The sounds of jazz will soon echo in Tateuchi Hall as CSMA prepares to host our first-ever Jazz Fest. The free three-night event will be held Jan. 21-23 from 5:30-8:30 pm.
No tickets are needed to attend and the public is invited to attend all or part of the events.
Music Classes Manager Judaline Swinkels is excited to showcase the music school’s growing jazz program.
“Jazz Fest showcases our talented students and expert instructors,” Swinkels said. “Attendees will get a glimpse into the dynamic world of jazz that thrives within our school. Everyone can enjoy engaging performances and three nights of free concerts while discovering how they can participate in their own jazz journey at CSMA.”
The event will feature performances from nine CSMA groups, including adult and student ensembles. Here’s the lineup of musicians:
Tuesday, Jan. 21
Combo Name: The 7:00 Trio
Performance Time: 5:30-6:15 pm
Members: Hugh Durdan (drums), Stephen Jones (guitar), Robert Reay (piano)
Description: This group plays classic tunes ranging from bebop-fusion to originals in the classic rhythm section combo of piano, bass, and drums. Coached by Adriano Tecson
Combo Name: Sunday Morning Starlight
Performance Time: 6:30-7:15 pm
Members: Shuyuan Nie (piano) and Wei Gao (trumpet)
Description: This duo group will perform a mix of Great American Songbook standards, bebop tunes, and Bossa Nova. Coached by Michael Echaniz
Combo Name: The Lazy Birds
Performance Time: 7:30-8:15 pm
Members: Jose Villagrana (guitar), Daniel Friberg (not pictured, piano), Roger Strom (electric bass), and Tiem Song (drum set)
Description: This group will perform a mix of Great American Songbook standards, bebop tunes, and Bossa Nova. Coached by Michael Echaniz
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Combo Name: Jazz Standards Ensemble
Performance Time: 5:30-6:15 pm
Members: Nina Friend (guitar), Suhas Gaddam (bass), Brian Pahl (drums), Alexander Sheh (Piano)
Description: This group plays tunes that may be considered some of the “greatest hits” in the Jazz lexicon spread out through different styles and eras. Coached by Adriano Tecson
Combo Name: CSMA Studio Jazz Combo
Performance Time: 6:30-7:15 pm
Members: Nikolai Bush (drums), Siddharth Chidambaram (saxophone, piano), Matthew Gu (saxophone), Ronan Seidel (drums), Henry Mitby (piano), Atish Agarwala (guitar), Dexter Lam (guitar)
Description: They play swing, bop, Latin, and recently some funk jazz. Last summer, they performed at the Community Arts Day. Coached by Greg Mason
Combo Name: The 5:30 Quintet
Performance Time: 7:30-8:15 pm
Members: Hannah Druckman (bass), Randall Hylkema (saxophone), Brian Pahl (drums), Dave Phillips (piano), Brian Troy (guitar)
Description: This group plays a wide range of tunes, from new takes on classics from the 40’s to landmark tunes in the modal and cool eras of jazz. Coached by Adriano Tecson
Thursday, Jan. 23
Combo Name: Tuesday Jazz Lab
Performance Time: 5:30-6:15 pm
Members: Curt Rothert (bass), Daniel Sabsay (piano), Karl Schweighofer (trumpet), Alexander Sheh (drums)
Description: This group plays a wide array of selections, from the Contemporary/Modern era of jazz to bebop and classic ballads. Coached by Adriano Tecson
Combo Name: The Bossa Bosses
Performance Time: 6:30-7:15 pm
Members: Aviv Guz (drums), Manu Kallahalla (drums), Mila Sofie Toedtmann (guitar), Kaylen Ishihara (piano), Maya Abouav (alto sax), Zoen Johnson (bass), Yuval Fridman (piano)
Description: The Bossa Bosses, formerly the teen combo, are all middle school-aged or younger. Coached by Greg Mason
Combo Name: The G-Sharp Jazz Combo
Performance Time: 7:30-8:15 pm
Members: Ryan Thomas (tenor sax), Mike Noble (piano), Aaron D’Souza (drums), Dylan Laucher (bass), Todd Poyner (trumpet), Chris Apard (Bari)
Description: The G Sharp Jazz Combo is a guest ensemble dedicated to celebrating and perpetuating the rich tradition of jazz music. Combo lead: Ryan Thomas
Swinkels shared that while this is the first year for the event, the goal is to host it annually.
“Hopefully, we will continue to grow this event each semester,” she said. “We plan to have a Jazz Fest twice yearly in the fall and spring and to eventually include guest speakers, workshops, and additional performances from outside groups.”
By TaLeiza Calloway-Appleton
