ABOUT

RAHSAAN NANCE started guitar lessons at 5 and began teaching himself bass at 12. He has studied at Steckman Studio of Music, Fernando Jones’ Blues Camp, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Jazz Academy, and the Merit School of Music Conservatory. He was a member of the band Lance, performed with George Bailey and the Snake Doctors, Steckman’s jazz combo, and at book events for Rosalind Cummings-Yeates’ “Exploring Chicago Blues”. He also joined the Jazz Institute’s student council and Jazz Links ensemble. Rahsaan also studied jazz guitar at Oberlin Conservatory. Since returning to the Chicagoland area, Rahsaan has established himself in the scene performing with artists such as IAMAURIN, FURY, Space Arrangers, The ERA Trio, and Ellie Rui 瑞, also featuring on the latter’s debut album “DayDreams Are Encouraged” in 2026.  

URBAN HORIZONS was formed in 2019 by multi-instrumentalist and composer Rahsaan Nance. With an ever-changing roster, the group looks to explore and expand all corners of jazz, funk, and fusion through songs from the jazz canon, covers from various genres, and original music. After performances at First Monday Jazz and the 2023 Chicago Jazz Festival, they released their debut mixtape of original material, “City In My Mind” in August 2024. Their debut album, “Lamentations” was released on July 4, 2025. A somber, yet optimistic reflection from bandleader Rahsaan Nance on his experiences as a young Black man in America, as well as personal losses. They followed up with a successful CD release show at Val’s Halla Records. Since then, Urban Horizons has continued to perform all across the Chicagoland area, including shows at Café Logan at the Logan Center, Fulton Street Collective, and the Epiphany Center for the Arts.