Purdue Jazz Festival 2008 Guest Artists

(details about Purdue Jazz Festival 2009 Guest Artists coming in Fall '08)

Eric Marienthal

After graduating high school in Southern California in 1976, Eric Marienthal went on to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston , Mass. There he studied with the legendary saxophone professor, Joe Viola. By the time he left Berklee, Eric had achieved the highest proficiency rating given by the school.

In 1995, Marienthal was awarded the Berklee Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding achievements in contemporary music. He has since gone on to perform in over 65 different countries, recorded 11 solo CD's and has played on hundreds of records, films, television shows and commercial jingles.

Marienthal started his professional career in 1980 with famed New Orleans trumpeter Al Hirt. After returning to Los Angeles he became a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band. He recorded 6 CD's with Chick's band and two of those CD's were Grammy award winners. Marienthal went on to perform with artists such as Elton John, Barbara Streisand, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Aaron Neville, Johnny Mathis, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, David Benoit, The Rippingtons, The Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band, Patti Austin, Lou Rawls, David Lee Roth, The Yellowjackets, B.B. King, Ramsey Louis, Patti Labelle, Olivia Newton-John, and many others.

Among Marienthal's 11 solo CD's, his latest is entitled Got You Covered , on Peak Records. Six of the songs that he's recorded have made it to the top 10 of the National Contemporary Jazz Radio Charts and two have made it to #1. Marienthal's Oasis CD hit the top 5 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. Shortly after that, Eric was voted as being one of the year's "Favorite Alto Sax Players" in Jazziz Magazine's Reader's Poll along with David Sanborn and Phil Woods.

He has also written 3 instructional books, "Comprehensive Jazz Studies & Exercises," The Ultimate Jazz Play Along" and "The Music Of Eric Marienthal" as well as 3 instructional videos, "Play Sax From Day One," "Modern Sax" and "Tricks Of The Trade," all published by Warner Bros. Publications which is now Alfred Publishing/Belwin Jazz.

Every summer for the past 8 years Marienthal has put on an annual fundraising concert for High Hopes. High Hopes is a non-profit organization in Orange County , California that works with people who have suffered traumatic head injuries. With the help of many guest artists who have donated their time to perform, these concerts to date have raise well over a half million dollars for this charity.

Steve Houghton

An internationally acclaimed jazz drummer, percussionist, clinician, author, and educator, Steve Houghton joined the IU School of Music faculty full-time in 2004 after serving as a visiting faculty member since 2000.

In addition to teaching drumset and rhythm master classes, he manages the jazz combo program, which gives students the opportunity to play one-on-one. He continues to teach at the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles in the summers.

Houghton initially received acclaim at age 20 as the drummer with Woody Herman's Young Thundering Herd. Since then, he has shared stage and studio with luminaries Diana Krall, Toots Thielemans, Freddie Hubbard, Lyle Mays, Billy Childs, Pat LaBarbara, Arturo Sandoval, Joe Henderson, and Maureen McGovern, with whom he tours today.

His discography numbers more than 100 recordings, including: The Manne We Love: Gershwin Revisited , a recent release of John Williams' charts for big band and quintet, initially recorded by Shelly Manne on Capitol in 1965; the Steve Houghton Quintet Live at the Senator ; Windsong ; Remembrances ; and Steve Houghton . As a classical percussionist, Houghton has performed with the Boston and Philadelphia Pops orchestras, as well as with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He frequently appears as a soloist with numerous orchestras and wind ensembles throughout the world.

As an author, Houghton has published more then 20 composite educational tools, including Jazz Director's Guide to the Rhythm Section (Alfred Publications), The Ultimate Drumset Chart Reading Anthology (Alfred), Playing and Teaching Percussion (GIA), and The Drumset Soloist (Warner Bros.). He was recently featured in an article published in the Modern Drummer (2003) entitled, "The Thundering Drummers of Woody Herman."

Jon Faddis

Jon Faddis is a complete and consummate musician -- conductor, composer, and educator. Marked by both intense integrity and humor, Faddis earned accolades from his close friend and mentor John Birks Gillespie, who declared of Faddis: "He's the best ever, including me!"

As a trumpeter, Faddis possesses a virtually unparalleled range and full command of his instrument, making the practically impossible seem effortless.

Time Out New York (2003) praises Faddis as "the world's greatest trumpeter ... brash soloistic logic and breathtaking technical acuity," and Nat Hentoff, in The Wall Street Journal (2005), characterizes Faddis as "a trumpet player of prodigious lyrical force."

Born in 1953, Faddis began playing at age eight, inspired by an appearance by Louis Armstrong on television. Meeting Dizzy Gillespie at 15 proved to be a pivotal beginning of a unique friendship that spanned over three decades. Shortly after his 18th birthday, Faddis joined Lionel Hampton's big band, moving from Oakland , CA to New York . Faddis worked as lead trumpet for the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra at the Village Vanguard, formed his own quartet, and soon began directing big band orchestras, including the Grammy-winning United Nation Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie 70th Birthday Big Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band (1992-2002), and the successor to the CHJB, the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York (2003-present).

The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, which celebrated its 40th anniversary at Columbia College Chicago, named Faddis as its Artistic Director in autumn 2004. Faddis will continue to conduct both the JFJONY and the CJE in the future. Faddis has also served as guest conductor and featured guest with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Faddis' original compositions include the Jazz opera Lulu Noire (1997) (named a "Top 10" pick by USA Today); others may be heard on his Grammy-nominated Remembrances (Chesky 1998), Into the Faddisphere (Epic 1989), and Hornucopia (Epic 1991). Faddis' album, TERANGA (Koch 2006) features new compositions by the trumpeter, joined by members of the Jon Faddis Quartet: David Hazeltine (piano), Kiyoshi Kitagawa (bass), & Dion Parson (drums), together with special guests Alioune Faye (sabor), Abdou Mboup (djembe & talking drum), Russell Malone (guitar), Gary Smulyan (baritone saxophone), Clark Terry (flugelhorn & vocals), and Frank Wess (alto flute).

Jon Faddis remains true to the tradition of honoring mentors who taught him, regularly leading master classes and clinics worldwide, and also teaching as a full-time faculty member at the Conservatory of Music, Purchase College-SUNY (where he is Artist-in-Residence, Professor & Director of Jazz Performance) and as a guest lecturer at Columbia College Chicago.

The Chicago Jazz Ensemble

The Chicago Jazz Ensemble led by Artistic Director, Jon Faddis is recognized internationally as one of American's leading jazz ensembles. Founded in 1965 by distinguished composer and conductor William Russo, the CJE has remained dedicated throughout its history to preserving the innovative tradition of American big band jazz music, performing and reinterpreting the classics of big-band repertoire, while promoting the continuing evolution of the art form by regularly performing and commissioning contemporary works. As a professional jazz ensemble in residence at Columbia College Chicago, the CJE is equally committed to education, building new audiences and fostering the next generation of American talent by training and mentoring young musicians.

Celebrated by critics and audiences alike as one of the nation's foremost jazz bands, the CJE's 21-member professional ensemble comprises an elite group of Chicago jazz musicians, ranging from established stars with national reputations and acclaimed Columbia College Chicago faculty, to the city's brightest young talents. Collectively, the members have performed and collaborated with nearly every major talent in the jazz world of the last 30 years.

The Chicago Jazz Ensemble's American Heritage Jazz Series, presented annually in various Chicago venues has established a reputation for excellence in the Chicagoland area. The series has featured a diverse range of guest artists over the last eight years including Lennie Niehaus, Lonnie Brooks, Bill Dobbins, Joe Lovano, Johnny Frigo, Franz Jackson, Corky Siegel, Orbert Davis, Slide Hampton, Johnny Griffin, Ira Sullivan, Von Freeman, Eric Alexander, Gerald Wilson, Claudia Acuna, Cedar Walton, Dr. Billy Taylor and Dave Valentin-providing local audiences with the opportunity to experience live performances by the leading jazz artists of our time.

Artistic Director Jon Faddis has a 30-year history of performing and collaborating with the world's foremost jazz artists and big bands. He performed with the Lionel Hampton Big Band and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and served as music director for Dizzy Gillespie's GrammyT-award winning United Nation Orchestra, for Dizzy Gillespie's 70th Birthday Big Band, and, after his mentor's passing, Faddis led the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars Big Band. Renowned for his leadership of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Faddis conducted more than 40 concerts in 10 years at Carnegie Hall, featuring over 135 musicians and 70 guest artists. Faddis also leads his own stellar quartet, which will release a CD, Teranga, on Koch Records this spring. In addition to his performance work, Jon Faddis is an award-winning educator with an enduring commitment to the accessible and quality education of young musicians.

The Ron Jones Quartet

Ron Jones, Alto Saxophonist and leader of the Ron Jones Quartet lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Jones and his Quartet tour throughout the Midwest performing at different Universities, Jazz Clubs, and Jazz Festivals. Jones graduated from Florida A & M University cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1980. Jones has worked as a professional musician/teacher since 1980. For 10 years Jones taught at the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camps. He has also taught at the Miami Valley Jazz Camp in Centerville, Ohio. He is also in high demand as a performer and has taken his Quartet to Ohio State, Dayton, Ball State, Purdue, Austin Peay State, Southern Illinois/Carbondale, Middle Tennessee State, Indiana State, Central Michigan, St. Louis, McKendree College, Hope College, Bradley and the Cincinnati Conservatory among others. In 1997 Jones recorded his first CD, A Vision of Beauty which received national airplay and good reviews from Jazziz and Cadence magazines. Jones has also performed with some of the biggest names in jazz - Dianne Reeves, Wycliffe Gordon, Slide Hampton, Bobby Shew, Nat Adderley, James Williams, Rufus Reid, Richard Davis, Jamey Aebersold, Terell Stafford, Wynton, Branford, and Delfeayo  Marsalis, Christian McBride, Jimmy Raney, Donald Brown, Adam Nussbaum, Conrad Herwig, Don Braden, Chris Potter, Hal Galper, David Baker, Bob Hurst, Joe Labarbra, Ed Soph, Ed Thigpen, Jeff Watts, Kenny Kirkland, Richard Groove Holmes, Greg Hutchison, Winard Harper, Jerry Coker, and many others.

Quartet drummer Darryel Cotten performs regularly in the pit orchestras at Derby Dinner Playhouse, Actor’s Theater of Louisville and Music Theater of Louisville. He also performs with Pendulum Orchestra, a 16- piece big band, and Gayle King and Indigo, a small group led by saxophonist Gary Falk. Pianist Rob Allgeyer currently focuses on his own teaching studio in Glendale, Ohio. Besides the Ron Jones Quartet, he leads his own Organ Trio and Quartet and is a member of the Brazilian Jazz group Trio Pi. Bassist Sonny Stephens currently teaches jazz bass at Bellarmine University. He has taught at the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camps and Aebersold publishes a book of Ron Carter bass lines that Stephens transcribed.

Known internationally, the Purdue Jazz Band boasts a long and rich tradition of performing with some of the top artists in jazz today. It travels extensively each year and has twice performed at the Montreux International Jazz Festival in Switzerland with the last time in July 2000. That summer it topped all jazz bands in competition at the Alpine International Jazz Festival in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, and played club gigs in Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. In spring of 1999, the band made a 10-day concert tour to California. It has also been featured at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Montreux-Detroit Festival, the Music Educators National Conference and the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival.

Each January, the Purdue Jazz Band, along with Purdue University Bands, hosts the three-day Purdue Jazz Festival. Among the many guest artists to appear with the Purdue Jazz Band are Bill Watrous, Freddie Hubbard, Howie Smith, Denis DeBlasio, Ed Shaughnessy, Marvin Stamm, Cecil Bridgewater, Gary Burton, Allen Vizzutti, Chris Vadala, Howard Levy, Conrad Herwig, Terell Stafford, Jim Pugh, Ingrid Jensen, Teri Lyne Carrington, James Williams, Bob Mintzer, Michael Philip Mossman, Steve Weist and Bobby Watson.

Dr. Marion T. "Mo" Trout, Assistant Professor of Bands, is in his seventh year as the director of the Purdue Jazz Band and coordinator of Purdue's Jazz Studies Program as well as the Purdue Jazz Festival. His Doctor of Musical Arts degree (Trumpet Performance, 1991) is from the University of North Texas. His master's degree (also from the University of North Texas) is in Music Education, as is his bachelor's degree which is from Texas Christian University.

Prior to coming to Purdue, Trout was an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Amarillo College, Amarillo, Texas. His teaching responsibilities have included trumpet, music theory and music literature.

As a trumpeter, Trout has split his time between the jazz and classical idioms having performed with symphony orchestras in Amarillo, Sacramento, San Antonio, and Ft. Worth and with numerous jazz and popular artists.

In addition to his symphonic, collegiate and university positions, he has also served as the Music Director and Conductor of the Amarillo Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Amarillo Jazz Orchestra. While at Purdue, Trout remains an active clinician, adjudicator, soloist, and guest conductor for jazz bands, concert bands and orchestras throughout the Midwest and Southwest.