Open to the Public - No Restrictions
12:40-1pm Act 1
Curtis Stewart
Holding his audiences “spellbound” with his “warm, clear sound…sparkling rhythmic energy,” “soulful improvisation” and “prodigious technique,” Curtis has performed as a soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra, in Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. (New Amsterdam Times, The Morning Call, SoundWordSight) He has made chamber music appearances at Zankel Hall, and the Newport Jazz Festival, and received special mention from Jazz Times, and Downbeat Magazines. STRAD Magazine. His ensembles perform frequently at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, National Public Radio, Rochester Jazz Festival, NYC SummerStage, BAM, The PUBLIC Theater, Lincoln Center, Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
1:10pm-1:30pm Act 2
Nick Finzer
An award-winning composer, arranger, and trombonist, Finzer is bringing the joy and power of Jazz to both traditional fans and the most modern 21st century audiences. He’s on a mission to be a passionate voice defining the sound of Jazz in this age while also bringing street cred to the trombone with a bold, tight sound. Finzer has performed at top Jazz clubs and concert halls with Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Lucas Pino’s No Net Nonet, Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project, Bob Stewart’s Double Quartet, Frank Wess, Terrell Stafford, Lewis Nash, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Walt Weiskopf, Slide Hampton, Frank Kimbrough, Carl Allen, Steve Turre
1:40pm - 2pm Act 3
Chris Ziemba
An avid educator as well as performer, Chris is currently a teaching artist with the New York Jazz Symposium (www.nyjazzed.com), founded by drummer Carl Allen, with whom he has been able to give back to students at regular jazz intensives in Melbourne, Australia and San Jose, CA. He is also a teaching artist with the Institute for Creative Music (www.ifcmusic.org), an organization which specializes in presenting clinics and residencies on jazz and improvised music across the US. Ziemba also holds a teaching position at York College of the City University of New York. Hailing from Buffalo, NY Chris received his Bachelor’s Degrees in Jazz Performance and Music Education as well as his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance, from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He is a recent graduate of the Juilliard School, where he completed an Artist Diploma in Jazz Studies.
2:10pm-230pm Act 4
Jimmy OConnell
Originally from the Metro Detroit Area, Jimmy O’Connell has quickly established himself as an in demand trombone player on the NYC jazz scene. Relocated to New York in 2009, O’Connell pursued and attained a Master’s Degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and has since been performing around NYC and the tri-state area. He has performed at some of NYC’s premiere venues such Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note, Smalls, and many others as both a leader and a sideman, and has shared the stage with some of the greatest living jazz musicians like Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Paquito D’Rivera, and Randy Brecker.
2:40pm-3pm Act 5
Philippe Lemm Trio
Philippe Lemm performs on drum set and percussion alike, covering a broad range of styles reflecting his wide interest in everything music and his natural feel for groove and texture regardless of genre.
Renowned stages Philippe performed at include Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center DC, Concert Gebouw, Bimhuis and North Sea Jazz Festival. He appears on over 50 cd’s as a side man and released 6 records with groups that he leads or co-leads.
After graduating from Manhattan School of Music Philippe was invited by India’s leading school for contemporary music, True School of Music in Mumbai, to be an Artist in Residence and Head of the Drum Department for 4 months. In india he started to collaborate with Bollywood superstar Shilpa Rao and accompanied he in her “Hard Rock Café India Tour 2013”
310pm - 330pm Act 6
Alex Levine
Alex Levine is a guitarist, composer and improviser, currently living in New York City. He graduated from the University of Michigan jazz studies program in 2012, where he studied with Geri Allen and Frank Portolese, and is an alumnus of the Banff International Jazz and Creative Music Workshop. In New York, he has continued his studies with Miles Okazaki and Henry Grimes.
Alex has played with groups led by Francois Moutin, Geri Allen, Marcus Belgrave, and many others, along with leading his own projects, performing concerts throughout the United States and Europe. Alex is a founding member of Polyfold Musical Arts Collective, whose focus is to support the creation, presentation, and ongoing development of creative music, and to foster artistic expression through education and outreach.
