FALL 2017

The Brubeck Institute Newsletter | University of the Pacific, Stockton CA | BrubeckInstitute.org

The 2017 Brubeck Festival features a vocalist and an instrumentalist celebrating a great vocalist, both speaking the timeless language of jazz.

The Festival starts on Tuesday, October 24, with a line-up of great regional talent performing nightly at Take 5 Jazz at the Brew. On Friday, October 27, vocalist Rene Marie performs at Faye Spanos Concert Hall, and on Saturday, October 28, violinist Regina Carter performs, also at Faye Spanos, as part of her yearlong “Simply Ella” celebration of the 100th anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald’s birth.

Carter, a recipient of the prestigious McArthur Fellowship, also known as a

“genius grant,” will also teach a workshop on improvisation for string players on Saturday afternoon. The workshop is for middle school through college-aged string players and advanced registration is required.

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For the 15th year, the Brubeck Summer Jazz Colony brought together talented teenaged jazz musicians with dedicated faculty and staff for a week of jazz excellence. For the 4th year in a row, students and faculty from both the UK and Australia were among the participants, reflecting the international reach of jazz.

The Colony was held in Stockton August 6-12, and it featured nightly jam sessions at Take 5 Jazz Club and culminated in an end-of-week concert at Faye Spanos Concert Hall. Former Brubeck Institute Executive Director J.B. Dyas was one of the faculty for the

A Special Week in Jazz: the 2017 Summer Jazz ColonyColony, and former director Simon Rowe came for one of the concerts. Patrick Langham said that having these colleagues and friends on hand was just one of the things that he enjoyed about this year’s event. “I think all of us at the Summer Jazz Colony felt that we were a part of something special.”

For more details on times, places and ticket information for all the 2017 Brubeck Festival events, visit BrubeckInstitute.org.

Clockwise from top left: Guest Artist Helen Sung on piano with colonist Tom Salleo on trombone; Brubeck Institute Directors past and present: Patrick Langham, Simon Rowe, JB Dyas; Guest Artist Donald Brown on bass guitar with colonist Ryan Clark on drums; Coloists Bruce Acosta on guitar, Emma Wilburn on bass and William Chiew on drums.

René Marie

Regina Carter

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Evan AbounassarTrumpet player Evan Abounassar was born and raised in Southern California and has toured Japan and much of the US with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the Grammy Band, and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. He has worked with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Terri Lynn Carrington, Walter Smith III, Antonio Hart and

legendary recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Evan is in his first year as a Brubeck Fellow.Isaiah Collier

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and attended ChiArts High School. With his parents' encouragement, Isaiah began playing the saxophone at age 12. Isaiah participated in the Monk institute for two years and toured with Bobby Watson, Antonio Hart and Kelly Lee Evans. Isaiah is in his second year as a Brubeck Fellow.

Xach WagnerGuitarist Xach Wagner is from Manteca, California. Xach started off playing rock in a kid band around the age of 10, then transitioned into blues when he was 12, and later jazz when he was a freshman in high school. He gained a passion for jazz due to the sophistication and technicality of the art form. His main inspirations consist

of abstract artist Jean Michel Basquiat, saxophonist Joe Henderson, and guitarist Oz Noy. Xach is in his first year as a Brubeck Fellow.Gabe Rupe

Bassist Gabe Rupe is from Lafayette, Colorado. While attending Denver School of the Arts, Gabe found his voice through the Denver Jazz Scene and has played in many venues throughout his home state. Gabe participated in the 2016 Vail Jazz All-Stars, the 2016 Telluride Jazz All-Stars, and the 2017 Jazz Band of

America and was a 2017 YoungArts finalist in Jazz-Double Bass. Gabe is in his first year as a Brubeck Fellow.Maya Stepansky

Drummer Maya Stepansky is from Montclair, New Jersey. Maya began drumming at age 9 with Hillside’s Drums of Thunder nationally-touring precision drum corps, followed by studies at Jazz House Kids, NJPAC, and Litchfield & Juilliard Jazz summer workshops. Awarded full merit scholarships to 2015 NY State Music Festival,

2016 NYU Jazz Workshop, and 2017 Berklee Newport Jazz Festival Institute, Maya was named a 2015 Stanley Kay Scholarship national jazz drums winner and 2017 GRAMMY Jazz Combo drummer. Maya is in her first year as a Brubeck Fellow.

From the Interim Executive Director

Ready to add to your collection of Brubeck Institute recordings? The new CD by the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quartet has just been released, featuring the Fellows from 2015-2016. With original compositions and standards like Nomad, Yes or No, Time after Time, this is a great recording by some of the rising stars in jazz. See the Brubeck Institute website for ordering information.

all in the Brubeck Institute is a busy time. We began the month of August with the Brubeck Colony and ended with the arrival of the new Brubeck Fellows (including the first Fellow from San Joaquin County and the first female drummer!) and the start of classes on campus. In September, the Fellows again have the great honor of playing at the Monterey Jazz Festival, and we’re looking ahead to the Brubeck Festival in October. In the midst of all this activity, I’m very lucky to have a new partner in continuing the mission of the

The Brubeck Institute welcomes Randy Sandoli as the new Assistant Director of the Institute. Randy holds a BA in Jazz Studies from Pacific and a MM in jazz performance from CSU Sacramento and since 2011 has been the Jazz Studies Director at the Zion Academy of Music in Stockton. A pianist and composer, Randy is a regular performer throughout the region. As the Brubeck Institute Assistant Director, Randy is responsible for logistical arrangements for many Brubeck Institute activities as well as serving as a mentor to students in the Fellowship program and overseeing the jam sessions at Take 5. Welcome aboard, Randy!

Brubeck Institute started by Dave and Iola at Pacific almost 20 years ago. This summer Peter Witte joined the University as Dean of the Conservatory of Music, and he has already exhibited insight and appreciation for the musical and social contributions of Dave and Iola, as well as a great enthusiasm for the role the Brubeck Institute has in continuing their legacy. I’m excited to work with Peter on enhancing the partnership of the Institute with the Conservatory. I believe we have some great opportunities, with his leadership, to advance the mission of the Institute, and I look forward to being a part of it!

Institute hires new Assistant Director

Welcome to the 2017-18 Brubeck Fellows

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New Brubeck Institute CD

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Shirley DozierCarole GilbertsonBob Hnath Marlene HnathStuart I. JacobsRon KassLouise Kass

Larry Leasure ’63Ned LeibaScott Liggett ’71Tommie PardueJean Purnell ’02Marion SachsPaul Sachs

Carol SimsTasha Stadtner ’42Stephanie StevensonDenny Stilwell ’88Howard Stokes ’51Marjorie Stokes ’51

HONORARY BOARD The Brubeck Institute would like to thank its Honorary Board members for their generosity and service to the Institute:

Herb AlpertJames R. BancroftDavid BenoitKen BurnsDonald V. DeRosaClint EastwoodClive Gillinson

Ralph Guild ’50Tom HallTim JacksonQuincy D. Jones Jr.Dame Cleo LaineNorman M. LearLarry Leasure ’63

Dennis A. LeVett ’61Ramsey E. Lewis Jr.George LucasYo-Yo MaWynton MarsalisChristian McBrideDoug Ramsey

Hedrick SmithA. Earle WeatherwaxGeorge T. WeinGordon Zuckerman

AMBASSADORS

The Brubeck Institute thanks its volunteer group of Ambassadors for their ongoing support:

Brubeck Fellows Go GlobalOne of the most well-known pieces of Dave Brubeck lore is how he was inspired to write “Blue Rondo à la Turk” based on street music he heard on a 1958 Department of State-sponsored tour. Travel and cultural exchange clearly had a significant impact on Dave, and he and Iola believed in the power of music as an international language to build bridges in the world. In this spirit, the Brubeck Fellows will be travelling to the South American country of Paraguay in March in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The students will assist in building houses and will also engage with local musicians and young children, sharing jazz expertise while learning about the country’s musical traditions. The Fellows will perform an outdoor concert, and they will also have time to explore the tropical country’s landscape and culture.“Dave had such an international focus in his music and his life, both in what he wanted to learn from travels abroad and in how he wanted to share his musical gifts with the world.” said Patrick Langham. “This trip is a great opportunity for the young musicians of the Brubeck Institute to continue that mission.”

Brubeck Institute Presents, another great season!The calendar for the Brubeck Institute Presents series at Take Five Jazz at the Brew has just been announced! Make a note of the following events, and come join us for great live jazz:

October 12 Carmen Bradford with the BIJQ and VoicesOctober 19 Joe Sanders, "Humanity"November 16 Andy Nevala and the BIJQNovember 30 Joe Mazzaferro Group CD Release PartyTake Five at the Brew has many other live jazz performances on the calendar, and the full schedule can be found at BrubeckInstitute.org.

Carmen Bradford 10/12

Joe Mazzaferro 11/30

The Brubeck Institute Artist-in-Residence for the 2017-2018 year is one of the biggest names in jazz: drummer Lewis Nash. Nash was one of the faculty members at the Summer Jazz Colony and will return throughout the year to work with Fellows in the BI as well as Jazz Studies majors in the Conservatory through master classes and performances.In his 40-year musical career, Nash has toured with Betty Carter, Ron Carter, Branford Marsalis, and Sonny Rollins, and others, and he has recorded and performed with artists ranging from Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz to Bette Midler and George Michael. In January, Nash returned to Phoenix, where he was born, to join the Arizona State University School of Music as the Bob and Gretchen Ravenscroft Professor of Practice in Jazz.Patrick Langham said that having Nash as Artist-in-Residence would be more than an opportunity for students to learn from a jazz master. “Lewis brings an insight into not only what it takes to be a leader but the role of the sideman, and how that is just as important and in fact is the path to becoming a great jazz leader.”

Lewis Nash to be Brubeck Institute Artist-in-Residence

Joe Sanders 10/19

Andy Nevala 11/16

Dave Brubeck with one of Sundaram Balachander's children while in India as part of the 1958 Jazz Diplomacy Tour.

CONTACT USPatrick Langham Interim Executive Director

Randy Sandoli Assistant Director

Lewis Nash Artist in Residence

Edward Simon Artist in Residence

Melissa Riley Administrative Assistant 209.946.3196

Holly Stanco Senior Assistant Dean for Advancement 209.946.7441

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2017 Brubeck Festival

Take 5 Shows Oct. 24-27 Valley Brew Co.René Marie and Pacific Jazz Ensemble Oct.27 University of the PacificRegina Carter Workshop Oct. 28 University of the PacificRegina Carter: Simply Ella Oct. 28 University of the Pacific

University of the Pacific 3601 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95211

FESTIVALtwo thousand seventeen

Bassist Joe Sanders (Brubeck Institute 2002-04) has performed and toured throughout 2017 with his ensemble, “Joe Sanders’ Infinity,” and as a sideman with Kendrick Scott Oracle, the Gerald Clayton Trio, and the Ben Wendel Quartet.

Joe also just released his second album as a leader, “Humanity,” which he describes as “a commentary to the constant violence affecting our daily lives and a reminder to treat each other with compassion and love as human beings.”

Joe currently lives in Paris with his wife and son. When not performing in over 18 countries, teaching master classes and private lessons, or touring over 100,000 miles every year, he enjoys writing over a glass of white wine. For more information, visit JoeSandersBass.com.

Pianist Glenn Zaleski (Brubeck Institute 2006-07) recently released his second trio album as a leader, “Fellowship,” on Sunnyside Records. Featuring Dezron Douglas on bass and Craig Weinrib on drums, the album has mostly original music. In fact, Zaleski composed the title track for the occasion of a musical reunion with some of his fellow alumni from the Brubeck Institute.

All About Jazz said in its review of the album, “Glenn Zaleski has quickly become one of the most important pianists of his generation and it’s easy to see why.”

After a summer of tour dates from Dubai to Denmark, Zaleski lives and performs regularly in New York City.

Where are they now? Catching up with Brubeck Institute Alumni