Angelo David Versace

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Creative Works

• The Piano Grip System; May 2020; Jared Hall’s book “The Piano Grip System,” a jazz piano voicing method pioneered by University of Miami’s Whit Sidener, was released at the end of May 2020. I was an editor for the book. The work I did to help Jared publish means a lot to me as I was in the last generation of students at UM that Whit worked with before his retirement in 2013. This jazz piano method is extremely popular and effective, and I’m honored to have been a part of this project.
• I'll Be Home for Christmas; YouTube; December 2020; I started collaborating with Joshua Delacruz, a Broadway actor and the current host of Nickelodeon’s Blues Clues and You, at the beginning of December. He asked me to arrange, produce, and perform on a number of songs for him. One of my arrangements on Kim Gannon and Walter Kent’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” premiered on December 13, 2020 for the East West Players’ livestreamed, Christmas-themed event Crazy Talented Asians. East West Players is the nation’s first professional Asian American theater organization. Crazy Talented Asians streamed live on YouTube and garnered over 12 thousand views. It featured Isa Briones (Picard, Hamilton), Josh Dela Cruz (Blues Clues and You), Dante Basco (Hook, Avatar The Last Airbender), Deedee Magno Hall (Steven Universe, Mickey Mouse Club), and Andrew Yang.
• 37th Annual AZ Jazz Week;  Planned and Implemented 37th Annual AZ JAZZ Week – March 8-13, 2015March 8th – Grupo MantecaMarch 9th – Original Wildcat Jass BandMarch 10th – CJB with Brice WinstonMarch 11th – Faculty Jazz With Troy RobertsMarch 12th – SJE with Troy RobertsMarch 13th – Triple Threat with Jeff Haskell Trio 
• UA Student Ensemble Spring Performances; 1/15 – Direct SJE with Ken Peplowski, headlining Main Stage Tucson Jazz festival MLK Day Festivities2/29 – Direct SJE with Mike Moreno – clinic and music based around his recent release, Standards from Film4/11 – Nick Finzer Residency – clinic with combos at Century Room, taught jazz trombon lesson4/12 – Direct SJE at Centennial Hall for the UA All State Festival4/24 – Direct CJB and SJE, combined big band Spring Concert in Crowder Hall4/25 – UA Jazz combos at the Century Room – UA Jazz Ambassadors, UA Experiential Ensemble, UA Explorations Ensemble
• Spring Recruiting Adjudication; 1/22 – 3-hour clinic with Nogales High School top Jazz Band3/7 – Host and plan ABODA Area Jazz Festival at UA – head adjudicator for 19 jazz bands
• UA Student Ensemble Fall Performances; 10/14 – Prepare music for SJE at the Century Room – Thad Jones Tribute12/9 – Prepare music for CJB and SJE combined big band concert at the Century Room – SJE plays the music of Bob Mintzer12/12 – UA Jazz combos at the Century Room – UA Jazz Ambassadors, UA Experiential Ensemble, UA Explorations Ensemble
• Service Performances and Recordings; 10/23, 10/25, 12/7, & 12/14 – Performed with UA jazz students, raising a total of $2,500 for the jazz program (Tucson Museum of Art, SALT Center, Arizona Hemostasis & Thrombosis Center, Kahn Memorial Service)11/15 & 11/21 - Recorded with Kenji Lancaster & Kevin Ravellette for their graduate school auditions
• Service Performances; 4/14 & 5/21 – Century Room Piano Drive Fundraising Performances – raised over $20,000 toward a new grand piano
• Mike Moynihan Quartet Recording; A 2022 graduate of the jazz program, Mike Moynihan, wrote a sacred jazz suite, entitled “Offering: A Prayer Suite,” which he premiered at his senior recital on April 13. I was part of Mike’s recital quartet along with Arthur Vint and Colin McIlrath. Mike set up a recording session at Jim Brady’s studio in June, and the quartet recorded the suite. An album release date is set for April 16, 2023 with a coinciding CD release party on the same day at the Century Room.
• Chuck Redd Southern Arizona Tour - Fall; Acclaimed vibraphonist and drummer Chuck Redd—see above—organized two tours through the Southwest in March and September, inviting me to join him on piano. Chuck, whose 45+ year career spans over 75 recordings and dozens of international tours, brought together outstanding musicians for a series of performances. 9/14 – Chuck Redd Quartet at The Century Room (feat. Scott Black, Arthur Vint)9/16 – CRJO with guest artist Chuck Redd
• Chuck Redd Southern Arizona Tour - Spring; Acclaimed vibraphonist and drummer Chuck Redd—see above—organized two tours through the Southwest in March and September, inviting me to join him on piano. Chuck, whose 45+ year career spans over 75 recordings and dozens of international tours, brought together outstanding musicians for a series of performances. A highlight of these tours was the opportunity to perform alongside Lewis Nash at The Nash in Phoenix, an unforgettable and exhilarating experience.3/2 – Chuck Redd Quartet at The Century Room (feat. Tom Wakeling, Kenji Lancaster)3/4 – CRJO with guest artist Chuck Redd
• Chuck Redd Southern Arizona Tour; Chuck Redd is an internationally renowned vibraphonist, drummer, and bandleader. He has played/toured with Charlie Byrd, Ken Peplowski, Terry Gibbs, Mel Torme, Tommy Flanagan, Mickey Roker, and Houston Person. He put togehter a few shows in Southern Arizona and got a band together including Lewis Nash (ASU), Tom Wakeling (Clackamas Community College), and myself. Below are the perfomances we presented.3/18 – Chuck Redd Quartet with Lewis Nash and Tom Wakeling at Sagewood3/19 – Chuck Redd Quartet with Lewis Nash and Tom Wakeling at the Nash
• Chuck Redd Las Vegas Tour; Chuck Redd put together a quartet consisting of myself, Kevin Kanner (drums) and Mike Gurrola (bass) for a three-night residency at Vic’s Jazz Club in Las Vegas. Vic’s is the premier jazz club in the city, and has become a destination for most jazz musicians that pass through the city.3/14, 3/15, & 3/16 - Chuck Red Las Vegas Tour with Kevin Kanner and Mike Gurrola at Vic’s jazz club
• Las Vegas Jazz Invitationa Performer, Clinician, and Adjudicator; From March 25-26 I served as a clinician, performer, and adjudicator for the Las Vegas Jazz Invitational at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts alongside Corey Christiansen (Utah State University), Philip Kuehn (Snow College), Jim White (University of Northern Colorado), Adam Schroder (UNLV), Andrew Heglund (University of Nevada, Reno), and Rich Thompson (Eastman School of Music). I presented two performances in Lowden Theater – one with the Corey Christiansen Quintet (March 25) and another with all the clinicians listed above (March 26). I also adjudicated and gave master classes to six middle/high school bands and presented a clinic to the students of the World Jazz Studies Program at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts on “Harmony in the Rhythm Section.”
• Pastiche Modern Eatery Performances; Music; From the beginning of 2022 until mid-late July Pete Swan had been working with the owner of Pastiche Modern Eatery to create a Jazz Venue with music seven days a week. The owner bought into Pete's Vision, and had bought a stage, baby grand piano, sound board, and stage curtains. Pete utlized the space to curate special shows for out of town guest artists as well as nightly regulars. The concerts for out of town artists routinely sold out, and the attendance for the local regulars was also good enough to convince the managers that music shoudl be a necessary part of the restaurant's strategy. Here are the gigs that I did in 2022 at pastiche:Pastiche Gigs (quartet and trio)1/2, 1/6, 1/28 (Tucson Hard Bop Quintet: Max Goldschmid, Brice Winston, Scott Black, and Pete Swan), 1/30, 2/13, 2/20, 3/11, 4/8, 4/10, 4/15, 4/29, 5/1, 5/15, 5/29, 6/26, 7/245/21 – Dmitri Matheny Quintet at Pastiche – sold out show – Brice Winston, Pete Swan, and Scott Black
• Miscellaneous In-State Performances; Here are a list of miscellaneous in-state performances I did in the Fall of 2023:8/11 – Hacienda with Pete Swan trio9/15 – Performance with Tommy Gearheart at the Ravenscroft JazzBird Lounge – Chas Ellison, Chris Finet, Kevin Ravellette, and Stan Sorenson
• Miscellaneous In-State Performances - Fall; Here are a list of miscellaneous in-state performances I did in the Fall of 2024:9/15 – Jason Carder & Jacob Dalager recital – perform “If I Should Lose You”, “Star Eyes”, and “Double, Double You” by Kenny Wheeler alongside Arthur Vint and Scott Black12/12 – “Remembering Tony Bennett” – with Craig Olsen, Scott Black, and Tim Zhorne at the Green Valley CPAC
• Miscellaneous In-State Performances - Spring; Here are a list of miscellaneous in-state performances I did in the Spring of 2024:1/13 – Tucson Jazz festival Jazz Jam at Hotel Congress Plaza, host and play with Ken Peplowski, Diego Figueredo, Alex Kautz, Fabio Gouvea, Brice Winston, Chris Finet, Arthur Vint, Jason Carder, and Scott Black1/15 – Perform with Arthur Vint and Associates for Tucson Jazz Festival at Corbet’s Stage with Arthur Vint, Max Goldschmid, Matt Mitchell, and Colin McIlrath2/17 – Pete Swan trio performance at the Foothills Country Club
• Dave Potter's Retro Groove Spring National Tours; I also continue to perform with Dave Potter’s Retro Groove (Dave Potter [drums], Miguel Alvarado [saxophone], Rob Linton [bass], and myself). The group embarked on tours to Nashville, TN, and Atlanta, GA, culminating in a recording session for an upcoming 2025 release, Retro Groove Vol. 2. Our tour to Nashville incorporated performances at Rudy’s Jazz Room with world-class jazz musicians Greg Tardy (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), Joel Frahm (Texas State University), and Don Aliquo Jr. (Middle Tennessee State University).Our trip to Atlanta included a special performance at WOW In-Sync, a nonprofit that provides training and support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. Our performance at the WOW In-Sync facility was especially meaningful, as we had the opportunity to interact with both the dedicated community members who run the organization and the adults who benefit from its services.2/2-2/3 – Retro Groove Tour & Recording at County Q ProductionPerformances at Rudy’s Jazz Room featuring Greg Tardy, Joel Frahm, Don Aliquo Jr.4/19-4/20 – Retro Groove Atlanta Tour (High Museum of Art, WOW In-Sync)
• Spring Recording Sessions; I had two recoring sessions the Spring of 2023. The releases for thes projects are TBD at the moment. 5/19 – Grace Rolland Recording with Ryan Alfred and Casey Hadland at St. Cecilia Recording Studio in Tucson, AZ3/6-3/7 – Sarah Tolar quartet recording with Bill Campbell and Thøger Lund at Jim Brady Recording Studios in Tucson, AZ
• West By Northwest Performances; I have remained deeply involved in Arizona’s jazz scene, particularly through West by Northwest, a collective with Jason Carder, Tom Wakeling, and Dom Moio. Having performed together for nearly a decade, our work this year set the stage for the relase of our upcoming 2025 album. 1/21 – Church of the Beatitudes, Phoenix, AZ2/11 – Spirit of Hope Church, Peoria, AZ (Jazz for the Soul Series)2/23 – The Century Room, Tucson, AZ2/25 – JazzBird Lounge (Live Recording), Scottsdale, AZ3/23 – The Nash, Phoenix, AZ
• Spring 2022 Performances; I perform with several different groups throughout southern Arizona. The list below represents some of the concerts that I presented in 2022.1/9 – West by Northwest gig at Beatitudes United Church of Christ (Brice Winston, Dom Moio, and Tom Wakeling)1/13 – Duo performance with Emmet Cohen for Club 100 VIP members, Tucson Jazz Festival1/15 - TJF Jazz Jam featuring Mike LeDonne, Eric Alexander, Joe Farnsworth, Peter Bernstein, Warren Wolf, Dave Stryker, John Weber, Kendrick Scott, Jared Gold, McClenty Hunter Jr., Brice Winston, Arthur Vint, Jason Carder, Scott Black, and myself1/17 – West By Northwest performance at Hotel Congress Stage for MLK Day festivities, Tucson Jazz Festival1/17 – Headlining performance with Kendrick Scott and FFJE – Tucson Jazz Festival – MLK day1/20 – Sacred Grounds Jazz Coffeehouse performance at Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ with Howard Alden, Tom Wakeling, Dom Moio, Greg Fishman, and Becky Kilgore1/21 – TJF performance with Arthur Vint and Associates (Brice Winston, Max Goldschmid, Matt Mitchell, and Collin McIlrath)1/22 – The Nash Performance with Becky Kilgore, Howard Alden, and Tom Wakeling1/23 – JazzBird Lounge at the Ravenscroft performance with Becky Kilgore, Howard Alden, and Tom Wakeling3/5 – West By Northwest at the Nash – Tom Wakeling3/13 – Jazz for the Soul concert series with Tom Wakeling, Greg Fishman, and Jason Carder at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church3/31 – Sacred Grounds Jazz Coffeehouse performance with West By Northwest (Tom Wakeling, Dom Moio, and Jason Carder) at Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ4/13 – Mike Moynihan Senior Recital in room 162 with Arthur Vint and Colin McIlrath4/22 – CJB and SJE featuring Christine Guter at Crowder Hall4/23 – Combos at Crowder Hall5/20 – Dmitri Matheny quartet at the Ravenscroft JazzBird Lounge in Scottsdale (Pete Swan and Chris Finet)
• Summer/Fall 2022 Performances; I perform with several different groups throughout southern Arizona. The list below represents some of the concerts that I presented in 2022.6/3 – Chris Finet Quartet at the Ravenscroft JazzBird Lounge in Scottsdale (Brice Winston and Phil Parisot)7/30 – Rising Son Daughter - Grace Rolland concert with Ben Nisbett at the Piper Theater at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona8/5 – Solo piano concert – “The Exquisite Ellington” for the 2022 Group Piano/Pedagogy Forum, Holsclaw Hall10/29 – Grace Rolland Rising Sun Daughter concert for ASU Mesa MIX Center opening event12/9 – Pete Swan Trio – Hacienda Del Sol12/17 – Holiday Performance at the Tucson Country Club with Sarah Tolar, Pete Swan, and Evan Arredando
• Summer/Fall Recruitment Performances and Masterclasses; I performed with Jason Carder on June 23 at the Trinity Presbyterian Church for the Tucson Brass Workshop, a summer camp for high school students. I also served as a leader, pianist, and clinician for the Mingus Fall Clinic – a middle and high school jazz festival held at Nogales High School on November 16. I presented clinics to three middle school jazz bands (Coatamundi, Calabasas, and Carpenter), I performed with the same three middle school bands at the end of the day, and I presented an instrument-specific clinic to all of the pianists at the festival concerning jazz comping. My septet, featuring Chris Finet, Arthur Vint, Matt Mitchell, Mike Moynihan, Jason Carder, and Rob Boone, performed for all of the students in attendance at the end of the festival.
• Dave Potter's Retro Groove Fall National Tour; I play in a quartet called "Dave Potter's Retro Groove." In the Fall of 2023, the group (comprised of Dave Potter, Miguel Alvarado, Rob Linton, and myself) traveled to Tennessee and played and prepared music for an upcoming album recording. Below are the dates/explanations of the performances:12/8-12-9 – Dave Potter Retro Groove Tour2 sets on 12/82 sets on 12/9 
• Dave Potter's Retro Groove Album Release Tour; I play in a quartet called "Dave Potter's Retro Groove." In the Spring, Dave traveled to the Southwest with bassist Will Goble to play at a couple of jazz clubs with Brice Winston and myself in order to promote the group's most recent album release. Below are the dates/explanations of the performances:3/11 – Dave Potter quartet at the Century Room with Brice Winston and Will Goble3/12 – Dave Potter quartet at the Nash with Brice Winston and Will Goble
• Dave Potter's Retro Groove Summer National Tours; I play in a quartet called "Dave Potter's Retro Groove." In the Summer of 2023, the group (comprised of Dave Potter, Miguel Alvarado, Rob Linton, and myself) traveled to South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee and played and prepared music for an upcoming album recording. Below are the dates/explanations of the performances:6/10-6/11 – Dave Potter South Carolina Tour with Miguel Alvarado and Rob Linton6/10 & 6/11 – The Jazz Corner, Hilton Head, two sold out sets each day 8/4-8/5 – Dave Potter Quartet Georgia and Tennessee Tour with Miguel Alvarado and Rob Linton8/4 – First Friday at First series for the First Congregational Church, “The Commons”, Atlanta, Georgia8/5 – Rudy’s Jazz Club, Nashville, Tennessee
• Adjudicator for Bob Ravenscroft International Piano Competition; I served as an adjudicator alongside George W Russel Jr (Berklee College of Music) and Miki Yamanaka for the inaugural Bob Ravenscroft International Jazz Piano Competition. We judged six finalists, two from France, one from Hungary, and two from the US (Dallas, New York City, and Boston) and decided who would be awarded the top three prizes.
• Spring/Summer Recruiting Adjudication and Performance; I served as head judge for two ABODA Area Jazz Festivals – Canyon Del Oro (February 22) and UA (March 8). Both of these events were great recruiting opportunities as I was able to have direct contact with dozens of jazz band directors and their students from all over Tucson.I also performed with the students and faculty of the Tucson Jazz Institute (TJI) on April 21 at the Century Room for their year-end show entitled “Mingus Celebration.” TJI has been a great resource for the UA Jazz program as several TJI alumni have played in various UA jazz ensembles over the years.
• 43rd Annual AZ Jazz Week; I was delighted to be able to plan, host, direct, and play in the 43rd annual AZ Jazz Week. The week’s lineup was as follows:February 27 – UA Jazz Faculty, “Welcoming Arthur Vint”February 28 – Original Wildcat Jazz Band, “Jazz and How it Began”February 28 – Gerald Clayton clinic with Fred Fox Jazz Ensemble (FFJE)March 1 – UA Studio Jazz Ensemble featuring Gerald ClaytonMarch 2 – “Chanson” featuring Katherine Byrnes, Naim Amor, Casey Hadland, and Thøger LundMarch 3 – FFJE and UA Faculty featuring Dennis RowlandI performed with the UA Faculty February 27 and FFJE and UA Faculty on March 3. I hosted the Gerald Clayton clinic on February 28, and I directed SJE featuring Gerald Clayton on March 3.
• 44th Annual AZ Jazz Week; I was delighted to be able to plan, host, direct, and play in the 44th annual AZ Jazz Week. The week’s lineup was as follows:February 26 – UA Jazz Faculty with Arthur Vint, Brice Winston, Scott Black, and Angelo Versace, Century RoomFebruary 27 – Original Wildcat Jazz Band plays “The Music of Fats Waller”, Century RoomFebruary 28 – Armen Donelian solo piano, Crowder HallMarch 1 – Joe Bourne’s Nat King Cole Tribute with Angelo Versace, Scott Black, Matt Mitchell, Century RoomMarch 2 – UA Studio Jazz Ensemble featuring Alex Norris w/ special guest, Jason Carder, Crowder HallI led and performed with the UA Jazz Faculty on February 26, performed with Joe Bourne’s Nat King Cole Tribute on March 1, and directed and performed in the UA Studio Jazz Ensemble concert featuring Alex Norris on March 2.
• Ashely Pezzotti Southern Arizona Tour; I was fortunate to be asked to perform with Ashley Pezzotti’s group for her Southern Arizona tour in the summer. Ashley is a New York-based musician, composer, and vocalist, who has recently performed and recorded with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She is a prominent band leader in Manhattan and has had residencies at virtually every prestigious jazz club in the city. The band for her tour consisted of Brice Winston, Chris Finet, Rob Moore, and me. We performed four shows:June 9: The Century Room, TucsonJune 10: The Ravenscroft JazzBird Lounge, ScottsdaleJune 11: The Womack, PhoenixJune 12: Kitt Hall at NAU, Flagstaff
• Take 6 Tour; I was invited along with my trio to perform with the internationally renowned vocal group, Take 6, for a few Christmas concerts in Oklahoma City, one on December 1 and two more on December 2. This was a particularly rewarding experience as I was able to perform alongside Joe Saylor (drummer on the Stephen Colbert show), Phil Kuehn (bassist and professor at Scranton College), and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic directed by Alexander Mickelthwate at the Civic Center Music Hall. Joe, Phil, and I are childhood friends, and we each had featured solos throughout the concerts. Below are the dates/explanations of the performances:One performance on 12/1Two performances on 12/2 – Matinee and evening performance
• Dave Potter and Retro Groove Tour; I went on a tour with Dave Potter and Retro Groove to San Francisco, CA and Portland, OR. On December 1 the quartet (Dave Potter, Miguel Alvarado, Rob Linton, and myself) gave a clinic to the students in the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Jazz Program. Later that night, we performed at Mr. Tipples, a jazz club in downtown San Francisco. We performed at The 1905, a jazz club in Portland Oregon, on December 2 and 3.
• Prescott Jazz Summit; In the Fall, I was invited to be the pianist and clinician for the Prescott Jazz Summit (PJS) – a prestigious, three-day festival in Prescott, Arizona featuring high profile jazz artists from all around the country:Walt Johnson – trumpeter for Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Tony BennettTom “Bones” Malone – trombonist and arranger for the CBS Orchestra withLouise Baranger – trumpeter with Harry James, Nelson Riddle, and Bill BerryGary Anderson – music director for the Woody Herman Herd and saxophonist with Frank Sinatra and Tony BennettKim Richmond – saxophonist with Stan Kenton, Louis Bellson, and Bob FlorenceE. (Claude) Askew – drummer with Stan Kenton and the Airmen of NoteMike Vax – trumpeter with Stan Kenton and the Clark Terry Big Bad Band and founder of the PJSHoward Alden – guitarist with Ken Peplowski and Frank WessBruce Gates – lead trumpet with the Airmen of NoteChris Finet – director of jazz at Northern Arizona UniversityThe PJS featured several small group performances with different configurations of the artists above including a performance on August 25 at the Elks Theater with the theme “Jazz Meets Broadway and the Movies”, August 27 at the Marana Room in the Hassayampa Inn, and a final jam session on August 27 at Murphy’s Restaurant. On August 26 the PJS artists were invited to Prescott High school to work both with the high school jazz band students and the students in the Yavapai Big Band. I gave three group clinics to the students at Prescott High School including a general Q&A session, a rhythm section clinic, and a big band clinic. All of the PJS artists performed a big band concert at the Ruth Street Theater on August 27.  Below are the dates and explanations of the summit:8/25-8/27 – Prescott Jazz Summit with Mike Vax, Walt Johnson, Kim Richmond, Rob Boone, Chris Finet, Louise Baranger, Ronnie Rose, Howard Alden, Jack Petersen, Gary Anderson, Kenny French, Claude Askew, Dave Russell, Selwyn Reams, Mike Gurciullo, Tony Vacca, Art Swanson, Dave Coolidge, Paul Brewer, Brian Zabriskie, Bruce Gates, Calvin Audis, and Dave Russell. Master of Ceremonies: Pete Barbutti8/25 – “Jazz Meets Broadway and the Movies” - Elks Theater8/26 – Clinic with Yavapai Big Band and Prescott High School Big Band, rhythm section clinic, and Q&A with all students8/26 – Performance with Prescott Jazz Summit Big Band at Ruth Street Theater, Prescott Arizona8/27 – SOLD OUT Sunday Brunch and Afternoon performances at the Hassayampa Inn8/27 – Murphy’s Jam Session performance
• Las Vegas Academy of the Arts World Jazz Studies Jazz Camp; In the summer, I was offered a faculty position at the annual Las Vegas Academy of the Arts World Jazz Studies Jazz Camp (July 27-29). I oversaw the students’ big band auditions, directed Jazz Band I, II, and III rehearsals, presented a concert/masterclass with fellow faculty member Josh Reed (Jazz trumpet professor at University of Nevada, Reno). All of the faculty then directed the student ensembles for a final performance at Lowden Theater Below are the dates and explanations of the jazz camp:7/27-7/29 – Las Vegas Academy of the Arts World Jazz Studies Jazz Camp7/27 – big band auditions and combo clinic with Josh Reed and David Phy7/28 –  Direct Jazz Band I, II, and III rehearsals7/29 – Jazz Band I, II, and III rehearsals and performance in Lowden TheaterClinic with Josh Reed
• UA Jazz Dept Fundraising Performance; It is customary in the jazz area for students to play gigs in order to raise money for jazz area guest artists, travel expenses, etc. The gig below represents exactly this type of thing.9/17 – Fundraising gig at Desert Diamond Casino - $850 for jazz dept
• Kristin Korb Southwest Tour; Kristin Korb is a bassist and vocalist, based out of Denmark, who regularly tours, presenting concerts and masterclasses around the world. Kristin got her start studying with the late Ray Brown, eventually recording with him in 1996. She’s gone on to helm 16 albums as a leader and has held several residencies at prestigious jazz programs around the country. I helped Kristin organize a clinic for our UA jazz students in late March, and along with Arthur Vint, performed at a couple of jazz clubs as part of her Southwest Tour. Below are the dates and explanations of the tour:3/23 – clinic with UA Experiential Ensemble and Fred Fox Jazz Ensemble for Jazz Studio Class in room 1623/24 – Kristin Korb trio at the Century Room with Arthur Vint3/25 – Kristin Korb trio at the Nash with Arthur Vint
• Mingus Clinic; On November 20, I was the lead performer and clinician for the 2024 Mingus Clinic held at Nogales High School.  I prestend a clinic Rio Rico Jazz Bands (Red and Black), presented an improvisation masterclass to the Nogales High School top jazz band, gave a jazz piano master class to all attending pianists, and performed with faculty septet: Jason Carder, Rob Boone, Brice Winston, Ed Delusha, Arthur Vint, and Scott Black 
• "Jazz Comping" Presentation to Venezuela Online Jazz Mentoring Program; On October 27 I gave an online presentation to the students of the Venezuela Online Jazz Mentoring Program (VOJMP) about “Jazz Comping.” The VOJMP is a state department funded initiative designed to provide jazz education for Venezuelan music students and faculty.
• Recordings; Recording projects are a vital component of my artistic work, demanding extensive preparation, collaboration, and post-production effort. Beyond their immediate artistic significance, these recordings serve as lasting contributions to the broader jazz tradition, providing audiences with meaningful and lasting listening experiences. This year, I was engaged in several significant recording projects that reflect my continued artistic growth and collaborative efforts: 2/25 - West by Northwest(Live Recording at JazzBird Lounge) in collaboration with Tom Wakeling, Jason Carder, and Dom Moio – to be released in 20254/10 - Eric Nakanishi Quartet Recording at Jim Brady Studios in collaboration with Arthur Vint, Scott Black, and Erik Nakanishi – to be released in 2025
• Fall 2014 Concerts/Recordings; Since moving to Tucson in late July, I have done 50+ concerts/performances.  Some highlights include:August 8th – Viscount Hotel performance with Brice WinstonAugust 15th – Mini-tour with Khristian Dentley to San Jose, California, played a summer concert series at Cathedral of Faith as well as 4 church services the next dayOctober 14th – Barrio Bones concert alongside Moises PaiewonskyOctober 19th – Concert with Renee Patrick, at PasticheOctober 22nd – Performance at the U of A’s saxophone studio recitalNovember 2nd – Performance for Tucson Jazz Society with my quartet, billed as “Jazz on the Porch”November 8th – House pianist for Jeff Haskell Endowment Jam SessionNovember 9th – Jeff Haskell Endowment/Retirement Party with Jason Carder, Moises Paiewonsky, Mike Moynahan, Fred Hayes and Jack WoodNovember 13th – Concert/Lecture at Indiana High School in Indiana, Pennsylvania - solo performance and lecture about the importance of jazz in AmericaDecember 14th – Concert with Judy Roberts, Greg Fishman at PasticheDecember 21st – Concert with Terell Stafford and Brice Winston at Pastiche *weekly Friday night performances at Pastiche since the semester began featuring myself, Scott Black, and Pete Swan*weekly Sunday night performances at Pastiche since the semester began featuring myself, Matt Mitchell, Max Goldschmid, Scott Black, and Pete Swan I directed the Studio Jazz Ensemble three times.  Twice at Crowder Hall on October 8th and November 24th and once at the Viscount Hotel on October 29th.  I am the pianist on "Focus," an October 10th record release in collaboration Kendall Moore – also on this album is Marquis Hill, the current winner of the Thelonious Monk Competition for trumpetI recorded with Khristian Dentley on May 24th for upcoming album.  Features 3 new original arrangements by me.
• Spring Recruiting Efforts; Some service and outreach opportunities I had in 2023 were specifically geared towards recruitment, putting me in direct contact with high school students and their directors. These efforts include:I directed the All-State Jazz II Band, we rehearsed on February 1 and presented a concert on February 2 at the Mesa Arts Center.I served as head judge for the ABODA Area Jazz Festival at Canyon Dell Oro high School on February 21.
• Fall Recruiting Efforts; Some service and outreach opportunities I had in 2023 were specifically geared towards recruitment, putting me in direct contact with high school students and their directors. These efforts include:I recorded the Arizona All-State Jazz Piano audition excerpts on November 1I led a septet for the annual Mingus Clinic at Nogales High School on November 15 with Brice Winston, Rob Boone, Jason Carder, Arthur Vint, Ed Delucia, and Scott Black. Several high school and middle school jazz bands participate in the festival, and hundreds of students show up each year. As part of this event, I presented two clinics to Rio Rico high School and Nogales High School Jazz bands, presented a jazz piano masterclass to all pianists at the festival, presented a jazz improvisation clinic, and performed with the faculty septet twice (once at the beginning of the day, and once at the end).I adjudicated the Nevada All-State rhythm section auditions on November 16
• Century Room Performances; The Century Room is THE jazz club in Downtown Tucson. The club is the brainchild of UA drum instructor, Arthur Vint, who acts as it's promoter, manager, and booker. Arthur is a uniquely driven individual and is constantly thinking of new shows, themes, and bands to fill out the space. Thanks to Arthur's unique approach to branding and social media leadership, the Century Room has quickly become a sustainable model that the management at Hotel Congress actively supports. Additionally, the Century Room has partnered with various organizations (Arizona Arts Live and The Tucson Jazz Festival) to curate specialty shows and artists as part of their stellar lineup. Below are some of the shows I did in 2023. I have been fortunate in my position as Director of Jazz Studies to be able to partner with Arthur in many of his concert ideas. Additionally, Arthur partners with the UA jazz program to promote UA combo concerts, senior recitals, and UA Jazz Guest Aritst concerts.9/8 – Cannonball Adderley tribute with Eric Nakanishi quintet9/16 – Danny Jonokuchi quintet at Century Room with Max Goldschimd (tenor), Colin McIlrath, and Arthur Vint9/22 – Performance with Scott Black, Max Goldschmid, Brice Winston, and Arthur Vint for “Hard Bop Revisited”, Century Room10/7 – Performance with Brice Winston, Arthur Vint, and Scott Black following Ashley Kahn lecture on Charlie Parker – “The Big Bang of Bebop: Why Charlie Parker Still Matters”11/5 – Performed with Dave Stryker Quintet at the Century Room: “Messin’ with Mr. T”                  With Jed Paradies, Scott Black, Arthur Vint, and Dave Stryker11/10 – performed with the “Clark Gibson Direction Quartet” at the Century Room with Clark Gibson, Chris Finet, and Arthur Vint11/17 – Lead group: “Angelo Versace Quintet: A Tribute to Mulgrew Miller’s Wingspan” at the Century Room with Arthur Vint, Brice Winston, Chris Peña, and Scott Black12/22 – “A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Music of Vince Guaraldi” – trio with Arthur Vint and Scott Black
• Spring/Summer Century Room Performances; The Century Room is THE jazz club in Downtown Tucson. The club is the brainchild of UA drum instructor, Arthur Vint, who acts as it's promoter, manager, and booker. Arthur is a uniquely driven individual and is constantly thinking of new shows, themes, and bands to fill out the space. Thanks to Arthur's unique approach to branding and social media leadership, the Century Room has quickly become a sustainable model that the management at Hotel Congress actively supports. Additionally, the Century Room has partnered with various organizations (University of Arizona, Arizona Arts Live, The Tucson Jazz Festival, etc.) to curate specialty shows and artists as part of their stellar lineup. Below are some of the shows I did in 2024. I have been fortunate in my position as Director of Jazz Studies to be able to partner with Arthur in many of his concert ideas. Additionally, Arthur partners with the UA jazz program to promote UA combo concerts, senior recitals, and UA Jazz Guest Artist concerts.1/14 – Tucson Jazz Festival Late Night Jazz Jam at Century Room, Benny Benack quintet with Max Goldschmid, Arthur Vint, and Colin McIlrath1/20 – Tucson Jazz Festival late-night jam featuring Greg Ward, Arthur Vint, and Colin McIlrath1/26 – “Tom Wakeling’s Strings & Things” featuring Howard Alden, Arthur Vint, and Myself2/9 – Century Room 2-year anniversary, house band with Brice Winston, Jason Carder, Scott Black, and Arthur Vint4/5 – perform with Jay Jennings (snarky puppy) quartet at the Century Room with Arthur Vint, Colin McIlrath, and Kevin Ravellette  4/11 -  perform with Nick Finzer quartet (w/ Arthur Vint and Scott Black) in honor of J.J. Johnson5/3 – perform with Greg Abate quintet (Max Goldschmid, Arthur Vint, and Scott Black)5/5 – Perform with Kenji Lancaster for his senior recital – Kevin Ravellette, Max Goldschmid, and Colin McIlrath8/10 – Alyssa Allgood quartet at the Century Room – with Arthur Vint and Scott Black
• Fall/Winter Century Room Performances; The Century Room is THE jazz club in Downtown Tucson. The club is the brainchild of UA drum instructor, Arthur Vint, who acts as it's promoter, manager, and booker. Arthur is a uniquely driven individual and is constantly thinking of new shows, themes, and bands to fill out the space. Thanks to Arthur's unique approach to branding and social media leadership, the Century Room has quickly become a sustainable model that the management at Hotel Congress actively supports. Additionally, the Century Room has partnered with various organizations (University of Arizona, Arizona Arts Live, The Tucson Jazz Festival, etc.) to curate specialty shows and artists as part of their stellar lineup. Below are some of the shows I did in 2024. I have been fortunate in my position as Director of Jazz Studies to be able to partner with Arthur in many of his concert ideas. Additionally, Arthur partners with the UA jazz program to promote UA combo concerts, senior recitals, and UA Jazz Guest Artist concerts.8/30 – Arthur Vint and Associates – Copper State album release with Brice Winston, Nick Coventry, Matt Mitchell, Colin McIlrath, and Chris Peña9/6 – Eric Nakanishi Quartet – Orignial Music and Standards at the Century Room with Arthur Vint and Scott Black9/13 – Something Sarah album release at the Century Room. In collaboration with Max Goldschmid, Katherine Byrnes, Matt Mitchell, Arthur Vint, and Thöger Lund - $35010/5 – Danny Jonkuchi Quartet performance at the Century Room with Arthur Vint and Scott Black - $12510/11 – late night with Eric Nakanishi Quartet (Scott Black and Arthur Vint)11/9 – late night with Eric Nakanishi, Scott Black, and Arthur Vint11/23 – late night Century Room with Eric Nakanishi, Scott Black, and Arthur Vint11/29 – Erik Nakanishi and Aria Ratcliff Playing the Classic Album Cannonball Adderley and Nancy Wilson – with Max Goldschmid11/30 – Rob Schepps/Jason Carder Quintet at the Century Room with Arhtur Vint and Thöger Lund12/6 – Late night Century Room with Simeon Roth, Eric Nakanishi, Ryan Magness, and Kenji Lancaster12/7 – Late Night with the Eric Nakanishi Quartet at the Century Room with  Kenji Lancaster and Colin McIlrath12/13 – “Matheny Plays Mancini” with Dmitri Matheny, Brice Winston, Scott Black, and Arthur Vint at the Century Room12/21 – “Charlie Brown Christmas Trio” with Arthur Vint and Scott Black at the Century Room – 3 sold out sets12/22 - “Charlie Brown Christmas Trio” with Arthur Vint and Scott Black at the Century Room – 4 sold out sets
• Spring Century Room Jazz Orchestra Performances; The Century Room, created and managed by UA Jazz Drumset Instructor Arthur Vint, began presenting a weekly concert series on Monday nights whereby the best jazz musicians in Tucson congregate to form the Century Room Jazz Orchestra (CRJO). I, along with Brice Winston, Jason Carder, Scott Black, and Ben Constantinides are main members of the group and function as the board of directors under Arthur’s leadership. Below are the concerts that I performed with this group in 20241/15 –CRJO with specual guest Benny Benack5/6 – CRJO with special guest Dave Stryker
• Fall/Winter Century Room Jazz Orchestra Performances; The Century Room, created and managed by UA Jazz Drumset Instructor Arthur Vint, began presenting a weekly concert series on Monday nights whereby the best jazz musicians in Tucson congregate to form the Century Room Jazz Orchestra (CRJO). I, along with Brice Winston, Jason Carder, Scott Black, and Ben Constantinides are main members of the group and function as the board of directors under Arthur’s leadership. Below are the concerts that I performed with this group in 2024:9/21 – CRJO at Tucson Convention center for TMC Service Pin and TMC 80th Anniversary10/7 – CRJO with special guests Danny Jonokuchi and Christian Wiggs10/14 – SJE plays Thad Jones followed by CRJO10/21 – CRJO10/28 – CRJO11/4 – CRJO with special guest Matt Mitchell11/11 – CRJO with special theme: Swing Night11/18 – CRJO with special guest Jason Carder11/25 – CRJO with special guest Sarah Tolar12/2 – CRJO with special guest Rob Schepps12/23 – CRJO Performs Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite – 3 sold out sets
• Century Room Jazz Orchestra Performances; The Century Room, created and managed by UA Jazz Drumset Instructor Arthur Vint, began presenting a weekly concert series on Monday nights whereby the best jazz musicians in Tucson congregate to form the Century Room Jazz Orchestra (CRJO). I, along with Brice Winston, Jason Carder, Scott Black, and Ben Constantinides are main members of the group and function as the board of directors under Arthur’s leadership. Below are the concerts that I performed with this group in Fall of 2023:9/4, 9/18 (featuring Danny Jonokuchi), 9/25, 10/2, 11/6, 12/18 (Nutcracker suite)
• UA Jazz Dept Fundraising gig; The Fred Fox Jazz Ensemble (FFJE), directed by Brice Winston, won a DownBeat Student Music Award in the Undergraduate College Small Jazz Combo division. DownBeat awards are the most prestigious awards in jazz education, and the students were competing against many of the top university/conservatory programs across the country. At the beginning of the year, I anticipated that we would have a particularly strong group, and so I set a goal for the students of the FFJE to travel to Reno, Nevada to take part in the Reno Jazz Festival. The Reno Jazz Festival has been one of the premier jazz festivals in the United States for 60 years. The festival hosts college-age, student ensembles who perform, receive feedback from world-renowned clinicians, and gain access to masterclasses and performances throughout the festival. In order to make the trip happen, the group needed to raise ~$7,500 to cover all of the travel costs, and so I booked the group to do several gigs around the city in order to fundraise, including a headlining performance for the Tucson Jazz Festival MLK Day festivities with internationally renowned drummer, Kendrick Scott. The two gigs listed below are the last two that FFJE played to raise money for the Reno trip. (Several more fundraising gigs were done in the Fall 2021 semester).  I was elated when the group had raised $6,270 by February and had also been approved for a small CFA grant to cover the rest of the costs.1/17 - FFJE with Kendrick Scott for Tucson Jazz Festival  - $800 for jazz dept2/3 – Perform with Ricardo and Jack for UA Presidential Event at UA Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum - $750 for jazz dept