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 The Jazz Ambassadors is the United States Army’s premier touring big band. This 19-member ensemble, formed in 1969, has received great acclaim both at home and abroad performing America’s original art form, jazz. Concerts by the Jazz Ambassadors are designed to entertain all types of audiences. Custom compositions and arrangements highlight the group’s creative talent and gifted soloists. Their diverse repertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, and patriotic selections.
The band has appeared in all fifty states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and throughout Europe. Notable performances include concerts at international jazz festivals in Montreux, Switzerland; Newport, Rhode Island; Toronto, Canada; Brussels, Belgium; and the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands. In 1995, the Jazz Ambassadors performed in England, Wales, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II. The band has also been featured in unique collaborations with major orchestras, including the Detroit and Baltimore symphonies.
During a joint performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Marvin Hamlisch declared, “I can’t think of better ambassadors for our country.” The United States Congress has proclaimed jazz “a national treasure.” Wherever they travel, the Jazz Ambassadors proudly carry the message of patriotism and goodwill to audiences worldwide.
 Bob is a trumpet and flugelhorn player whose performances are especially notable for his lyrical style and fine tone. His harmonically oriented improvisations shift between aggressive and cool playing. Recently released on the Jazzed Media label is the critically acclaimed CD recording Live at the Jazz Showcase, by the Bob Lark /Phil Woods Quintet. This follows the success of the Jazzed Media CD recordings Suggestions, by Bob Lark and Friends, and In Her Eyes, by the Bob Lark/Phil Woods Quintet, a group which includes prominent jazz artists Jim McNeely, Steve Gilmore and Bill Goodwin. Bob’s playing and writing are also featured on the compact disc recordings Until You (2003) and First Steps (1997) on the Hallway label. He is an exclusive Yamaha Performing Artist.
Lark serves as the Director of Jazz Studies at DePaul University in Chicago, IL, where he directs the university Jazz Ensemble and the Phil Woods Ensemble, teaches jazz trumpet and courses in jazz pedagogy and jazz style. Under his direction the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble has produced several Outstanding Performance Awards from the Jazz Educators Journal, Down Beat and Jazz Times magazines, and has recorded albums with legendary jazz artists Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Louie Bellson, Bob Brookmeyer, Tom Harrell, Jim McNeely, Frank Wess, Slide Hampton, Bobby Shew, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra members
Charles Vernon and John Bruce Yeh.
Lark is an active clinician, soloist and guest conductor, and is the past-president of the Illinois Unit of the International Association for Jazz Education, has chaired the International Trumpet Guild jazz improvisation competition, served as the host for the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition, and throughout the 1990’s directed the Midwest
GRAMMY High School Jazz Band. He holds a Master’s and Doctor of Musical Arts degree
in performance from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Ohio State University.
 Eddie Daniels is that rarest of rare musicians who is not only equally at home in both jazz and classical music, but excels at both with breathtaking virtuosity.
Daniels first came to the attention of the jazz audience as a tenor saxophonist with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra. When Thad and Mel first organized their band in 1966 to play Monday nights at the Village Vanguard in New York (where it still plays), Daniels was one of the first musicians they called. Later that year, he sank $400 in a round-trip flight to Vienna to enter the International Competition for Modern Jazz, a contest organized by the pianist Fredrich Gulda and sponsored by the city of Vienna, and won first prize on saxophone. He continued working with Thad and Mel over the next several years and toured Europe extensively with them.
A single clarinet solo recorded with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis orchestra, “Live at the Village Vanguard” garnered sufficient attention for him to win Downbeat Magazine’s International Critics New Star on Clarinet Award. This conversion to clarinet was not new, for Eddie began clarinet at age 13 and received his Masters in Clarinet from Juilliard. Winning numerous Grammy awards and nominations, Eddie Daniels revolutionized the blend of jazz and classical.
Eddie Daniels is clearly a renaissance musician, a virtuoso in both jazz and classical music, recipient of unreserved accolades from his peers, from critics, and from the public. Eddie’s overriding ambition is to reach as many people as possible with his music, to enlarge the audience for both jazz and classical music and at the same time to tear down the walls separating them. In Eddie's hands, the music of Mozart can be as engaging as that of Charlie Parker and a concert featuring both can be a uniquely rewarding experience for the audience
 Always a versatile and brilliant bassist, Dave Holland has, during the past 20 years, also been a significant bandleader. Born in England in 1946, he began playing bass when he was 10, switching to the electric bass at 13 and the acoustic bass soon afterwards. Holland studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for three years.
He was noticed in 1967 when he worked regularly in the house band at Ronnie Scott’s. Although Holland mostly played straightahead jazz at that club, he was also part of the London avant-garde jazz scene, working with John Stevens and the Spontaneous Music Ensemble. In 1968 he succeeded Ron Carter in the Miles Davis Quintet, playing opposite Herbie Hancock (and then Chick Corea) and Tony Williams (who was replaced by Jack DeJohnette).
Holland stayed with Davis for two years, appearing on half of Filles de Kilimanjaro, switching to electric bass and playing on In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. He next joined the avant-garde quartet Circle with Corea, Anthony Braxton and Barry Altschul. Holland then began a longtime association with the ECM label, for which he recorded Conference of the Birds, his first album as a leader, in 1972. Holland continued working as a sideman in a variety of settings, including projects with Sam Rivers, Braxton, Stan Getz, the Gateway Trio (which included John Abercrombie and DeJohnette), Joe Lovano, Gary Burton, Jim Hall and many other all-stars.
Since the 1980s, Holland has led a series of quintets that, along the way, have included such players as Kenny Wheeler, Julian Priester, Steve Coleman, Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson, Chris Potter and others. In addition, during the past decade he has occasionally led the Dave Holland Big Band, essentially his quintet plus eight additional horn players, recording for his own Dare2 label and interpreting his original compositions.
 Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1949, Mark comes from a musical background, as his father was a professional musician (drummer) who played with Benny Goodman for a time in the ‘40’s. At the age of eight, Mark was given a clarinet and lessons with a wonderful teacher by the name of Bill Schlagel, who emphasized the importance of proper technique and reading. At age eleven, Mark took the next step in his evolution, saxophone, and thus began his life-long love affair. Immersed in the sounds of the big bands enjoyed by his father, intrigued by the more modern sounds of bebop, cool and hard-bop records his sister played around the house, his dedication to pursuing a life in music was cemented.
In 1962, his family moved to Miami, Florida, where he began playing professionally at age 14. On Miami Beach, he had the opportunity to play shows and popular acts, including Tony Bennett, Sonny and Cher, Bill Cosby, Ann-Margret and Sammy Davis, Jr., with seasoned musicians. He was for many years the youngest guy on the bandstand, all the while pursing his desire to play all styles of jazz. As a high school student, he studied with James Casale (co-author of Patterns for Jazz with Jerry Coker.)
After high school, Mark attended the University of Miami, enrolling in Jerry Coker’s Jazz Studies program. Studying with Jerry and pianist Vince Maggio had a profound effect on him, as did sitting in with Ira Sullivan since the age of 15. These master musicians provided him inspiration and encouragement, as well as invaluable education in the jazz idiom. Mark was fortunate to have had the incredible experience of working with legendary baritone sax player Gerry Mulligan while he was artist in residence.
While in college, he recorded with the likes of Dr. John, Wilson Pickett, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, and the Bee Gees. During this time, he assembled a jazz group with keyboardist Ron Miller, and excellent player and composer. Early members of that group included Mark Egan (bass) and Danny Gottlieb (drums.) After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies, he received a call from Maynard Ferguson inviting him to join his band in New York.
After three albums and three years touring as featured soloist and musical director with Maynard, Bob James beckoned, and he became of member of the “James gang.” Bob signed Mark to Columbia Records, beginning his solo recording career. “Serpentine Fire” and “One Good Turn” both sold very well, while he toured for the next six years as a featured member of Bob James’ band. Mark’s tours with Maynard and Bob found him playing jazz festivals and concert halls around the world.
In 1980, Mark moved to Chicago, with its very active music scene. Mark was immediately participating in a recording market that was exploding. Jingles, record dates, and jazz gigs were plentiful. In 1983, he was approached by DePaul University to assume a teaching position as jazz saxophone instructor. Twenty-five years later, he’s still there, and in 1998 joined the faculty at Elmhurst College. In the ensuing years, he has played and toured with such varied luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Jaco Pastorius, Mose Allison, Joe Williams and Charlie Haden.
Currently he is performing as a guest soloist and clinician/adjudicator at high schools and colleges throughout the United States and Europe, representing Selmer Saxophones and Vandoren reeds. In 2001, he performed Duke Ellington’s version of “The Nutcracker Suite” with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and in 2008 performed Leonard Bernstein’s “Prelude, Fugue and Riffs.” In 1999, Hallway Records released “Reunion” (with Vince Maggio) followed by “Tenor Reference” in 2002, to glowing reviews and appreciative audiences. His last release on Hallway Records was a tribute to Stan Getz entitled Speaking of Stan, which was released in 2006 and went to #3 on the jazz radio charts. In 2007-8, he appeared at the Chicago, Evanston, Naperville and Glen Ellyn Jazz Festivals. Mark appears in a cameo with Diana Krall in the Johnny Depp movie “Public Enemies,” released in July 2009.
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 April 2005 the Purdue Jazz Band was invited to participate in the North Texas Jazz Festival. In February 2008 it was invited to perform in Naples, FL, and in May 2008 it made a two-week tour of Italy. Each February the band competes at the Elmhurst Jazz Festival in the Chicago area.
Each January, 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, Bobby Watson, Claudio Roditi, Dave Samuels, Eric Marienthal, Steve Houghton, Gary Smulyan, and Ryan Cohan.
Director of Purdue Jazz Band and Festival Coordinator
Dr. Marion T. “Mo” Trout, Assistant Professor of Bands, has been the director of the Purdue Jazz Band and coordinator of Purdue’s Jazz Studies Program as well as the Purdue Jazz Festival since 1996. 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.
Trout performs as a free-lance trumpeter in jazz and classical settings throughout Indiana and leads his own popular jazz quintet. Trout has directed All-State Jazz Bands in Indiana and Oklahoma, and is an active clinician, adjudicator, soloist and guest conductor for jazz bands, concert bands and orchestras throughout the Midwest and Southwest.
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