Eclipse Biography

This is the Movement. Eclipse is a band that breaks boundaries. The talented group of musicians creates a sound that explores elements of rock, funk, latin, hip-hop and jazz. The band performs a mixture of originals and covers from a wide range of artists like Led Zeppelin, Herbie Hancock, the Yellowjackets, Allman Brothers, Bela Fleck and more. Eclipse performs at numerous venues & festivals including The Blue Wisp Jazz Club, Stanley’s Pub, The Northside Tavern, The Cleveland Bop Stop, and more.

Band Members

Brian Batchelor-Glader - piano, organ, keyboards, vocals, keytar

Brian has studied piano since the age of 9 and has had a diverse musical background. Staring in musicals such as Little Shop of Horrors, and Guys and Dolls, Brian developed his singing and acting abilities. He got into jazz early on and began performing professionally at the age of 15 at local venues. He further continued his studies at the Birch Creek Summer Performance Center studying with faculty from the Eastman School of Music. He also studied classical from Cleveland State professor of piano Dan Barber. Brian has studied jazz with Cleveland legend Dan Wall and recently Cincinnati’s own Phil DeGreg. He has won awards such as 1st place jazz pianist at the Akron Jazz Fest, Capital University Jazz Fest, Findlay Jazz Fest, and Lakeland Jazz Fest as well as entry into the High School and Collegiate OMEA All-State Jazz Bands. Brian received his bachelors of music degree from the renowned Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Brian currently performs professionally with his band Eclipse, solo at the Federal Piano Lounge, with various jazz groups, and is a frequent guest artist in the Jon Justice Band. He is a teacher at the Cincinnati Music Academy. Brian is also a producer/electronic music composer with Mission Control Records. Brian co-produced two albums that came out this year, the Eclipse self-titled album and the duo album with Jahson, the Battle Within.

Max Gise - Electric and Acoustic guitars, background vocals

Max Gise has played the guitar since he was 13 years old. During High School, Max played in the jazz band and participated in the Oklahoma All-State Jazz Band in 1997. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Classical Guitar Performance. From 2002- 2004, Max taught privately at McMichael Studios and performed regionally with the Hip-Hop/Jazz trio 2Bass3 in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. Before moving to Cincinnati to get his masters degree in jazz from CCM, Max was the featured local artist in the Norman Jazz festival. Max is currently a professor at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of music and a private lessons teacher at the Cincinnati Music Academy.

Jibri - MC , vocals

Allen Jibri McPherson, cut his teeth in the Cincinnati and national music scenes as Jibri Wise One with the introduction of his debut album, “The House the Dog Built” in 1999 on the Ear Candy label. Jibri has recorded and toured nationally with DJ Quik and MC Breed, most notably on the 1994 song “Who Da Phuck Are You” with DJ Wizzz off Breed's Dark Shadow.

Charles Schweitzer - Percussion, background vocals

Charles Schweitzer is a native of Northern Kentucky, who currently resides in Cincinnati, OH. He holds a bachelor’s of music degree from Northern Kentucky University. While pursuing his classical studies at NKU he became interested in different styles of world music. He has studied abroad with Afro-Cuban de Matanzas and Los Muňiquitos de Matanzas from Cuba, and Maestre Kinge from Brazil. He has also studied with West African Master Yaya Diallo and Middle Eastern drummer Michael Buch. Locally Charles performs with many groups such as Tropicoso, Salsa Caliente, Zumba, the Mike Wade Sextet and the Mark Shulte Quartet. Charles has recorded on numerous albums and has performed on several live broadcasts on both radio and television. His unique and creative percussion adds an exciting element to the band.

Phil Tipton - Drums

Phillip Tipton is a drum student at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music studying with Marc Wofley and John Von Ohlen. Originally from New Haven, Connecticut, Phil developed his sound mixing the styles of gospel, R&B, hip-hop, funk, and jazz. Phil has played drums for 16 years and currently works with local groups in Cincinnati such as the Tyka Project, New Identity, a solo artist by the name of Jerrard, and others. Phil has competed in numerous drum competitions and has won many of them, like the Guitar Center Drum Off and the Mars Music Store drum competition.

Aaron Jacobs - Bass, background vocals

Aaron Jacobs is a graduate from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music with a degree in jazz bass. While at CCM, Aaron has been able to study and play with some of the greatest musicians alive today, both on faculty and visiting artists. He has played electric bass since middle school and upright since high school. It was in high school when Aaron first started playing music out in clubs and restaurants while also immersing himself in classical music. He played in both the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra and the All State Orchestra in high school and still enjoys playing classical gigs. Aaron was accepted in both the classical and jazz departments at CCM, but after majoring in classical for a year and a half, He switched to a jazz major. Currently, Aaron freelances extensively as a jazz musician around Cincinnati and also currently plays in a few bands such as the wonderful salsa band Tropicoso and Worldwide. AJ - “I have been around music for as long as I can remember and I plan on being in this profession for the rest of my life”.

Daddie Rich - MC, vocals

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio Daddie Rich, a former musician (clarinet, sax, and drums) has been writing for over ten years. This rapper, poet, actor, and activist has been a fan of music since he was a youth where he was influenced by one of his late uncles that used to play in a jazz band in the Cleveland area in the 1950’s and 60’s. He has performed at many venues and has many compilations with various DJ’s throughout the Midwestern region and globally.

Brad Wagner -– Alto, Tenor, and Soprano Saxophones, flute, clarinet, and piccolo

Brad hails originally from Akron, Ohio. In June of 2003, Brad received his B.M in Jazz Studies from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, and as of the summer of 2005, is working on his M.M. in Jazz Studies at Youngstown State University. Wagner has been playing professionally since the age of fourteen in all genres of music. Brad has performed in concert with Kenny Garrett, Ahmad Jamal, Eddie Daniels, Jim McNealy, Kenny Wheeler, Don Braden, Sunny Wilkenson, Roland Vazquez, Ira Sullivan, John Von Ohlen, Mary Ellen Tanner, Bob Belden, and many others. Brad has performed with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Ernie Krivda and the Fat Tuesday Big Band, and other major groups. His current projects include the “Brad Wagner Jazz Sextet”, a Sax/Drum duo project, and various quartets and quintets under his and other names. Brad plays Selmer Saxophones and Mouthpieces.