Jazz Festival 2008 Guest Artists

Nnenna Freelon , jazz vocalist

• A spell-binding professional who rivets attention with her glorius, cultivated voice and canny stagecraft
• National spokesperson for the National Association of Partners in Education
• Nominated for 5 Grammys
• Performed and toured with Al Jarreau, Aretha Franklin, Dianne Reeves, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, et al.
• Awarded Eubie Blake Award from the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and the Billie Holiday Award from the Academie du Jazz

Artists Series
Jazz Festival Kickoff Concert
Nnenna Freelon with Jazz Ensemble I
Thur., March 27, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Zorn Arena

"Be sure to check out Nnenna Freelon... Very hip music."
- Aretha Franklin

An artist of the highest caliber, Nnenna Freelon will present an Artists Series concert backed by our award-winning Jazz Ensemble I. This concert will kick off UW-Eau Claire’s 41st annual Jazz Festival, one of the oldest and largest festivals in the nation. Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Robert Baca, is a five-time winner of Down Beat magazine’s Best College Big Band award.

A five-time Grammy Award nominee, Freelon currently has nine compact disc recordings on the market. In her most recent, she pays tribute to Lady Day, emulating the spirit rather than the sound of the great Billie Holiday.

The 2005 release of Blueprint of a Lady - Sketches of Billie Holiday coincided with the 90th anniversary of Holiday’s birth, offering a distinctively refreshing take on the legendary jazz singer. “There is no doubt that Freelon has now positioned herself in the very top echelon of jazz singers,” The Los Angeles Times noted.

Nnenna Freelon will present a vocal jazz workshop with all 500 jazz festival attendees on the Friday following her Artists Series performance. Call the university Service Center at 836-3727 for more information.

Learn more about Nnenna Freelon at: www.nnenna.com

• Only living jazz artist to have written 8 standards for the jazz repertoire.
• Performed with John Coltrane, Red Garland, Jimmy Heath, Percy Heath, Philly Joe Jones, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Fillespie, Art Blakey, Art Farmer, et al.
• Named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master
• October 2007 - received the Mellon Living Legacy Jazz Award presented by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation at a ceremony at the Kennedy Center

Benny Golson, saxophone

Born in Philadelphia in 1929, Benny Golson began his career studying the piano, but everything changed when he heard tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb playing Flying Home with Lionel Hampton's band. His parents bought him a saxophone, and between 1947 and 1950 young Benny attended the Howard College in Washington.

In 1951 Golson got his first job with Bull Moose Jackson's band, where he met Tadd Dameron (who pointed him in the right direction as a composer and arranger) and Philly Joe Jones. In 1953 Golson had the opportunity of playing again with Dameron in a group including Clifford Brown, Gigi Grice, Cecil Payne and Philly Joe Jones, and later the same year he joined Lionel Hampton's Big Band, and was recommended by John Coltrane to play in a short-lived large band led by Johnny Hodges. From 1954 to 1956 he played in Earl Bostic's band, and in June of 1956 joined Dizzy Gillespie.

During this period he composed tunes like I Remember Clifford or Stablemates, and formed a group with Kenny Dorham, J.J. Johnson, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Max Roach, recording for Jazzland the LP Reunion, which included classic examples of his skills as a composer and arranger, like Out of the Past, Venetian Breeze and Blues on Down.

From February 1958 to February 1959 Golson played with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and contributed with his arrangements and compositions to define the style of the late great drummer's band: tunes like Are You Real?, Along Came Betty, The Drum Thunder Suite and, specially Blues March became landmarks of the Messengers' repertory. In July 1959, Golson formed his own quintet: trumpet player Art Farmer joined the band late the same year, and one of the most influential groups of the sixties was born: THE JAZZTET. In 1962 Golson recorded for Mercury his most celebrated composition, Whisper not, included in the LP Tonk.

Between 1964 and 1966, Golson traveled to Europe, worked for the British television, appeared in many Jazz Festivals, and wrote the soundtrack for a movie in Munich. From this point on, Golson concentrated more and more in his career as a composer and arranger: in 1967 worked for the Universal Studios in Los Angeles, and from 1968 on he wrote music for singers such as Peggy Lee, Lou Rawls, Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis, Diana Ross and O.C. Smith.

Golson has also written music for many TV series, such as Mash or Bill Cosby's Show. In the classical idiom Golson has written a concerto (premiered ad Lincoln Center, New York), a violin piece for Itzhak Perlman (also premiered at Lincoln Center) and a piano composition for André Watts.

Golson is featured on an imposing number of recordings with such luminaries as Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Roland Kirk, Lem Winchester, Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Jimmy Cleveland, Sabih Shihab, Philly Joe Jones, George Russell, Frank Rosolino for classic Jazz labels like Riverside, New Jazz, Cadet, Contemporary, United Artists, Mercury, Audio Fidelity, Jazzland, Prestige or EastWind.

One of the most important names in the evolution of contemporary Jazz, Benny Golson's contributions -both as a soloist and as a composer/arranger- are huge. Originally inspired by Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas and Lucky Thompson as an instrumentalist, he later absorbed the influences of John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt and Stan Getz to create an extremely personal style, at the same time refined and expressive. As a composer, Golson has contributed to the repertory of almost every Jazz musician or singer, and many of his original compositions, like Whisper Not, Out of the Past or Blues March are amongst the most played and recorded in contemporary Jazz.

Learn more about Benny Golson at: www.bennygolson.com

Dave Weckl, percussion

• Inducted into Modern Drummer's Hall of Fame as "one of the 25 best drummers of all time"
• Touring artist with Paul Simon, Madonna, George Benson, Mike Stern, Chick Corea, et al.
• Showcased his cutting-edge style and innovative use of electronic and acoustic drums with Chick Corea's "Electric" and "Akoustic" bands
• Recorded and produced 9 albums as a solo artist
• Offers classes through his Virtual Drummer School

For the last 20 years, Dave Weckl has maintained a reputation amongst his fans and peers as one of the very finest musicians on the contemporary music scene today.

Weckl was born in St. Louis, receiving his first drum set at age eight and developing his playing style by listening to drummers like Buddy Rich, as well as R&B grooves. After a couple of years in college, he became involved in the New York jazz scene, eventually joining a fusion group called Nitesprite, where he attracted the attention of Peter Erskine. It was Peter who recommended Dave for his first 'big gig' in town with a group called French Toast, forerunner to the Michel Camilo band, which has been recorded quite extensively over the years.

In 1985 Michael Brecker suggested that Chick Corea check out Dave for his new Elektric Band, he was forming. That was the beginning of a 7 year relationship with both the Elektric and Akoustic Bands, where 9 recordings and 3 videos were produced, including a Grammy for the initial Akoustic Band release. The Elektric Band showcased Dave's spectacular drumming and innovative use of both electric and acoustic drums, bringing him world-wide recognition.

The Elektric Band, after a 10 year hiatus, has recorded an new CD entitled To the Stars, and has toured off and on throughout 2005. As a solo artist, Dave has recorded and produced 10 of his own recordings to date, most recently Multiplicity, on Stretch/Concord Records.

Besides his busy playing career, Dave is also very involved with the teaching aspect, conducting many seminars, clinics and classes all over the world. He says "It is my goal to inspire as many young (and not so young) people as possible to want to play music, whether it be drums or another instrument. With all the negatives of the world today, I feel this is my way of contributing a positive action towards spiritual happiness, which music can be a big part of, if you let it."

Learn more about Dave at: www.daveweckl.com

Chris Brubeck

• Composer and arranger for the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Aspen Wind Quintette and th Manhattan Choral Festival
• His composition "Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra" aired on 140+ national radio stations
• Currently performs with the Brubeck Brothers Quartet and with Triple Play--an acoustic blues/jazz/folk trio with vocals

Chris Brubeck with Triple Play
Sunday, March 30, 2008, 2:00 p.m.
State Regional Arts Theatre, Eau Claire
(www.eauclairearts.com for details and tickets)

Chris Brubeck first distinguished himself as a jazz musician, performing and recording with his father, the legendary Dave Brubeck. He plays bass, trombone, piano, guitar and sings and, in the past few decades, has earned international acclaim as composer, performer and leader of his own groups. On stage, Chris’ irrepressible enthusiasm is matched by his fluid command of jazz, blues, folk, funk, pop and classical musical styles. As an award-winning composer, he is clearly tuned into the pulse of contemporary music. Now, entering the 21st century, Chris’ natural talents have positioned him to assume a leadership role in the genre-bending renaissance of modern classical music. Noted Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart says, “without putting too much of an onus on Chris Brubeck, we’re always looking for the new Gershwins who can take the sounds in American popular musical culture and integrate them into the context of the orchestra, much the way Gershwin and Bernstein did.” Since 1987, Chris has created an impressive body of symphonic work, while maintaining a demanding touring and recording schedule with his two bands, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet and Triple Play, and with The Dave Brubeck Quartet. Highlights of his compositional achievements in the past two years include two orchestral pieces, commissioned and performed by the illustrious Boston Pops, conducted by Keith Lockhart. In May 2001, the Boston Pops celebrated the Boston Symphony Hall’s 100th Anniversary with the world premiere of Chris’ “Convergence: Concerto for Orchestra,” a debut characterized by The Boston Globe as “a great event, the world premiere of the most ambitious work ever commissioned by the Pops. Christopher Brubeck’s got a hit on his hands, with a long life ahead of it.” 

His second Boston Pops commission, the exciting “Interplay for 3 Violins and Orchestra,” premiered in May 2002, with performances by violinists Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg (classical), Eileen Ivers (Irish) and Regina Carter (jazz). Speaking of "Interplay," the Boston Globe said “Vivaldi couldn’t do it better!”. The concert was broadcast on PBS’ “Evening at Pops” in an episode named “Fiddlers Three” and the program won the 2002 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award with Chris also receiving a Deems Taylor award for best composition for television broadcast.

In 2002, Chris also received glowing reviews for his premiere of “River of Song,” penned for famed mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, and performed in California. One such accolade came from von Stade, who says, “Chris’ wonderful orchestrations and arrangements have proven that his understanding of the classical idiom is extraordinary.” The Norwalk, Connecticut Youth Symphony commissioned Chris to write a piece, “Ascension,”which premiered in 2002, and he ended the year with an invitation to compose a piece for Vision Into Arts’ New York International Pianofest. "There were abundant jazz influences,” writes the New York Times reviewer Anne Midgette, “some of the best is Chris Brubeck’s fine ‘Rêverie d’Ivoire’.”The December festival also featured premieres of new works by Philip Glass, Gyorgy Ligeti, Milton Babbitt and others.

Other recent compositions include a piece entitled “On the Threshold of Liberty,” commissioned by the U.S. Army Field Band and in August, 2003 he premiered “Vignettes for Nonet” for woodwind quintet and jazz quartet. "Vignettes" was commissioned by a consortium consisting of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Bay Chamber Concerts of Rockport, Maine. The St. Paul Pioneer Press called "Vignettes“… a triumphant meeting of two styles.”

In January, 2004 he premiered his “Prague Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra” with the Czech National Orchestra (his second trombone concerto), and in May, 2004 he premiered at Carnegie Hall “CityVisions: Concert Overture for Orchestra”, which was the first annual Skitch Henderson Commission by the New York Pops. Chris has been named Music Alive Composer-in-Residence with the Stockton Symphony Orchestra and will be premiering "Mark Twain's World: A Symphonic Journey with Genuine Thespians" Peter Jaffe, conductor, in Stockton, California on April 7th & 9th, 2005.

Since 1970, Chris has also recorded his original music and toured the world with his own rock, jazz and folk groups. He currently performs and records with The Brubeck Brothers Quartet (BBQ), featuring his brother Dan Brubeck on drums, Mike DeMicco on guitar and a variety of favorite musicians on keyboards, among them, Chuck Lamb and Taylor Eigsti and with Triple Play, an acoustic blues/jazz/folk trio with vocals that includes guitarist Joel Brown and harmonica virtuoso Peter Madcat Ruth. The BBQ’s first CD, Second Nature (Blue Forest), includes several of Chris’ original tunes, a spirited treatment of jazz standards, and favorite Dave Brubeck tunes; Triple Play’s first CD, Triple Play Live (Blue Forest, 2000), reveals Chris’ firm, yet fun-loving, grasp of Americana. Triple Play's second CD, Watching the World, also features many of Chris' original compositions.

And, as has been true since his teenage years, Chris continues to play bass and trombone in The Dave Brubeck Quartet. Over the decades, Chris and his family have recorded dozens of albums together, and in December 2000, he and brothers Dan, Darius and Matthew teamed up with their father for a memorable celebration of Dave’s 80th birthday. The Brubecks performed two concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) at The Barbican Theater, later released on CD as Dave Brubeck – Live with the LSO (LSO, 2001).

The trip to England was a nice reunion for Chris who had earlier recorded "Bach to Brubeck" (Koch International, 2000) with the LSO, conducted by Joel Revzen. The CD features Chris’ “Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra,” which aired on 140+ national radio stations. The score has since been performed by the Boston Pops, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Pops and Chicago Sinfonietta Orchestra, among others.

Chris attended High School at the Interlochen Arts Academy where he was in orchestra 2 hours a day, Big Band Jazz rehearsals three times a week, Concert Band, Small Brass Ensembles and led various student rock-n-roll groups. During his days as a bass trombone performance major at The University of Michigan, Chris led, toured and recorded with his innovative "rock" bands, New Heavenly Blue (with releases on R.C.A. and Atlantic Records) and in 1975 Sky King on Columbia. Sky King was dubbed "thinking man's funk" by one reviewer and the band's Columbia release received 4 stars in Downbeat and reached #11 on the national college radio charts.

The Koch International recording"Bach to Brubeck" featuring Chris, Bill Crofut and Joel Brown as soloists with the London Symphony Orchestra is another reflection of Chris' multiple talents. In addition to creating the orchestral arrangements for the recording, Chris was the soloist in his original composition "Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra." This work is creating a stir in classical music circles, already receiving multiple performances at the International Trombone Festival and with the Boston Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, London Philharmonic Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta and Czech National Orchestra.

In addition to Interplay for 3 Violins and Orchestra; Convergence: Concerto for Orchestra; and Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchesta Chris has composed and arranged for The Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Aspen Wind Quintette and The Manhattan Choral Festival. He has written 3 musicals, choral pieces and hundreds of songs through the years, many of which have been recorded and released over the years.

Learn more about Chris at: www.brubeckmusic.com