The 2010 Brubeck Festival
The 2010 Brubeck Festival was a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Brubeck Institute, featuring alumni of the Institute's educational programs, and a focus on contemporary jazz education in the Academic Symposium.
The 2010 Brubeck Festival began on Thursday, April 8, with presentations and discussions about the use of materials from the Brubeck Collection and the Paul Desmond Papers in scholarship and teaching in the Conservatory of Music. Keith Hatschek, Director of Music Management, was the faculty presenter and the student presenters were Stephen Cross, Christopher Lopez, Bryce McLaughlin, and Randy Sandoli. Shan Sutton, Head of Special Collections in the University Library, was the moderator.
On Thursday evening, the DownBeat award-winning 2007 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet gave the opening performance of the festival to an enthusiastic audience. The 2007 BIJQ members were Brian Chahley, trumpet; Lucas Pino, saxophone; Glenn Zaleski, piano; Chris Smith, bass; and Cory Cox, drums. Their guest artists were Bob Mintzer, saxophone, and Joe Gilman, musical director of the Fellowship Program, on piano. On Friday night, April 9, the DownBeat award-winning 2009 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet gave a great performance in Faye Spanos Concert Hall. The 2009 BIJQ members were Ben Flocks, saxophone; Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, saxophone; Javier Santiago, piano; Zach Brown, bass; and Adam Arruda, drums. Their guest artists were Gilbert Castellanos, trumpet, and Joe Gilman, piano.
The Brubeck Festival Academic Symposium was held in the Recital Hall in two sessions during the day on Saturday, April 10. It featured individual presentations, a panel discussion, and a question and answer session with the guest presenters. The presenters included David Baker, Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at Indiana University; Bart Marantz, Director of Jazz Studies at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, TX; JB Dyas, Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Thelonious Monk Institute for Jazz in Los Angeles; Mary Jo Papich, President of the Jazz Education Network; Chuck Tumlinson, President of the California Jazz Alliance and Director of Jazz Studies at CSU Fullerton; and Harry Schnipper, owner of Blues Alley Jazz Club and jazz education innovator in Washington, DC.
The final festival concert on the Pacific campus was spectacular. The first set was by the 2010 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, with guest artist Christian McBride. Members of the 2010 BIJQ are Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, saxophone; Nick Frenay, trumpet; Noah Kellman, piano; Zach Brown, bass; and Corey Fonville, drums. The second half was by the Yosvany Terry Quartet, with Yosvany Terry on saxophone, Taylor Eigsti on piano, and Brubeck Institute Fellowship Program alumni Joe Sanders on bass and Justin Brown on drums. The audiences all week were thrilled by the extraordinary performances of Institute alumni, both the former Colonists and Fellows, and the alumni artists and clinicians.
The 2010 Brubeck Festival closed on Sunday, April 11 on the Miracle Mile with the annual Jazz on the Mile produced in collaboration with the Miracle Mile Improvement Association. The outdoor event featured the Cesar Chavez High School Jazz Band, the San Joaquin Delta College Jazz Ensemble, the Delta College Monday Night Jazz Band, the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, and the great singer, Claudia Villela.
The 2010 Brubeck Institute Award for Distinguished Achievement was presented to Christian McBride, legendary bassist and the first artistic director of the Brubeck Institute.
The 2010 Brubeck Festival was produced by Steve Anderson, Director of the Brubeck Institute.