Friday, September 10, 2021

NEW SINGLE: GRAMMY nominees säje and Gerald Clayton to release "Dusk Baby" this Friday, September 10, 2021

GRAMMY® nominated vocal supergroup, säje, releases new single “Dusk Baby”, featuring pianist Gerald Clayton.


säje is: Sara Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Johnaye Kendrick, and Erin Bentlage. 

Featuring: Gerald Clayton, piano; Anna Butterss, bass; Christian Euman, drums.

“säje is blazing a new trail for female composers and performers in the jazz world”
-- Micah Hendler, Forbes  

“...[säje is] taking the vocal jazz ensemble into the 21st century.”
-- Abe Beeson, KNKX/NPR

“...transcendent music.” 
-- DownBeat Magazine
It might come as a surprise to hear that, while newly-formed vocal super-group, säje (rhymes with beige), received a GRAMMY® nomination for “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals” for their first original composition “Desert Song”, a John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize Award for their second composition “Wisteria”, and a Jazz Journalists Association Award nomination for “Best Vocal Group”, the world continues to eagerly await the debut album from this transcendent and genre-defining group. 

It is through their three previously released singles and multiple self-produced music videos that this all-female compositional/vocal collective has demonstrated their devotion to thoughtful, sophisticated, and heartfelt covers and original compositions, understandably garnering critical acclaim and a wide-spread and ardent fanbase. 
from left to right: Amanda Taylor, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick, Erin Bentlage
Photo by Lauren Desberg

However it is with their most recent, upcoming single “Dusk Baby” (due September 10th, 2021, independently released) in collaboration with six-time GRAMMY® nominated pianist Gerald Clayton, that listeners get a sneak peek into the sounds and energy that we can expect from their highly-anticipated debut album (Spring 2022). We can also clearly see that säje has positioned themselves as a genre-defining powerhouse ensemble, surpassing any expectations of what one might typically associate with a vocal group. 

On the group’s arrangement of “Dusk Baby”, we hear more than just lush harmonies, complex contrapuntal lines, or symbiosis with their all-star band. More than just a deep relationship with the emotional landscape of this piece, and mastery of their craft. We can hear, front and center, that säje is a group to be watched -- if their newest single is only a mouth-watering snapshot of what’s to come.


TOUR:

September 17th // Los Angeles, CA @ LACMA

October 5th // Los Angeles, CA @ Sam First

October 6th // Los Angeles, CA @ Sam First

December 2nd // Los Angeles, CA @ Bovard Auditorium w/ Terri Lyne Carrington 

January 6th // Dallas, TX @ Jazz Education Network Conference
a la dirección

Champian Fulton's LIVE FROM LOCKDOWN (f/ Stephen Fulton) September 10, 2021


The multifaceted pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton is pleased to announce the release of her new album Live from Lockdown, due out September 10, 2021. After her captivating Sunday-evening webcasts took audiences by storm throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, Fulton decided to offer a permanent recording of her series. To be released digitally and as a limited edition compact disc, Live from Lockdown features a representative selection of some of the most popular sessions from Fulton and her steadfast collaborator, her father Stephen Fulton on flugelhorn and trumpet. A profound display of cheerful composure during an uncertain time, Live from Lockdown showcases the musicians’ sophisticated synchronicity among a collection of re-imagined jazz classics and Fulton originals. 

When the COVID-19 lockdown swept Manhattan last spring, Champian Fulton saw her packed schedule full of concerts and tours vanish before her eyes. “I couldn’t believe it when all the cancellations started rolling in; it was really devastating to see an entire calendar year of touring vanish.” Fulton shares. With venues closed, and with social distancing in full effect, Champian and her father, noted trumpeter and flugelhornist, began performing at home for a virtual audience. The concerts were an instant success, bringing in over 20,000 viewers on a given week, and winning legions of new fans for the Fulton family duo. “Live streaming was a total lifesaver for me. It not only gave me a way to stay motivated about my music but it connected me to my fans in a way I never knew possible. I felt so much love and positivity each Sunday; it kept me going through a very tough time.”

The success of the live-stream (which is still going strong albeit on a less rigorous schedule) inspired Champian to record a full album devoted to the concept. The resulting work goes well beyond the novelty, and is certainly far too cohesive a work to be thought of as a mere souvenir. 
Stephen and Champian Fulton, photo courtesy of the Fultons

“For future listeners just hearing the music without knowing the context, it will be pleasure undiluted. For those of us who know the context, I think it will be one of those pleasures that deserves to be called sustaining, a gift that helped us in a rough time and, more importantly, told us it was worth getting through,” says critic Charles Taylor in his liner notes. 

Live From Lockdown opens with Ray Noble’s, “I Hadn’t Anyone Till You.” Champian’s rosy rendition maintains a hopeful charm, even with Stephen’s short blows and percussive notes resembling a heavy heart behind Champian in her effervescence. On an original composition from the duo, “Pass the Hat”, Stephen performs a buoyant lowdown and more stylistic offering that is mutually grasped by his daughter on the piano.

Champian’s diverse range across Live from Lockdown is a showcase of a newfound posture she revels in while in the company of her witty partner. Her vocal versatility is embodied on tracks like “What Will I Tell My Heart”, and as the liner notes point out, “she can go from a high whispery register, consistently present throughout the album, to sudden low swoops that bounce us back to earth.” Uniquely, the Fultons cover Harry Warren and Mack Gordon’s “I Had The Craziest Dream” nodding to the ambiguity of our present moment, while still directing our ears and eyes toward normality sometime soon.

Fulton considers her optimistic spirit a statement of purpose, as her musical repertoire has always tended toward the sunny. And radiant she is on this twelve-track selection in the company of her father. Live from Lockdown is a reminder of how in sync the pair are on their first ever duo recording together. 

“The Sunday series of ‘Live from Lockdown’ really reminded me of the importance of the Jazz community,” Fulton reflects. “I felt such friendship and kindness each week as people tuned in and chatted with me, checking out different records and sharing videos. It sustained me and gave me a hopeful perspective for the future of this music. I hope this recording gives the same feeling to the listener.”

 1. I Hadn’t Anyone Till You
2. You’ve Changed
3. Satin Doll
4. Blow Top Blues
5. Moonglow
6. What Is This Thing Called Love
7. What Will I Tell My Heart
8. Look for the Silver Lining
9. I Had the Craziest Dream
10. Pass the Hat
11. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
12. Midnight Stroll
13. A Message from Champian and Stephen

a la dirección

OUT FRIDAY: Sasha Dobson's 'GIRL TALK' (w/ Peter Bernstein + special guest Norah Jones)

Sasha Dobson presents her authentic self on Girl Talk featuring Peter Bernstein,
out September 10, 2021

“Dobson has the genes and a strong musical foundation to make powerful, uplifting music”
— NPR Music 

“An eminently listenable voice: sensuous but diffident, and devoid of showy pretense”
— The New York Times 

“[Sasha Dobson] has jazz in her genes”
— San Francisco Chronicle

Singer, composer, master lyricist and multi-instrumentalist Sasha Dobson has performed across the world as both a leader and first-call collaborator. The stylistic chameleon has released projects with such defining voices as Norah Jones, Chris Byars, Don Was, Jay Lane, Jesse Harris, Mikael Jorgensen and Charlie Burnham; she has composed with Bill Murray, opened for Willie Nelson and toured with Neil Young. Now, with the release of Girl Talk, Dobson issues her most personal recording to date. Ten tracks of original compositions and enduring favorites feature a core trio of Neal Miner on bass, Dred Scott and Kenny Wollesen on drums and album guest artist Peter Bernstein on guitar — and unveil Dobson’s intrinsic fascination with spontaneity and the resonant bebop tradition. Girl Talk will be available as a digital download, CD and vinyl LP on September 10, 2021. 

“Over the years, I developed into a guitarist and songwriter,” says the New Yorker, “But in my heart and soul, I am a jazz singer and improviser. And this album represents something essential that I needed to do.”

Dobson’s wit resonates across her phrasing. Raised inside the music by her father, pianist Smith Dobson who played for two decades with Bobby Hutcherson, as well as Art Pepper and Red Holloway, and her mother, highly sought vocalist Gail Dobson, a young Dobson internalized nuances of the music early in her artistic development. That active listening and sense of time has allowed her to craft a self-renewing career among countless diverse expressions, but she always returns to the music that’s a part of her. 

“I’ve loved playing in diverse projects as a guitarist, drummer and vocalist, but I am always listening to jazz when I am home. That’s my happy place,” she says. 
Sasha Dobson by John Fell

Now she’s released her own. A fiercely receptive interactivity emerges on Girl Talk at every turn, particularly between Dobson and Bernstein. “There’s something about working with Pete that just sparked a flame,” says Dobson. “I felt motivated to push forward through these ideas — kind of what I set out to do in New York as a jazz singer and as an artist.” 

Engineered by Colin Monacs and Andy Taub, and mastered to digital and vinyl by Vadim Camby and Bill Scibbe, respectively, Girl Talk came together in two sessions with Dobson at the production helm. Written between the band’s first studio date before the pandemic hit, and their second, scheduled during the lockdown, Dobson original “Better Days” features Wollesen on drums and spotlights her sophisticated concept of harmony, master-level song interpretation and deep connection to the blues no matter which feel she’s channeling in the moment. Throughout “You’re the Death of Me,” another of Dobson’s originals, she and Bernstein sit in a groove together, buoying each other from one phrase to the next. 

The album’s title track showcases Dobson’s effervescent, at times wry sense of humor as well as her sacred connection with longtime collaborator and close friend, singer-songwriter Norah Jones who recorded backing vocals to the Neal Hefti tune remotely during the lockdown. Despite the artists recording their parts at different locations and times, Dobson’s lock-in with Jones reflects their intuitive pacing and phrasing as well as Dobson’s expert storytelling. “The lyrics are a little quirky and subversive,” she says, “a little counter, counterculture [laughs].”   

“The Great City” crept into Dobson’s consciousness during the lockdown. At a time when she witnessed New York gutted from the inside, she meditated on its pain and resilience, electing to film a music video as a tribute to the city she loves so much. Bernstein proffers a swinging statement on the Curtis Lewis composition, while Dobson’s signature improvising follows the head out. Miner’s presence on Girl Talk extends beyond the low end. Apart from a strong pulse and melodic foundation, his contributions include arrangements for “Sweet and Lovely,” “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise” and “Autumn Nocturne.” 

“Neal is one of my best friends of all time,” says Dobson, who connected profoundly with the bassist-composer in Manhattan’s West Village when she was 18. The two have been playing together for more than 20 years. Their hookup during live performances radiates from the bandstand and pulses across Girl Talk whose title track Miner introduced to Dobson. “After years of collaboration,” says Dobson, “we are one and the same when it comes to feel, tempos, arrangements and repertoire.” 
Sasha Dobson by Megan Schlow

Dobson feels fortunate to have world-renowned Brazilian percussionist and good friend Mauro Refosco contribute nuances of mood on “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” and “These Boots Were Made for Walking,” along with Steven Bernstein and Ian Hendrickson Smith. “Mauro is the cat,” says Dobson, who frequently plays off his choices and against elastic grooves he pulls and bends and integrates from countless regions across the world. 

Apart from two dates in the studio with her core trio, the pandemic compelled Dobson to lean heavily on tracking as she added personnel and prepared the album for mixing — a practice the sonic purist never thought she’d engage, but one that offered unexpected perks, including vital remote contributions from her brother, vibraphonist and multi-instrumentalist Smith Dobson, based in San Francisco. The sibling-artists were able to collaborate for the first time. “He’s an incredible musician and one of my favorite drummers,” says Dobson, “but he’s also a chameleon like me.” 

“All the records I’ve made in the past — under my name and as collaborations with other artists — have been an explosive new learning experience,” she says, “but the one thing I haven’t done in my 20-year career so far is record what I can do, and what I was raised to do.” For Dobson, it sure is good to be home. 

a la dirección

ENCRES SONORES // New album // Pre-listening! (September 10, 2021 ZEi & Cie)

ENCRE(S) SONORE(S)
 
-  N E W   A L B U M  - 
 
CD & DIGITAL - OUT 10/09/2021 
VINYL - OUT 22/10/2021
 
ZEi / INOUÏE DISTRIBUTION

One year, a few months and two lockdowns later, here we are !
We are very excited to share with you, in preview, 
the new ENCRES SONORES album, fourth ZEi & Cie production

Concert drawn as a trio on stage, you will hear a duo on this record.
Very strongly influenced, inspired and linked by Christophe FORGET's drawing on the screen, Julien BEHAR and Stéphane DECOLLY have built and deconstructed the soundtrack of this imaginary journey through a maze of soundscapes, drones,
improvised music and compositions.

Lie down and dream !

Julien BEHAR alto saxophone, fx, electronics
Stéphane DECOLLY electric bass, fx
Christophe FORGET ink & paintbrushes, live projected drawing

Sound recording • Julien BEHAR
Mixing • Mathieu PION, Studio Csolfa
Mastering • Pierre-Emmanuel MERIAUD, Screening Room
Artwork / Graphic design • Christophe FORGET
Screen printing • Association Octopus
 
Recorded live, with and without an audience, on 6 and 7 March 2020 at 
Espace Henry de Messay, La Jaille-Yvon (Fr) and at Salle Champeau, Brissarthe (Fr)
With the support of the Centre de Ressources Artistiques de l'Anjou Bleu
 
Music • Julien Behar / Julien Behar & Stéphane Decolly
- CD - (OUT 10/09/2021)
 8-track CD**
Comes in a printed kraft sleeve, still based on an artwork by Christophe FORGET
Limited edition of 300 copies
- VINYL - (OUT 22/10/2021)
 7-track 33 rpm vinyl*
Comes in a screen-printed kraft sleeve, based on an artwork by Christophe FORGET
Limited edition of 100 copies

a la dirección

Cahill / Costello - Offworld (September 10, 2021 Gearbox Records)

Cahill//Costello present their debut album, Offworld, out September 10th on Vinyl LP and digital.

Recorded during August 2020 on location in Sanna, Ardnamurchan, in the Scottish Highlands, the album captures the spontaneity and improvised nature of the immersive Scottish landscape. By fusing together minimalist music and improvisation in a "live session", Cahill Costello chronicle their own contemporary bardic and ethnographic interpretation of modern day Scotland.

1. The Visitant
2. Pavan I
3. Pavan II
4. We Rebuild Them
5. Offworld
6. And It Was Not Meant That We Should Voyage Far
7. Pylons I
8. Pylons II
9. Avhin Saune

Kevin Cahill: electric guitar, effects, tape loops
Graham Costello: drums

All tracks composed by Kevin Cahill and Graham Costello

Recorded and mixed by Luigi Pasquini
Mastered and cut by Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Records

a la dirección

Joachim Caffonnette - Bittersweet Times (September 10, 2021)

On his third album as a leader, Belgian pianist Joachim Caffonnette deepens and refines his textural approach, carefully balancing between the impressionist influences and the bebop legacy that are distinctive of his very personal signature. « Extended » is meant as a projection of his writing and his ideals through various instrumental ensembles that stimulate meetings and spontaneity between the musicians. On this opus, Caffonnette gathers some of the most promising cats of their generation: double bass player from New Orleans Jasen Weaver, New York-based Israeli drummer Noam Israeli and, as a special guest, Kansas City’s virtuous trumpet player Hermon Mehari.

On three tracks, the band is joined by Édouard Wallyn on trombone and Quentin Manfroy on alto and bass flutes, unveiling an almost orchestral sound. This album expresses itself through its intensity, constant interplay and shared joy. Caffonnette’s writing is as melodic as it is contrasted, oscillating between burning swing and aerial harmonies. 

1. Bittersweet Times
2. Nostalgie du futur
3. Presidential Blues
4. Any Where Out Of The World
5. Endless Dreams (intro)
6. Endless Dreams
7. Big Questions, Brief Answers
8. The 6 A.M Crosspath
9. On Green Dolphin Street
10. A Savvy Child

Joachim Caffonnette – piano and compositions 
Jasen Weaver – double bass 
Noam Israeli – drums 
Hermon Mehari – trumpet (on 1, 2, 4, 6)
Édouard Wallyn – trombone (on 1, 4, 6) 
Quentin Manfroy – alto and bass flutes (on 1, 4, 6)

Rec, mix and Mastering : Vincent DeBast
Pic : Anty D

a la dirección

Edward Blankman - Cape Cod Cottage (September 10, 2021)

Welcome to the world of Edward Blankman, a retired dentist who wrote elegant, minimalist jazz in obscurity circa 1970.

At least that’s the story. In truth, Edward Blankman’s Cape Cod Cottage is the 2021 concept album from Echo Park composer Brendan Eder.

A tender, wistful follow up to 2020’s To Mix With Time, the Cape Cod Cottage sound evokes the spirit of Erik Satie, Miles Davis with Gil Evans, and Stevie Wonder, balanced with the accessibility of 1960s lounge-exotica.

Eder created Blankman’s story to channel his own grief, with bittersweet tenderness. Read the liner notes (or watch the mini-doc), and you’ll be transported to the quiet shores of Cape Cod, where a lonely retiree mourns his late wife, Natalie, with walks in nature and evenings at his Wurlitzer.

The story is brought to life with a meticulously crafted package sporting classic liner notes, faux 1970s photographs documenting Edward with the musicians (taken during the actual session), a make-believe jazz label, and a commissioned oil painting of Edward’s cottage.

Eder brought together a dream line up with a ton of chemistry for the project; drummer Christian Euman (Jacob Collier), saxophonist Josh Johnson (Jeff Parker, Leon Bridges), and bassist Alex Boneham (Billy Childs), who all studied together at the Hancock Institute of Jazz. Rounding out the group is flutist Sarah Robinson, a recurring player in Eder’s ensemble, and Edward Blankman (Brendan) on the Wurlitzer.

The cast was booked for a single date with coveted engineer Michael Harris (Kamasi Washington, Angel Olsen) at famed Electro-Vox Recording Studios. To create realism for Edward’s story, the charts were purposefully withheld from the musicians until they arrived at the studio. The result is an authentic and natural performance delivered by players at the top of their game, captured on lauded vintage equipment including the legendary Neve-8028 console.

Cape Cod Cottage will be released on September 10th including a gatefold vinyl.

1. Tuesday at the Pond
2. Cape Cod Cottage
3. Sunlight Through the Leaves
4. Where Else
5. New Dreams
6. Up
7. Discovery at the Beach
8. Three
9. Theme
10. Snowing
11. Retirement
12. Your Bliss
13. Overgrown Garden
14. Heat
15. Natalie
16. Greeting Visual
17. Miss Her
18. Lullaby
19. West Coast
20. Memories
21. Waltz
22. Four

Edward Blankman - Wurlitzer, Percussion
Josh Johnson - Alto Sax
Sarah Robinson - Alto Flute
Alex Boneham - Upright Bass
Christian Euman - Drums

Written and Produced by Brendan Eder
Recorded at Electro-Vox Studios, Hollywood, CA
Engineered by Michael Harris
Mixed by Brendan Eder
Mastered by Mark Chalecki
Photography by Steven Poster
Album Art by Cody Lee Berry
Album Design by DAY Creative

a la dirección

Frank Kimbrough - Ancestors (September 10, 2021 Sunnyside Records)

It is hard to listen to a posthumous released recording without reflecting on what the world has lost in their absence. Pianist and composer Frank Kimbrough was an individual who was beloved by all who knew him. A true musician’s musician and mentor to many, Kimbrough’s legacy lives on in his work and the lives that he touched. His passing in 2020 has left a hole in the heart of the jazz world.

Kimbrough’s Ancestors is a recording that encompasses much of the leader’s personality, depth, and approach to music making. Assembling a drummer-less trio with cornetist Kirk Knuffke and bassist Masa Kamaguchi, Kimbrough brought his spontaneity and introspection to the fore on a collection of original compositions and improvisations.

The trio had been a favorite ensemble for Kimbrough over the years, the format being able to balance form and freedom of expression. The leader’s appreciation for the free-wheeling, drummer-less trio of woodwind iconoclast Jimmy Giuffre is apparent in Kimbrough’s choice to eschew the restrictive pulse of a drummer in favor of horn, piano, and bass. Kimbrough’s choice of trio mates was sublime.

Pianist and cornetist were introduced by their mutual friend and collaborator, drummer Matt Wilson. A rapport was quickly established with regular gigs with Wilson, Ben Allison, and Jay Anderson. Kimbrough and Knuffke’s friendship blossomed as they began to hang more and more at Kimbrough and partner Maryanne de Prophetis’s Queens home. When Kimbrough proposed recording this trio album, Knuffke had never played with Kamaguchi. The bassist’s flexible, physical style was perfect for the interplay that Kimbrough was after for the recording.

True to form, Kimbrough strayed from rehearsing the ensemble in an effort to maintain a freshness in their interplay. The group came together without playing a prior note at the Samurai Hotel Recording Studio in Astoria on June 3, 2017. Kimbrough brought a number of original tunes for the session and provided space for improvised duos between the three members.
The recording begins with Kimbrough’s rhapsodic blues, “Waiting in Santander,” a piece he wrote while waiting, with great frustration, for a piano for a gig in the Spanish city. The three voices of the instrumentalists seem to float by on “Air,” while the trio plays Kimbrough’s sedate “November” in cool retrospection. The title tune is a warm and humble rumination on Kimbrough’s southern roots, while “Eyes” is an expressive improvisation between the stuttering cornet of Knuffke and Kimbrough’s piano percussion.

The melancholy “Jimmy G” is a tribute to Giuffre, one of the true innovators in small group improvisation, with an off kilter but familiar piano harmony with a freely played cornet and wandering bass. “Beginning” is a noir tinted piece with an optimistic feel provided by Kimbrough’s bright chords, Kamaguchi’s spry bass, and Knuffke’s lilting cornet. Beginning as a subtle back and forth, “Union Square” is a resonant duo between the bassist and cornetist.

Kamaguchi’s insistent strumming introduces Kimbrough’s “Over,” a playful tune in the melodic realm of Monk and Paul Motian. Otherworldly piano overtones are met with Knuffke’s strained call on the duo improv, “Solid.” The program concludes with Maryanne de Prophetis’s “All These Years,” a tune she wrote in memory of her father who passed in 2003. Kimbrough loved her father and the tune, playing it frequently in his programs. It now makes a beautiful finale to this haunting recording.

Kimbrough and de Prophetis spent a lot of time with the recording after it was done. They both loved it very much but had not honed it into a manageable recording. Kimbrough had given pieces of Ancestors to Knuffke and Kamaguchi, praising their performances and hoping for eventual release. After Kimbrough’s passing, de Prophetis and Knuffke listened back and discussed how best to release, deciding to keep most everything they laid down that day, and mainly first takes, at that.

The world is just beginning to miss Frank Kimbrough and his gifts, both personal and musical. It is a consolation that he left listeners with so much and that now he has joined the ancestors. 

1. Waiting In Santander
2. Air
3. November
4. Ancestors
5. Eyes
6. Jimmy G
7. Beginning
8. Union Square
9. Over
10. Solid
11. All These Years

Frank Kimbrough - piano
Masa Kamaguchi - bass
Kirk Knuffke - cornet

a la dirección

Le GGRIL - Sommes (September 10th on Tour de Bras)

GGRIL celebrates its 15th anniversary. For the occasion, the most extravagant orchestra from Rimouski’s cultural scene offers you a new album that perfectly portrays its nature: gargantuan. Three discs, 12 commissioned pieces by as many composers, 21 musicians, 211 minutes of music. On this seventh opus under the label Tour de Bras, the group revisites compositions by canadian and international creators, written specifically for him between 2012 and 2020. Produced and mixed by Michel F. Côté, under the musical direction of Guido Del Fabbro and recorded by Bernard Grenon at the Coopérative de Solidarité Paradis during pandemic september 2020, Sommes represents what GGRIL does best: a new music thoroughly spontaneous by an unlikely and disconcerting ensemble.

The first disc draws the audience to the heart of the work of concentration and integration of the GGRIL. It is composed of long and intense pieces, starting with a piece by composer Frédéric Blondy, Îlots Turgescents. A solo follows, called Le Chat de Chesshire, taken from one of the performances of the piece Alice by composer Robert Marcel Lepage. Alice will follow and the disc will end with a composition by Lisa Cay Miller, too love that well.

The second disc brings together pieces where attention is paid to micro-movement, to the internal structure of each sound and its place in the whole. It takes you along more meditative landscapes with soft and complex reliefs like an embroidery. First, with the piece rivers and mountains by Malcolm Goldstein, which pays particular attention to strings. Then, Caroline Kraabel's piece Une note n’écoutant qu’elle même, explores the multiple choices of intentions possible before the musical gesture. Two solos will follow, two more Chat de Cheshire, before going with Alison Cameron and the more contemplative piece In Memoriam (Robert Ashley). The disc ends with Eistphéist, a piece recorded live with the Bozzini Quartet and the composer, Martin Arnold.

The third disc highlights the power, versatility and theatricality of GGRIL, in addition to providing a window into the god humor and community spirit of its musicians. It begins with a piece by Lori Freedman, Chances are, to move towards Hantises d'os noués by Michel F. Côté (based on excerpts from rehearsals and improvisations by GGRIL), a Chat..., The curve of the moment by Jean Derome , a last Chat..., another version of A note listening only to itself and the composition of Gus Garside Cumuli.
Disc 1
1. Alice (Robert Marcel Lepage)13:54
2. Chat (Luke) 2:27
3. Îlots Turgescents (Frédéric Blondy) 26:25
4. To Love That Well (Lisa Cay Miller)17:06

Disc 2
1. Chat (Pascal) 2:37
2. Chat (Gabriel) 2:53
3. Éistphéist feat. Quatuor Bozzini (Martin Arnold) 25:25*
4. In Memoriam Robert Ashley (Allison Cameron) 12:07
5. Rivers and Mountains Remain (Malcolm Goldstein) 19:43
6. Une note n’écoutant qu’elle même (Caroline Kraabel) 6:01

Disc 3
1. Chances Are (Lori Freedman) 14:24
2. Chat (Rémy) 2:32
3. Chat (Éric) 2:35
4. CUMULI (Gus Garside) 10:43
5. Hantises d’os noués 15:05
6. La courbe du moment (Jean Derome) 6:48
7. Une note n’écoutant qu’elle même (25 sept.) (Kraabel) 4:44

LE GGRIL

Violin: Patricia Ho-yi Wang, Catherine S. Massicotte
Cello: Rémy Bélanger de Beauport, Alexis Gagnier- Michel
Trumpet: Alexandre Robichaud
Trombone: Gabriel Rochette-Bériault
Oboe: Clarisse Bériault
Bass Clarinet: Sébastien Côrriveau
Baritone Saxophone: Mathieu Gosselin
Accordion: Robin Servant
Electric Harp: Isabelle Clermont
Synthesizers: Antoine Létourneau-Berger
Classical Guitar: Pascal Bérubé
Electric Guitar: Robert Bastien, Olivier D’Amours
Electric Baritone Guitar: Marc-Antoine Mackin-Guay
Double Bass: Luke Dawson
Electric Basses: Thomas G. Asselin, Éric Normand
Percussion: Tom Jacques, Antoine Létourneau-Berger, Jonathan Huard
Quatuor Bozzini*: Alissa Cheung, Clemens Merkel (Violin);
Stéphanie Bozzini (Viola); Isabelle Bozzini (cello)
Banjo: Martin Arnold*

a la dirección

James Gilmore - Decorating Time (September 10, 2021 Ears & Eyes Records)

"I have a basic mechanical knowledge of the operation of the instrument, and I got an imagination, and when the time comes up in the song to play... it's me against the laws of nature...it's a game, where you have a piece of time and you get to decorate it."
- Frank Zappa

Decorating Time is a product of North Carolina's fertile musical environment, reflecting the players’ roots in NC’s #BAM and free improvised music scenes. The group has a dark, rich sound with fantastic communication and togetherness. Indeed the ethos seems to be to prioritize the group sound throughout. Because of this, there is an abandon, an edge, and raw energy to the music. There is also, at times, a sweetness, and some surprising ear worms (‘The Drip’). There are ‘out’ sounds and some free-ish time (e.g. on the wave-like ‘Theme for Kassem’), but the rhythmic language is funk and post bop: Listeners should come away with the feeling of having gone through a few unexpected doors in the twisting passages of the jazz tradition. In Gilmore’s playing you can hear the work and effort to absorb the sounds that shaped his generation of guitarists, but the result has edges and always more than a tinge of the blues.

Gilmore’s use of effects, when he does use them, has a compositional dimension (e.g. on ‘The Soul Is A Lattice’ and ‘Theme for Kassem’), but for the most part, his tone is spare, natural, and clean, giving the music room to breath and allowing the compositions to speak for themselves. In navigating his own songs, Gilmore often seems to go out of his way to find angles in the music: He’s on his toes and he wants you to be as well. Amidst this stretching, his reach sometimes exceeds his grasp, but the result always compels.

Williams and Knowles equally shine. Williams’ nuanced, rich vocabulary is especially potent in the context of the tunes, bringing crispness and a sure grasp of the jazz language to Gilmore’s by turns eerie and sweet compositions. However, it’s on the free(er) tunes that Williams really shines. On the group’s reimagining of Willie Nelson’s ‘Crazy’ Williams swings completely free of Knowles’ and Gilmore’s together-but-not-together pulse with a glittering patter of cymbals and snare that one associates with Milford Graves or Andrew Cyrille.
Knowles, for his part, is possessed of a massive sound and never seems to run out of ideas, which makes his playing perfect for a trio album. Like Gilmore and Williams, Knowles is shaped by the central North Carolina musical ecosystem: To work, one must have ‘the goods’. But (as with Gilmore) listeners will recognize the unmistakable stamp of the 60’s avant-garde in Knowles’ playing, especially Richard Davis and Charles Mingus.

In both Knowles’ and Williams’ playing there is palpable seriousness and engagement, and a commitment to the music, qualities one often finds lacking in younger players with lots of technique. 

1. Decorating Time
2. Ding, Dong
3. Mammal Female Mother Laws
4. The Drip
5. Stairs I
6. The Soul Is A Lattice
7. Stairs II
8. Vulture and Cockroach
9. Theme For Kassem
10. Crazy (Willie Nelson)

James Gilmore - guitar & compositions
Butler Knowles - bass
Kassem Williams - drums

All the songs are original compositions except for Gilmore and co’s re-imagining of Willie Nelson’s ‘Crazy’.

Recorded and Mixed by Kris Hilbert at Legitimate Business, Greensboro, NC
Mastered by Mell Dettmer at Studio Soli, Seattle WA
CD Jacket Design by Andrew Duke
Album design concept by James Gilmore and Andrew Duke
CD cover art: ‘Out to Pasture’ by Jenna Schwartz (beadwork)
Cover photo by Harrison Haynes
Interior Photos by Daniel White

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Edrix Puzzle - Rise To Eris EP (September 10, 2021 On the Corner)

Having debuted on last year’s sold out Triple Vinyl ‘Door To The Cosmos’ LP with the kicking Jonny Buck Buck, Edrix Puzzle are back with a thrilling debut EP ‘Rise To Eris’.

With this offering Edrix Puzzle explore cosmic themes and energies in the territory of noir instrumental jazz with cinematic energy being unpinned with driving breaks and meanderings in psyche fusion. Extra Terrestrial landscapes akin to ‘Mwandishi’ era Herbie Hancock are explored and mapped. The band's core of Drums, Sax, Double Bass and Percussion are augmented with spoken word, guitar and synths. Project founder and lead, Nathan ‘Tugg’ Curran (Drums & Synths) is joined by long time collaborators Oli Savill (Percussion) and Martin Slattery (Bass Clairnet & Sax) (who are also members of Tugg’s Planet Battagon project), as well as Tom Mason (Double Bass) and Josh Barry (Spoken Word) for this more acoustic, analog expression and surveying of extra terrestrial forms with sparse synth manipulation and a sweet seasoning of electronic affectations.

1. The Rise To Eris
2. Lapetus
3. Eris Fall

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Nery Kim - Purple Reflection (September 10, 2021)

1. Love Poem (戀歌) 05:45
2. Luna 06:47
3. Purple Reflection 07:28
4. BD 07:39
5. Merveille 06:47
6. Mikyren 06:02
7. Falling Blossoms (落花) 02:26
8. Aster 06:20

Trumpet Alex Sipiagin
Tenor Saxophone Dayna Stephens
Trombone Alan Ferber
Piano/Keys Nery Kim
Bass John Patitucci
Drums Jonathan Pinson

Violin Chia-Yung Daniel Chin
Violin Seoyeon Im
Viola Li-Jung Chien
Cello Hyelim Kwon

All Compositions written by Nery Kim
Recorded by Jason Rostkowski at GSI Studio, New York, NY
Mixed & Mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Recording Studio, New York, NY
Produced by Nery Ki

Photo by Hannah Jeon
Artworks by Sewon Kim

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Scopes - Age of Reason (September 10, 2021 Whirlwind Recordings)

Following their critically acclaimed eponymous debut in 2018, international jazz quartet SCOPES bring their blend of accessibility and adventure to Whirlwind Recordings for their second album, Age of Reason. Led by Austrian drummer Mathias Ruppnig, German bassist Tom Berkmann and French pianist Tony Tixier, American altoist Matt Chalk makes his debut with the quartet on this their second full-length release.

The group’s name SCOPES describes “the frame we all work within”, says Berkmann. “SCOPES is a creative space that we share, without boundaries.” The group’s second release, Age of Reason, is a personal and philosophical reflection on the pressing matters of a time, when all generations need to come closer together and become more aware of their surroundings. That feeling of maturity emerges on Age of Reason too – it’s the first SCOPES recording to feature the compositional skills of each member, delivering some thrilling results.

Age of Reason opens with ‘Deep Water’, a Tixier composition that carefully balances drive and expansion in a “dive into the depths of our biggest unacknowledged dreams.” For Ruppnig, the album’s aims are encapsulated by this tune– “the songs have an easy feel, and they’re not too specific – every musician has the space to have his own voice speak.” ‘More Hope’ came to Ruppnig when faced with relentless negativity during the Coronavirus period, with characteristically tumbling solo contributions from Tixier and space for Berkmann’s introspective soloing. The angular, bop-ish feel of ‘Continuity’ (also from the pen of Ruppnig) follows a similar theme, on the need to keep a creative drive no matter what life throws at you.

‘Vice’ begins on a completely different tack – Berkmann’s relaxed bossa slowly spirals out of control, aided by Chalk’s frenetic solo contributions. “We call ourselves a modern jazz band, but maybe this symbolises the urge to not always feel so hip,” says Ruppnig. Chalk contributes ‘Riotous Silence’ to the album, borrowing the title from a self-penned poem written in 2019. The freest track on the album, here we find SCOPES at their most focused, on Chalk’s quest to find “new ways to more fully express atemporality.” The title track follows with its combination of melodic ease and structural space, before ‘Gift of Time’, a tune born from the idea of how precious time is. Unable to tour or perform, SCOPES used that time constructively to create and explore the new sounds heard on Age of Reason. ‘Chocolate Travels Slowly’ is a band favourite featuring Tixier on blistering form, before the album closes with ‘Here’s My Prayer’, written for Tixier by Chalk with the aim of “finding melodies and chords that we could all really sink our teeth into.”

Summarising, Ruppnig describes Age of Reason as a “transportation of feelings. “It's a very emotional album, and I hope listeners will find their own stories when listening to it.” SCOPES make that task a pleasant one for audiences of all dispositions.

1. Deep Water
2. More Hope
3. Continuity
4. Vice
5. Riotous Silence
6. Age of Reason
7. Gift of Time
8. Chocolate Travels Slowly
9. Here's My Prayer

Scopes
Matt Chalk - alto saxophone
Tony Tixier - piano/synth
Tom Berkmann - bass
Mathias Ruppnig - drums

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Flukten - Velkommen Håp (September 10, 2021 ODIN Records)

What happens when you put four of the most creative musicians from the Norwegian jazz scene in lockdown? They create.

In march 2020, when the corona pandemic forced Norway into lockdown, Flukten found their oasis. Flukten springs out of one thing – the will to create music.

Flukten consists of musicians from some of the most critically acclaimed jazz groups in Norway: Hanna Paulsberg Concept, Atomic, Moskus, GURLS, Wako, Espen Berg Trio, Hullyboo, Skadedyr and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.

After Flukten´s debut concert last year one music critic wrote: «if there is one band debut that really has left their mark in soul and heart, it is this».

With a musical reference library filled with the likes of John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Per «Texas» Johansson, Salif Keita and Paul Motian, they take detours through hip hop, soul and folk music from all over the world. Here, all spontaneous whims can be cultivated and explored. Flukten gives you dirty jazz that makes you move, and soft, fine tuned jazz that makes you think. This is music that celebrates life and embraces the unbelievable.
In February 2021, the four musicians entered the recording studio with the same open attitude as when they first jammed together. On Flukten`s debut album you hear saxophonist Hanna Paulsberg´s eternal vocabulary and multifaceted tone unfold completely without compromises. You hear guitarist Marius Klovning somewhere in the middle of John Scofield, sharp soul, western and Norwegian folk music. Hans Hulbækmo´s drumming is tempting to compare with the playing of a solo pianist in his melodic repertoire. Bassist Bárður Reinert Poulsen drives everything with his punchy, hard swinging hand, but also provides us with emotional solos.

Together, Flukten are an explosion of joyful playing from some of Norways most talented musicians.

The songs of Flukten´s debut album span from playful melodies to dissonant harmonies. Sometimes it´s a composition based on a voice memo of someone humming. Other times we hear snapshots from improvisations in the vivid studio atmosphere. The music dances, other times it is like a soft caress. Suddenly they fly into ecstasy. This album is the sonic equivalent to jumping from a hot sauna and into cold water. The music wakes you up.

This is music that could only appear this exact moment from these exact musicians.

Maybe you spend hours lying on the floor, lost in a book. Maybe you get drunk, or you run into the woods? We all need to escape now and then. 

1. Velkommen håp
2. Budeie boogie
3. Framsyning
4. Barneblues
5. Mellomspill
6. Jonas og hvalen
7. Tennis med Torstein
8. Bleik myrk legg
9. Pave Toten Totten
10. Blomstrene

Flukten:
Hanna Paulsberg - saxophone
Marius Hirth Klovning - guitar
Bárður Reinert Poulsen - double bass
Hans Hulbækmo - drums

Produced by Flukten
Recorded by Mike Hartung and Andrea Louise Horstad at Propeller Music Division, Oslo, February 5th and 6th 2021
Mixed by Mike Hartung at Propeller Music Division
Mastered by Morgan Nicolaysen at Propeller Mastering

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UNLV Jazz 2021 - Looking Up (September 2021 Vegas Records)

Looking Up, a 2021 Vegas Records CD release, celebrates student achievements of our 2020-2021 UNLV School of Music, Division of Jazz and Commercial Music. Jazz Ensemble I, co-winner of the prestigious 2021 DownBeat Magazine Graduate College Large Ensemble Student Music Award (SMA) and directed by professors Dave Loeb and Nathan Tanouye, launches disc one with the fast-paced Quick Deet, composed by Carlos Mata-Alvarez, jazz faculty and former DownBeat SMA winner during his undergraduate studies at UNLV. It includes spirited solos from saxophonists F J Rodriguez and Joe Schaben, pianist Patrick Hogan and drummer Michael Hoffman. This ensemble won the Monterey Next Generation College Big Band Division and is invited for a command performance in the acclaimed Monterey Jazz Festival. Tones For Joan’s Bones, arranged by Duke Pearson, features jazz trumpet artist Kenny Rampton, UNLV alumni and member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (JALC), directed by Wynton Marsalis, and pianist Hogan, in a tribute to the great jazz pianist and composer, Chick Corea who created this jazz standard.

We dedicate this CD to Corea and the legendary arranger and composer, Sammy Nestico, who both passed away in 2021, and with deep appreciation for the medical workers and first responders around the world who tirelessly fought the COVID-19 battle. Nestico’s gorgeous treatment of the beautiful ballad, Ill Wind, written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, highlights long-time UNLV supporter and jazz vocalist, Laura Taylor. The Jazz Calling, a powerful composition by brilliant jazz bassist, John Clayton, is a springboard for fantastic solos by Ricardo Arana on trumpet, Micah Smith on piano, and Hoffman on drums. The Hustle, an energetic excursion composed by Tanouye, spotlights tenor saxophonist Edward Sarabia and drummer Amy Crosley. 

UNLV hosts a Western Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival annually, in collaboration with the Jazz Outreach Initiative and JALC, but had to postpone this event in 2021 due to the pandemic. Alternately, we produced a virtual performance for the JALC Band Directors Academy with a medley of Duke’s compositions, Such Sweet Thunder, including an authentic plunger trumpet solo by Mr. Rampton and a bass improvisation by Keegan Carter, and Chinoiserie, with marvelous improvisations from pianist Hogan and graduate assistant and associate producer of this project, Brian Lawrence, on tenor sax. Hogan’s swinging version of Adolfu Ultrera and Nilo Menendez’s classic, Green Eyes, provides exciting solos from Hogan on piano, Harrison Collard on trumpet and Schaben on tenor saxophone. Mr. Hogan also shares his original burner, Powerout, giving us passionate improvisations from trombonist Kirby Galbriath and Collard, on trumpet. Lawrence’s innovative orchestration of Joshua Redman’s Herbs and Roots includes captivating solos by the arranger and Sarabia, on tenor saxes, pianist Hogan, and drummer Hoffman.

Claymont, an exceptional composition by Lawrence, offers stellar improvisations from Tanouye, on trombone, and saxophonist Rodriguez. Michael Petrucciani’s upbeat samba, Looking Up, closes disc one with an optimistic musical theme and delightful solos from Smith on piano, Lawrence on flute, and who arranged this ebullient title track, and Collard, on flugelhorn.

Disc two opens with two contrasting selections arranged by Hogan, in the style of the popular Sergio Mendez and Brazil ’66, for Vegas ’22, 2021 DownBeat Magazine Student Music Award-winning Graduate College Latin Jazz Group, that was mentored by faculty advisor Jo Belle Yonely. The Lamp is Low, penned by Peter DePose and Bert Shefter and adapted from a melody by Maurice Ravel , and If Love Is Good to Me, written by Fred Spielman and Redd Evans, provide outstanding vocals by Amanda Ketterer, Kailyn Richards and the ensemble with sparkling piano improvisations by Hogan and display the absolute authenticity of this combo. 

The Vinnie Falcone Organ Quartet, winner of the 2021 DownBeat Magazine Graduate College Asynchronous Small Group SMA and named in honor of the late jazz pianist, Las Vegas resident and former musical director for Frank Sinatra, performs Tippin’ Home From Sunday School, by Oliver Jones, with terrific solos by saxophonist Schaben, guitarist Nick Lee and Lawrence, on organ, who is also the leader of this group. The quartet, mentored by professor Adam Schroeder, also plays Antonio Carlos Jobim’s familiar bossa nova, Triste, arranged by drummer Zach Guzman Mejia, with sensitive improvisations by organist Lawrence, guitarist Lee and Schaben, on sax. The Latin Jazz Ensemble, directed by faculty member Uli Geissendoefer, received the 2021 DownBeat Undergraduate College Latin Group Outstanding Performance SMA and please refer to Uli’s comments in this booklet for further information about this group.

The Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, directed by faculty member Julian Tanaka, received the 2021 DownBeat Graduate College Blues/Pop/Rock Group Asynchronous Outstanding Performance SMA, and performs Sing To The Moon, by Laura Mvula and Michelle Willis, with excellent solos by Sarabia, on sax, Arana on trumpet, violinist Goomroyan, trombonist Kirby Galbraith, violinist Aolani Aguirre, bassist Ruben Van-Gundy, Rodriguez, on clarinet who also arranged this tune, Jeymar Perez, on alto sax, and drummer Amy Crosley. The UNLV Jazz Vocal Ensemble, directed by faculty member Kimberly Snavely, that received the DownBeat 2021 Graduate College Asynchronous Small Jazz Vocal Group Outstanding Performance SMA, sings Centerpiece, a masterful composition by Harry Edison and Jon Hendricks and arranged by Kerry Marsh, with an amazing vocal improvisation by graduate student Gary Fowler, who was recognized for an Outstanding Vocal Soloist DownBeat SMA. 

DMA student and bassist, Molly Redfield, led the all-female Geri Allen Tribute Combo, mentored by faculty advisor Yonely, with her interesting arrangement of Moonglow, written by Will Hudson, Irving Mills and Eddie DeLange, that received a DownBeat Graduate College Vocal Arrangement Outstanding Performance SMA, and includes heartfelt solos by Lara Vivian Smith on keyboard and vocals, guitarist Jesse Rosenberg, Crosley on drums, and vocalist Patricia Thomas. Our Honors Trio, Hogan on piano, bassist Van-Gundy and drummer Hoffman is a two time winner in the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival College Combo Division, made a guest appearance at the 2021 Jazz Education Conference Experience and is invited for a repeat performance in the Monterey Jazz Festival. The trio performs Hogan's, You Are The Only Girl, with a lovely vocal and piano solo by the composer, and Speak Low, written by Kurt Weil, with sizzling improvisations from pianist Hogan, bassist Van-Gundy and Hoffman, on drums.

We close disc two with a poignant duet by Hogan, on piano, and vocalist Fowler, in a tribute to the late Joe Williams, one of the most revered vocalists in jazz history, with Here’s To Life, written by Artie Butler and Phyllis Molinary, and thank the Joe Williams Every Day Foundation for their generosity in awarding significant annual scholarships to our deserving students.

UNLV Division of Jazz and Commercial students garnered a remarkable nine 2021 DownBeat Student Music Awards, considered among the highest recognitions in jazz education worldwide, with a total of 33 since 2010! Dorian Dream, our 2020 CD release, received an outstanding review from JazzTimes magazine and our UNLV jazz program has enjoyed wonderful acknowledgements from this widely respected jazz publication for 12 consecutive years. We applaud our students’ efforts in creating inspiring asynchronous virtual performances and recordings this year, considering the immense challenges presented during the pandemic quarantine.

In addition, we extend sincere gratitude to our faculty, Chuck Foley and our recording studio staff and dedicated students for their resilience in utilizing available audio and video technology, contributing to a meaningful musical experience during this difficult time, and also thank Louis Kavouras, Chair of the UNLV Department of Dance, for his cover art work. David Weiller, who chaired the UNLV Choral Department for 37 years and led the Las Vegas Master Singers in a memorable collaboration with our Jazz Division for a performance of Ellington’s Sacred Concert, is retiring this year and we also dedicate this project to him in recognition of his distinguished service to UNLV.

We also wish to thank our many donors and benefactors, through Friends of UNLV Jazz, who have helped generate additional funding to assist in further educational activities for our students. Our students continue to teach at prominent universities internationally, perform in established venues in Las Vegas and around the world and inspire us with their incessant creative passion to reach our highest artistic potential. We are incredibly proud of their commitment and spectacular accomplishments!

Dave Loeb
Director of the Division of Jazz and Commercial Music
UNLV School of Music

1. Quick Deet 04:30
2. Tones for Joan's Bones 05:41
3. Ill Wind 04:16
4. The Lamp is Low 08:39
5. THe Hustle 05:18
6. Such Sweet Thunder 03:08
7. Chinosiorie 05:35
8. Green Eyes 03:18
9. Powerout 05:23
10. Herbs and Roots 07:55
11. Claymont 06:45
12. Looking Up 08:15
13. The Lamp is Low 02:19
14. If Love is Good to Me 02:50
15. Tippin' Home form School 04:33
16. Triste 08:07
17. Madiba 05:16
18. Vera Cruz 04:57
19. Sing to the Moon 07:02
20. Centerpiece 05:25
21. Moonglow 04:18
22. You Are the Only Girl 04:54
23. Speak Low 08:08
24. Here's to Life 04:47

2021 UNLV CD Looking Up Personnel List

Jazz Ensemble I
● Directors:
○ Dave Loeb
○ Nathan Tanouye
● Saxophones:
○ F J Rodriguez
○ Jeymar Perez-Mendoza-fall 2019 or spring 2020
○ Joe Schaben
○ Brian Lawrence
○ Eddy Sarabia
○ Robert Mitchell
○ Max Marquis-fall 2019 or spring 2020
● Trombones:
○ Giovanni Lacala
○ Zach Guzman Mejia
○ Nathan Russell
○ Kirby Galbraith
○ Scott Odou
● French Horns:
○ Casey Davis
○ Hannah Johnson
● Violin:
○ Lauren Cordell
● Trumpets:
○ Dan Foster
○ Kurt Tumbagahan
○ Casey Bibiano-fall 2020
○ Harrison Collard
○ Ricardo Arana
○ Aries Harper
● Rhythm Section:
○ Keegan Carter
○ Marshall Peterson
○ Ruben Van-Gundy
○ Patrick Hogan
○ Micah Smith
○ Nick Bentz fall 2019 or spring 2020
○ Amy Crosley
○ Zach Guzman Mejia
○ Michael Hoffman-fall 2020
○ Jesse Rosenberg
○ Nick Lee-fall 2020

Vegas ‘22
● Amanda Ketterer - Vocal
● Kailyn Richards - Vocal
● Patrick Hogan - Piano
● Ruben Van-Gundy - Bass
● Amy Crosley - Drums
● Zach Guzman Mejia - Percussion

Vinnie Falcone Organ Quartet
● Joe Schaben - Tenor Saxophone
● Nick Lee - Guitar
● Brian Lawrence - Organ
● Zach Guzman Mejia - Drums

Latin Jazz Ensemble
● Uli Geissendoerfer - Director
● Jose Pepe Jimenez - Director Spring 21
● Kailyn Richards - Vocals
● Peter Goomroyan - Violin Fall 20
● Lauren Cordell - Violin Spring 21
● Aries Harper - Trumpet
● Nathan Russell - Trombone
● Jeymar Perez-Mendoza - Alto Saxophone
● Eddy Sarabia - Tenor Saxophone
● Micah Smith - Piano
● Andrew Garcia - Guitar
● Ondrej Suska - Guitar Spring 21
● Marshall Peterson - Bass
● Michael Hoffman - Drums Fall 20
● Amy Crosley - Drums, Vibraphone & Percussion
● Zach Guzman Mejia - Percussion

Contemporary Jazz Ensemble
● Julian Tanaka - Director
● Amanda Ketterer - Vocals
● Peter Goomroyan - Violin
● Aolani Aguirre - Violin
● F J Rodriguez - Clarinet
● Jeymar Perez-Mendoza - Alto Saxophone
● Eddy Sarabia - Tenor Saxophone
● Ricardo Arana - Flugelhorn, Trumpet
● Kirby Galbraith - Trombone
● Caleb Clark - Piano
● Ruben Van-Gundy - Bass
● Amy Crosley - Drum Set
Jazz Vocal Ensemble
● Kimberly Snavely - Director
● Lara Vivian Smith - Soprano
● Shaddai Johnson - Soprano
● Patricia Thomas - Alto
● Rachel Gamberg - Alto
● Gary Fowler - Tenor
● Gibson Eckstine-Green - Bass
● Caleb Clark - Piano
● Ruben Van-Gundy - Bass
● Robert Shipley - Drums

Geri Allen Ensemble
● Molly Redfield - Bass
● Jesse Rosenberg - Guitar
● Amy Crosley - Drum Set
● Lara Vivian Smith - Vocals, Piano
● Patricia Thomas - Vocals

Honors Trio
● Patrick Hogan - Piano/Vocals
● Ruben Van-Gundy - Bass
● Michael Hoffman - Drums

Joe Williams Ensemble
● Gary Fowler - Vocals
● Patrick Hogan - Piano

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