their shows. 

Asked about the title track ‘Aurora Borealis’, Dave says: “If I had to tell a story about this song, it would start somewhere in the far north … maybe up high in the Icelandic Highlands, surrounded by barren mountains and the brilliant northern lights. After admiring the aurora for a while, you feel yourself being pulled up from the ground into the aurora, then beyond, ricocheting through the asteroid belt, the rings of Saturn, the Oort Cloud and then into the raw violence of deep space where there are a million ways to die and only a few ways to live. Various adventures ensue before a space warp drops you back down to the earth at the same spot, where you’re watching the aurora, alone with the cold wind, bright stars and bare mountains.” 

Well, then! After that, we were afraid to ask about the other songs … but enjoy this musical journey with Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity!

LINER NOTES
1. Quicksand (Wright), 8:03
2. Blue Is Our Business (Wright), 5:59
3. Big Lee (Wright), 7:40
4. Gratitude (Wright), 8:08
5. Culebra (Wright), 7:04
6. Yo’rana (Wright), 6:23
7. Y-Not (Wright), 5:47
8. Doctor Love (Wright), 6:56
9. Aurora Borealis (Wright), 9:30

Dave Wright: guitar, bass (tracks 2, 7)
Ryan Muchard: drums (tracks 1–6, 8–9), synth percussion (track 3)
Doug Fien: bass (tracks 1, 3–6, 8–9)
Philippe Lewalle: keyboards (tracks 1–4, 6, 9)
Scott Bradley: organ (track 5)
Dave Cohen: drums (track 7)

Recorded at Studio X, Pittsford, New York. Photography of northern lights in the Icelandic Highlands by Dave Wright. Produced by Dave Wright for HMC Jazz, Fort Nurney, SD, 2023.

Click the song names below to see more photos of where in the world each song was written:

AVAILABLE ON:

Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Spotify
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on YouTube
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Apple Music
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Amazon
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Spotify
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on YouTube
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Apple Music
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Amazon

AURORA BOREALIS

RELATED PHOTOS

1. Quicksand (Wright)

2. Blue Is Our Business (Wright)

3. Big Lee (Wright)

4. Gratitude (Wright)

5. Culebra (Wright)

6. Yo’rana (Wright)

7. Y-Not (Wright)

8. Doctor Love (Wright)

9. Aurora Borealis (Wright)

   STREAM THE WHOLE ALBUM FOR FREE

Click the ‘Play’ button below to listen to “Aurora Borealis” in its entirety. Check out the great performances captured in the studio, and then come to one of our gigs — these are great at live performances!

Purchase the album for only $9.99 and receive bonus content!

Your direct support of the arts brings extra benefits! When you purchase and download Aurora Borealis through the secure link below, you will receive exclusive access to additional content — including unreleased music tracks updated regularly. Thank you for your support, and enjoy the music!

Sign up for new content notifications/gig announcements, new music releases, photography, blogs, artwork and more.

DAVE WRIGHT AND THE BAND OF OPPORTUNITY: PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Wednesday, February 28, 6:30–8:00:  Faircraft Brauhaus, Fairport, NY
Saturday, September 30, 7:00–9:00:  Faircraft Brauhaus, Fairport, NY
Friday, August 4, 7:00–9:00:  Faircraft Brauhaus, Fairport, NY
Thursday, July 20, 7:00–9:00
 The Little Theater, Rochester, NY
Thursday, June 22, 7:00–9:00:  The Little Theater, Rochester, NY
Spring 2023:  Away traveling to the Galapagos and high Andes in Ecuador
Friday, March 31, 7:00–9:00:  The Little Theater, Rochester, NY
Saturday, February 25, 7:00–9:00:  Faircraft Brauhaus, Fairport, NY
Mid-January – February:  Away traveling to Antarctica and Argentinean Patagonia
Friday, October 21, 7:00–9:00:  Faircraft Brauhaus, Fairport, NY
Thursday, Oct. 13, 7:00–8:00:  WGMC 90.1 Live Studio Concert Series [broadcast live on the air]
Late August – mid-September:  Away trekking to the basecamp of K2 in the Himalayas, Pakistan
Saturday, August 20, 7:30–9:00:  Faircraft Brauhaus, Fairport, NY
Thursday, July 7, 7:00–8:30:  Faircraft Brauhaus, Fairport, NY
Friday, May 27, 5:30–8:30:  Abilene Bar and Lounge, Rochester, NY  *HAPPY HOUR*
Check back soon for more live dates!
 
Suggest a venue where you would like to see us perform here. We love to play this music for you … the more, the better!
 
 

THE BAND OF OPPORTUNITY I: THERE AND GONE

You can think of Dave Wright and The Band of Opportunity: There and Gone as an exploration of our world as a musical journey. Many of the songs on the band’s first album were written at amazing locations around the world to capture the flavor of that special place.

How did this come about? Through travel to great places of the world with a Martin Backpacker guitar, an open mind, and time to absorb mood impressions while playing. And then a great band to make the music come alive.

Listen to The Band of Opportunity as they play this genre-bending, location-bending jazz, doing their best to channel the beauty of our world through music.

LINER NOTES

Dave Wright – acoustic and electric guitar, synthesizer, electric bass (on Las Montañas de Joao & Cloud Splitter)
Ryan Muchard – drums, percussion
Doug Fien – acoustic and electric bass
Philippe Lewalle – keyboards

Produced by Dave Wright. Recorded at Studio X, New York. Cover art: silkscreen “Winter, spring, summer and fall” by Doris B Wright.

Special thanks to Ryan and Doug for suggesting we form a band to play this music, and to the guys for being all in for the effort. What a great opportunity! I wasn’t going to say no.

Click the song names below to see more photos of where in the world each song was written:

AVAILABLE ON:

Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Spotify
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on YouTube
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Apple Music
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Amazon
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Spotify
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on YouTube
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Apple Music
Go to Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity album Aurora Borealis on Amazon

THERE AND GONE

RELATED PHOTOS

1. Sixteen Feet Under (Wright)  [complete track]

2. Cruz del Sur (Wright)

3. Sun-Bird (Wright)

4. There and Gone (Wright)

5. What You See and What You Do (Wright)

6. Cloud Splitter (Wright)

7. Las Montañas de Joao (Wright)

8. Queen of Syracuse (Wright)

9. Amian (Wright)

   STREAM THE WHOLE ALBUM FOR FREE

Click the ‘Play’ button below and enjoy “There and Gone” in its entirety. Check out the great performances captured in the studio, and then come to see Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity play live — you’ll enjoy the spontaneous musical story they tell!

Purchase the album for only $9.99 and receive bonus content!

Your direct support of the arts brings extra benefits! When you purchase and download There and Gone through the secure link below, you will receive exclusive access to additional content — including unreleased music tracks updated regularly. Thank you for your support, and enjoy the music!

Sign up for new content notifications/gig announcements, new music releases, photography, blogs, artwork and more.

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