On Tuesday April 8th The Jazztet will be returning once again to The Front Room in Baker Center. For this performance we’ll be welcoming percussionist Roger Braun on vibes. Roger is Director of Percussion Studies at Ohio University and has performed with many well-known and diverse artists including Keiko Abe, Lyle Mays, Kathleen Battle, Billy Taylor, Bob Mintzer, and Ghanaian master xylophonist Bernard Woma. Probably best known locally with his work with Los Viejos Blanquitos, Roger is also a founding member of Biakuye, an African music and dance ensemble and a member of the New World Percussion Duo.

On Tuesday March 11 The Jazztet will be back performing at The Front Room in Baker Center. This week we’ll have all of the regular members of the group back on the stand, and we’ll also be welcoming one of Ernie’s improv students, violinist Laura Geier for a few tunes.

In other news, we are happy to announce that our monthly gig at the Front Room has been extended into Spring Quarter. You can see all of the dates (including one Monday show) on the Upcoming Gigs page. Also, a new recoding of “Afluencia” (featuring guests Kris Keith on flute and Roger Braun on percussion) has been added to the Listen In page.

The Jazztet performs at The Front Room on the second Tuesday of every month and welcomes special musical guests at each performance. Joining us on Tuesday February 12 will be bassist Doug Richeson and saxophonist Jay Miglia.

Bassist Doug Richeson has toured and performed with such well known artists as: Tony Bennett, the Count Basie Orchestra, the Phil Collins Big Band with Quincy Jones, Gene Bertoncini, Bucky Pizzarelli, Frank Vignola, Jimmy Heath, Jack Jones, Sammy Nestico and many more. In addition, he has appeared on three GRAMMY- winning recordings by Tony Bennett, has recorded for movie and television soundtracks, and has performed several times at the White House for the President of the United States. Also a respected teacher, Richeson was the bass Instructor at Capital University Conservatory of Music from 1987 through 1993 and was a guest clinician at the American School of Double Bass in the Summers of 1999 and 2006. He is currently teaching string and electric bass at Denison University School of Music.

Saxophonist Jay Miglia has backed-up numerous jazz and popular music celebrities including the Four Tops, the Temptations, Mel Torme, Clark Terry, Henry Butler and Dianne Reeves, and continues to perform regularly around the Midwest in jazz settings from small groups to big bands. In addition to his performing schedule, Miglia has achieved success as a jazz composer and arranger. His works for big band have been requested, commissioned, and programmed by many colleges around the United States. As a teacher of music, he has held teaching positions in saxophone and jazz studies at the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and the Toledo School for the Arts, and he is currently on the faculties of Ohio Northern University and Capital University.

On February 2nd, (the previously listed Feb.1 performance has been cancelled) the Jazztet is slated to play Athens Jazz & Blues Festival with special guest Mark Pender, trumpet player for Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

Trumpet player Mark Pender has performed and toured with artists such as Jay McShann, Ella Fitzgerald, Charles Earland, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Diana Ross, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Bruce Springsteen, and has recorded with David Bowie, Joe Cocker, Bon Jovi, They Might Be Giants, and Robert Cray.

After the jump you can read the press release for the Athens Jazz & Blues Festival.

Continue reading 'Athens Jazz & Blues Festival February 2 2008'

The Jazztet performs at The Front Room on the second Tuesday of every month and welcomes special musical guests at each performance. Coming up on Tuesday January 8 we will be joined by woodwind virtuoso Kristopher Keith.

For over a decade, Kris has made a name for himself in the local Columbus, Ohio music scene. His reputation for being a strong woodwind doubler and his ability to perform musical styles from jazz to classical, from Cuban to Brazilian, from rock to funk, etc. has kept him in high demand as a sideman and session player. It should be a fun night, don’t miss it!