Yu Nishiyama, 2017 UNT Jazz Studies bachelor's graduate, has been named one of this year's ASCAP Foundation 2019 Herb Alpert Foundation Young Jazz Composer Award recipients.
This is the spring 2019 Jazz Lecture Series lineup. Lecture series sessions take place in the recital hall, room 301 of the music building, at 9:30-10:50 and 2-3:20. Admission is free and open to the public. If you plan to bring a group, please contact Prof. Alan Baylock, the instructor of the course, at alan.baylock@unt.edu, in advance of your visit.
January 29 – Kirk Whalum (saxophone, part of the Denton Black Film Festival)
February 5 – James Burton (trombone)
February 12 – Jennifer Leitham (bass)
February 19 – Mike Rodriguez (trumpet)
February 26 – Kenny Werner Trio (piano, bass, drums – Gomez Artists, afternoon session only)
March 5 – Mark Taylor (composer)
March 19 – Craig Handy (saxophone)
March 26 – Ben Monder (guitar)
April 2 – Carl Allen (drums)
April 16 – Jay Clayton (voice)
April 23 – Dr. Capital (guitar, etc.)
April 30 – Scott Tixier & Dave Meder (violin, piano)
We're immensely proud that two of the five outstanding members of the JEN Sisters In Jazz ensemble are UNT graduate students and leaders within our program.
Colleen Clark is a DMA candidate and director of the Four O'Clock Lab Band. Marion Powers (BM '15) is a master's student and director of the Avenue C vocal jazz group as well as the current vocalist for The One O'Clock Lab Band.
You can catch these fantastic women perform at the JEN 2019 Conference in Reno, NV next month. We'll see you there!
Andrew Duncan, current One O'Clock Lab Band baritone saxophone chair, worked as a judge, clinician, and performer at the Legends Jazz Festival in Parker, Colorado alongside UNT Alumni Dan Fornero. Dan played lead trumpet in the One O'Clock Lab Band on Lab '80 and '81 under the direction of Leon Breeden. He is currently a member of Gordon Goodwin's Big Fat Band and has performed on numerous film soundtracks including The Incredibles 2.
UNT Professor Rich DeRosa created the string arrangements and conducted the orchestra for the second half of this performance with Joey Alexander from Jazz at Lincoln Center. The second half begins at around 50:30.
We seek two colleagues who will help us build the future of jazz trumpet at UNT. Applications are now being accepted for these positions. Send questions to jazztrumpetsearch@unt.edu.
Jazz Trumpet, Improvisation Emphasis
https://facultyjobs.unt.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=53389
Jazz Trumpet, Lead Trumpet Emphasis
https://facultyjobs.unt.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=53402
Dave Meder, our new professor of jazz piano, has just released the single "Elegy," featuring Chris Potter, from his upcoming debut CD, Passage. Read about it at Nextbop. Here's the Kickstarter page for the CD.
Recent DMA graduate Keith Karns will join the faculty of Western Oregon University this fall. He will direct the WO Jazz Orchestra and Latin Jazz Ensemble, coach brass ensembles, and teach applied trumpet lessons. He'll also collaborate on the jazz festival and summer camp. Congratulations, Keith!
UNT Jazz Studies alumni Jordan Burchill and Mikaela Kahn "started a group called Beth // James a couple years back when a big exodus of UNT grads moved to Austin," Jordan reports. "We recently found out that one of our original songs, 'Lion Eyes,' is going to be in Spike Lee’s newest movie called BlacKkKlansman (in theaters everywhere August 10th). Terence Blanchard did the score and the movie also includes music by Prince, James Brown, and Emerson Lake & Palmer. We’re very excited about this news and we wanted to share it with our UNT family!" Congratulations Jordan and Mikaela!
UNT alumna Michelle Alonso, who earned a bachelor's degree in composition and a master's degree in Jazz Studies at UNT, has released her first EP, entitled "The Present." Michelle reports that she is "very proud to say that it was recorded, produced, and engineered by almost 100% UNT alumni (the string players were the only non-alumni)." Congratulations to Michelle and her colleagues!
Website: www.michellealonso.com
iTunes: https://apple.co/2O6hvgz
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2LpIGV4
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mizinha81
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellealonso
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellealonso
