News from 2004 and before

New books by Fred Hamilton

Fred Hamilton's book Melodic Studies and Compositions for Guitar: a Reading Workout for Serious Musicians has been published by Mel Bay. And a solo from his album Looking Back on Tomorrow was also included in Mel Bay's Master Anthology of Jazz Guitar Solos Volume Three.

Dave Douglas

Dave Douglas, the Glenn E. Gomez International Artist for 2004, with UNT Jazz Faculty members, and the One O'Clock Band performed on Thursday, February 26, 2004 in Winspear Hall.

Billy Harper honored

Billy Harper, saxophonist and recording artist and the first African American member of the UNT One O'Clock Lab Band, performed with his group at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of UNT's desegregation on Saturday, February 14, 2004 at 7 p.m. at the Murchison Performing Arts Center. A photo can be found here.

R.C. Williams

Congratulations to UNT Jazz studies student R.C. Williams, who was nominated for a Grammy for his work with Erykah Badu.

UNT at IAJE 2004

If you had been at IAJE in NYC, you could have heard the One O'Clock Lab Band, directed by Neil Slater; Lynn Seaton performing with the John Fedchock New York Big Band and with Paris Rutherford during the vocal reading sessions; Ed Soph giving a clinic entitled "Fundamental Concepts of Big Band Drumming" with the One O'Clock Lab Band; Jim Riggs during the big band reading sessions; Rosana Eckert with her group in a solo set and as part of Paris's reading sessions; and lots and lots of UNT alumni...

Norah Jones's second CD

Congratulations to former UNT jazz student Norah Jones on the success of her second CD. Also heard on this CD is UNT alumnus Tony Scherr.

Jimmy Heath with the One O'Clock Band

The One O'Clock Lab Band Fall Concert with guest Jimmy Heath took place on Tuesday, November 25, 2003. See the November 2003 gallery for photos of rehearsals.

Lecture series 2004

The UNT Jazz Lecture Series lineup for Spring 2004: 2/3 Roger Kellaway (Piano), 2/10 Jimmy Bruno (Guitar), 2/17 Keter Betts (Bass), 2/24 Dave Douglas (Composer/Trumpet) (afternoon lecture only), 3/2 Jim Rotondi (Trumpet; pictured), 3/9 Ari Hoenig (Drum Set), 3/23 Slide Hampton (Trombone), 3/30 Jim Snidero (Saxophone).

Ed Soph plays Birdland

UNT Jazz Faculty Member Ed Soph played a 4-day engagement in October 2003 at Birdland in New York with UNT alum Marvin Stamm, tpt; Bill Mays, p; Rufus Reid, b; and John Abercrombie, g.

Lab '67 and '68 on CD

It's time to update your Lab Band Collection. Now available in CD format are Lab '67 and Lab '68. On '67 hear Lou Marini, Ed Soph, Tom Boras, Bill Stapleton, and John Monaghan on cuts such as "Easy to Love", "Swag's Groove", "Falling in Love with Love" and Dan Haerle's "Concertino". On '68 reminisce with Jay Saunders, Tom Malone, Jimmy Clark, Ed Soph, and Lou Marini as they perform "Hello, Young Lovers", "Norwegian Wood", and "Ol' Five Spot".

Newly available on CD: Lab '83

Lab '83 has compositions by Neil Slater, Chip McNeill, Bill Evans (arr. Matt Nicholl), Wayne Shorter (arr. Chip McNeill), and Harry Warren (arr. Mario Cruz) (see recordings).

Michael Cogswell

Congratulations to Michael Cogswell, a graduate of the UNT Jazz Studies program, who directs the Louis Armstrong House & Archives in Queens, NY, which opened on October 15, 2003. Michael recently published Louis Armstrong: The Offstage Story of Satchmo, a book based on materials from the museum (details at the museum's web site).

Jazz Singers release Impressions

Sound clips for all of the tracks on the Jazz Singers' new CD, Impressions, are available on the recordings page.

UNT students win 26th annual Down Beat awards

UNT students were well-represented in the 26th Annual Down Beat Student Music Awards: Hiro Morozumi (Original Composition--Extended Composition), Stephen Smith (Original Composition--Best Song), Aaron Lington (Jazz Arrangement), Kerry Marsh (Jazz Arrangement)

Stefan Karlsson tours Japan

UNT Jazz Faculty member Stefan Karlsson played 14 concerts with Jimmy Cobb and Eddie Gomez in Japan in April 2003.

Maria Schneider with the One O'Clock Band

Maria Schneider, the Gomez Artist in Residence for 2003, conducted her works with the One O'Clock Lab Band on Thursday, February 27, 2003, in Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center in Denton. Here are some photos.

L5 Guitar Ensemble releases The Quiltmaster

The Quiltmaster, the new CD by the UNT L5 Electric Guitar ensemble, is now available. Find ordering information and sound clips and photos of the recording session.

Benny Golson

Benny Golson, the noted saxophonist and composer/arranger, was the guest artist for the One O'Clock Lab Band's Fall Concert on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 8 p.m. at Winspear Hall.

Rodrigo Villanueva

Alumnus Rodrigo Villanueva has joined the faculty of Northern Illinois University's jazz program. He teaches drum set, coach the NIU Jazz Lab Band (the second of three bands), coach small groups, and arranging; his faculty page.

Jovino Santos Neto

Jovino Santos Neto was the guest artist with the Jazz Repertory Ensemble, directed by John Murphy, in a performance of recent works for big band and small group by Hermeto Pascoal. This was the U.S. premiere of the big band pieces, which have been performed outside of Brazil only in Denmark and England; photos.

Jonathan Beckett

Jonathan Beckett, jazz studies graduate student and a member of the One O'Clock Band in 2003-2004, was diagnosed this past summer with lymphoblastic lymphoma. A benefit performance for the Jonathan Beckett Medical Fund took place on Oct. 3rd. The lineup included: The Jim Riggs Big Band, The One O'Clock Lab Band, the Chuck Willis/ Wayne Delano Quintet, Buddy Mohmed and American Bedouin; Shelley Carrol, 'Nawlins Gumbo Kings; and Brave Combo. If you missed your chance to contribute, you still can at www.jonathanbeckett.com.

Nicholas Payton

Nicholas Payton visited campus on Sept. 13, 2004. He coached and played with the One O'Clock Band and did a question-and-answer session with students. photos

William Maley

Recent jazz studies master's graduate William Maley has joined the faculty of Tarrant County College, where he's teaching MIDI, jazz improvisation, and percussion lessons.

Brian Honsberger

Recent UNT master's graduate Brian Honsberger, who minored in jazz studies and played in jazz ensembles, has joined the Spokane Symphony as bass trombonist.

Hiro Morozumi

Hiro Morozumi, a current jazz studies graduate student, has released a CD entitled Sharing. Details at www.hiromorozumi.com.

Yumiko Sunami

Yumiko Sunami, composer and alumna of our program, will perform with her jazz orchestra at The Blue Note in New York City on Sunday, October 10, 2004. Shows are at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Personnel (including several UNT alumni): Ben Kono, Rob Wilkerson, Sam Sadigursky, Chris Bacas, Frank Basile, John Chudoba, John Eckert, Scott Harrell, Dave Smith, John Bailey, Mark Patterson, Jason Jackson, Alan Ferber, Tim Albright, Matt Ingman, Ed Maceachen, Tim Harrison, Mike McGuirk and Mark Ferber. In July 2004, Yumiko's piece "Milky Way" was performed by The BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra on the "New Works for the Jazz Big Band" concert at Merkin Concert Hall in New York. This work earned Yumiko a BMI Foundation/Charlie Parker Composition Prize finalist award.

Jimmy Cobb

Jimmy Cobb visited campus on April 8, 2004 to give a talk and play with students and faculty. Photos are in the April gallery.

Saxophone news summer 2004

Michelle Acton will join the "President's Own" Army Field Ceremonial Band in Washington, D.C. She starts basic training in July.


Andy Dahlke was hired as assistant professor of classical/jazz saxophone at the University Northern Colorado.


Aaron Lington will be the Director of Jazz Studies at San José State University. Aaron was also chosen as a college co-winner in the Instrumental Soloist category of the 2004 Down Beat Student Music Awards, and received an honorable mention in the ASCAP 2003 Young Jazz Composer competition for his composition, "The Black Widow," which was recorded on Lab 2003.


Brad Danho won the second place award in the North American Saxophone Alliance competition, which was held in April 2004 in North Carolina. Cory Wilson and Matt Sawyer were also among the five finalists.


David Fague will have a half-time faculty position at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. He'll be teaching jazz history, jazz band, small groups, improvisation, private lessons, and other courses.

Kevin Brunkhorst

Kevin Brunkhorst has joined the music faculty of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Toshinori Terukina

Toshinori Terukina won the jazz competition at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Budapest, Hungary in July 2004.

Kerry Marsh

Alumnus Kerry Marsh directs the Vocal Jazz program at California State University, Sacramento.

Jang-eun Bae

Grad student pianist Jang-eun Bae traveled to Washington, D.C. in April 2004 to take part in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program (scroll to the bottom of the page for videos from April 2004).

Thailand trip

The One O'Clock Band under the direction of Neil Slater traveled to Thailand for a concert tour over spring break in 2004.

UNT students join Ferguson band

Ken Edwards (trumpet) and the husband-and-wife team of Ji-Young Lee (piano) and Eun-Chang Choi (bass) will go on the road with Maynard Ferguson.

First small group CD

In the studio: On May 10 and 11, 2004, four UNT Jazz Studies small groups gathered in a Denton recording studio to record the first of an annual series of small group CDs. The groups were chosen by the faculty by blind audition. On May 17 and 18, the One O'Clock Band recorded Lab 2004 in Dallas.

Armando Núñez Portillo

Grad student Armando Núñez Portillo is writing for the magazine Músico Pro, the Spanish-language magazine for professional musicians based in Boulder, CO. Rodrigo Sanchez, a former UNT student, also works there.

Stephen Smith wins awards

Stephen Smith, trombonist and composer, was one of the winners of the 2003 ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards. He is pictured here on ASCAP's site. He was also co-winner of Down Beat Magazine's 2003 "Best Original Song" student award and winner of the 2004 "Sammy Nestico" award sponsored by the Airmen of Note, as well as a follow-up commission by the same band. He'll go to Washington, D.C. in November to work with the band.

Kevin Patton

The Kevin Patton Trio (Kevin Patton, guitar & UNT alumnus; Thomas Helton, bass; Richard Cholakian, percussion) has released A Pocket Full of Stones on the la junkie lovegun label.

Denton Arts & Jazz Festival 2004

Many UNT jazz students, ensembles, and faculty performed at the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival on April 23-25, 2004.

Steve Anderson

Alumnus Steve Anderson teaches jazz piano at Western Illinois University.

Lab 2003 released

Keep your NT Lab Band Collection current. Lab 2003 can be ordered now. It features Neil Slater's "That" and works by recent NT graduates as well as current students in our program. track listing | order form