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4/21/2004
Contact: K.E. Schwab
-- 724-738-2199; e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu
GRAMMY-WINNING JAZZ
GREAT BOB MINTZER TO PERFORM WITH SRU JAZZ ENSEMBLE
AS PART OF
‘SRU JAZZ FESTIVAL’ FOR HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ
MUSICIANS
SLIPPERY
ROCK, Pa. – Grammy-winning jazz great Bob Mintzer, recognized
worldwide for his tenor and soprano saxophone talent as well as his
musical abilities as composer, arranger and educator, will
highlight Slippery Rock University’s May 1 “Jazz
Festival,” including a public performance with the SRU Jazz
Ensemble 1. The festival will welcome more than 200 high school
musicians from across Pennsylvania for a day of clinics and
workshops.
The
public performance is set for 7:30 p.m. in Miller Auditorium, under
the direction of Stephen Hawk, associate professor of music
and recent recipient of the SRU President’s Award for
Excellence in Teaching. The event, organized by Hawk, will expose
the high school jazz musicians to leading jazz clinicians from
Pennsylvania and Ohio who will offer master classes on all
instruments.
The annual event has
previously presented such jazz luminaries as
RandyBrecker and Rufus Reid. Tickets to
the public concert are $5 and $3.The concert will
include presentation of awards earned during the day’s
competition.
Mintzer
will also offer a public saxophone workshop at 1 p.m., and a clinic
on his life in the music business at
6 p.m. in Swope Music Hall Active in the jazz, pop,
orchestra, Latin, and world music genres, Mintzer says, "I've
always been intrigued by the differences and similarities between
cultures and their respective art forms." As a leader, he has
recorded 11 Big Band CDs for the DMP label with five Grammy
nominations and eight small group jazz CDs for the BMG, OWL, Canyon
and DMP labels. He won a Grammy in 2002 for the Bob Mintzer Big
Band recording “Homage to County Basie.”
The
jazz great is a 10-year member of the contemporary jazz group the
Yellowjackets, which has received numerous Grammy nominations and
is a regular participant at major jazz festivals throughout the
world. He has recorded nine CDs with the band and works with them
for four months each year. He performs with his own big band
periodically and also works with many other bands as well as
serving as a guest conductor and soloist. He also has a working
jazz quartet.
Mintzer
points out the educational scene is vital for keeping the music
alive. He performs at 20 workshops annually and maintains a busy
schedule teaching private saxophone at the Manhattan School of
Music. As a player on more than 300 recordings, Mintzer has also
performed and/or recorded with Buddy Rich, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big
Band, Louie Bellson, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Franks, Take Six,
Bobby McFerrin, Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, George Gruntz, Steve
Winwood, Diana Ross, Queen, the American Saxophone Quartet, New
York Philharmonic, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and Mongo
Santamaria.
Kendor
Music publishes the Bob Mintzer Series big band collection as well
as a saxophone quartet, saxophone method book, and small band
arrangements. Warner Brothers Publications has published three jazz
etudes books by Mintzer, which provide a glimpse at his musical
concepts.
High
school jazz bands participating include:
Seneca Valley I, and
II
North Allegheny I and II
Kiski Valley Area I and II
Mars
Area
West
Miflin
General McLaine
Plymouth-Whitemarsh
PN, PgN, WPN, PR,
PTV
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