Three William Paterson University student groups—the William Paterson University Jazz Orchestra and two other small jazz ensembles—will perform at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola/Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 with sets at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., respectively.
Internationally acclaimed pianist Bill Charlap, director of William Paterson’s Jazz Studies Program, and baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan, a member of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, which began as the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in 1966—will join the WP Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of David Demsey, professor of music and coordinator of jazz studies, for the first set.
The second set will feature two William Paterson University small groups. The Jazz Quintet, directed by Bill Charlap, will perform music of Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh. The Jazz Sextet, directed by Jeremy Pelt, will perform music by James Williams. The ensembles represent three of the 25 jazz groups that are the core of William Paterson’s historic Jazz Studies Program, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023.
The William Paterson University Jazz Studies Program is unique among college programs, with an emphasis on small group playing, improvisation, and a genuine commitment to the jazz tradition. Its artist/teacher faculty is made up of world-class, New York-area professionals. Jazz majors come to William Paterson this year from 19 states and 11 foreign countries and have included numerous international Fulbright Scholars.
For more information, or to make a reservation, visit https://ticketing.jazz.org/16255.
The WP Jazz Orchestra features Bailey Giles, Hampden, Maine, and Aiden Woods, Warwick, NY, alto saxophone; Zachary Serra, Robbinsville, NJ, and Sydney Mecca, Barrington, RI, tenor saxophone; Chelsea McBride, Toronto, Canada, baritone saxophone; Avery Pambianchi, Corning, NY, Nicholas Mikhail, Wayne, NJ, Violet Mujica, Montclair, NJ, Seth Burke, Fairbanks, AK, and Ernest Royeppen, Capetown, South Africa, trumpets; Isla Brownlow, Blue Hill, ME, Richard LaRouech, East Aurora, NY, Matt Mousseau, Brewer, ME, and Rayner Perez, Newark, NJ, trombone; Dave Montgomerie, Freehold, NJ, bass trombone; Leonieke Scheuble, Rockaway, NJ, piano; Zachariah Lambert, Towson, MD, guitar; Clayton Thompson, Sussex, NJ, bass; and Maria Kolesnik, Bronx, NY, drums.
The WP Jazz Quintet features Owen Walter, Farmington, MN, alto saxophone; Bailey Giles, Hampden, ME, tenor saxophone; Ryan Williamson, Hawthorne, NJ, guitar; Evan Wohlrabe, St. Louis, MO, bass; and Cole Johnson, Los Angeles, CA, drums.
The WP Jazz Sextet features Ian Livingston, Shepherdsville, WV, trumpet; Aiden Woods, Warwick, NY, soprano/alto saxophone; Lasse Corson, Minneapolis, MN, piano; Misha Mendelenko, Kyev, Ukraine, guitar; Clayton Thompson, Sussex, NJ, bass; and Jared Spears, St. Louis, MO, drums.
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