Archive for the ‘An Educational Music Dep't/Jazz Studiezz Institution Presentation’ Category

~~ TERRIFIC TV SPOT ON Tenorist KEITH OXMAN Presentin’ NEA JAZZ MASTER CURTIS FULLER In DENVER: http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=137021 !! ~~

~~ FRI APRIL 9TH ~~ 8:30 am – 7:30 pm ~~ Evening Concert 6:30 pm ~~ Ninth Annual Jazz Celebration at Metro State ~~ Kenneth King Academic and Performing Arts Center ~~ “Jazz, Art and Education in the Heart of Downtown Denver” ~~ The Jazz Celebration ~~ It is our pleasure to invite you to the Ninth Annual Jazz Celebration at Metro State.  This event, held in the beautiful Kenneth King Academic and Performing Arts Center, brings together hundreds of young musicians to celebrate “Jazz, Art and Education in the Heart of Downtown Denver.”  Special guests include renowned international artists: Clarinetist/Composer/Arranger and Perennial Downbeat Poll winner, Don Byron and Legendary Educator/Conductor, Dr. Gene Aitken ~~

·           500 Music Students

·           30 Choral and Instrumental Jazz Ensembles

·           Music vendors

·           On-Stage Clinics/Critiques

·           Afternoon activities and evening concert performance featuring guest artists, Metro State Faculty, Big Band and Jazz Choir

·           Lectures and Master Classes by Dr. Gene Aitken and Don Byron

·          For more information call the Jazz Celebration hotline at 303-556-8666.

Evening Concert

The evening concert will begin at 6:30 pm in the King Center Concert Hall.  Tonight’s featured guests will include Dr. Gene Aitken, Don Byron, the MSCD Faculty Jazz Ensemble, the MSCD Big Band (directed by Ron Miles), and MSCD Vocal Jazz Ensemble (directed by Steve Meininger).  Tickets ($10, general; $8, seniors; $5, students) are available at the King Center Box Office: 303-556-2296 ~~

Guest Artists

Dr. Gene Aitken, composer, educator and conductor received the United States top jazz education honor by being awarded the 2007 Jazz Educator of the Year by DownBeat magazine and the seventh inductee into the DownBeat Magazine Jazz Educator Hall of Fame, joining Dr. David Baker, Lawrence Berk, Bunky Green, Gary Burton, Jamey Aebersold, and George Russell.

For almost two decades, Don Byron has been a singular voice in an astounding range of musical contexts, exploring widely divergent traditions while continually striving for what he calls “a sound above genre.” As clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and social critic, he redefines every genre of music he plays, be it classical, salsa, hip-hop, funk, rhythm & blues, klezmer, or any jazz style from swing and bop to cutting-edge downtown improvisation ~~. FMI:  Metropolitan State College of Denver, Department of Music, PO Box 173362, Campus Box 58, Denver, CO 80217-3362 ~~ Tel: 303-556-3180 / Fax: 303-556-2714 /www.mscd.edu/music ~~  Contact: Charla Bevan-Jones / Tel: 303-556-3970 / bevan@mscd.edu ~~.

~~ FRI APRIL 2ND ~~ Special Concert Event featuring The Bobby Broom (Guitarist For Sonny Rollins) Trio and The UC Denver Jazz Guitar Faculty (with Drew Morell[b] & Todd Reid[d] ) & UCD Guitar Faculty featuring Sean McGowan, Paul Musso, Dan Schwindt & Dave Devine @ The King Center Concert Hall, UC Denver, Auraria Campus ~~ HitTime: 7:30PM ~~ $12 General Admission ~~ Validated Parking in the Tivoli Lot: http://www.ahec.edu/parking/ParkingMap2009.pdf ~~ For more information please call 303-352-3934 or email sean.mcgowan@ucdenver.edu ~~ FYI: Afternoon Clinics Open To The Public FREE Admission ~~ 1) Bobby Broom Jazz Guitar Workshop 1-2:30pm KC 120 (King Center Dance Studio) AND 2) Jazz Guitar Workshop with Sean McGowan and Paul Musso 3-4pm KC 120 (Dance Studio) ~~ FMMI: Dr. Sean C. McGowan, Assistant Professor, Department of Music & Entertainment Industry Studies, University of Colorado Denver, Arts Building, Suite 274 C ~~ Campus Box 162, Denver CO 80217-3364 ~~ P: (303) 352-3934 ~~ F: (303) 556-2335 ~~ E: sean.mcgowan@ucdenver.edu ~~ www.ahec.edu ~~.

TUEZZ APRIL 6TH ~~ Greetings, CWA (Conference On World Affairs)Fans! ~~ Have you seen the schedule yet?  It’s online now at www.colorado.edu/cwa ~~ The printed schedule will be in an insert in the Camera on Sunday, March 28. And there’s a pdf on the website that you can print, too ~~ I know many of you have been waiting to hear details about how the jazz concert ticketing is going to work this year ~~ Next week we will be posting instructions to this list about how to order electronic tickets online for just that event (none of the other events will require tickets).  We hope to post those instructions on Monday, March 29, and the plan is to have the tickets available online on Tuesday, March 30.  We thought it best to wait until people are back from spring break to issue tickets ~~ The jazz concert is still free, of course, but there will be a $1 service charge for each ticket.  This is a processing fee to cover the electronic ticketing company’s expenses, not money that will go to the  CWA.  You will need a credit card to pay the $1 fee.  You will be able to select one or two specific seats.  We hope that you will find this electronic ticketing for specific seats to be more practical and pleasant than the previous routine (waiting in long lines for general admission) ~~ If you are a CWA sponsor/donor of $1000 or above, are an active CWA committee member, or if you will be housing a CWA participant this year, please do not order tickets online.  The CWA office staff will contact you under separate cover to arrange to give you your pre-printed tickets ~~ Also, if you received this message, you are DEFINITELY on the CWA Fans e-list.  We’d be grateful  if you would not send multiple requests to subscribe to the fans e-list, as the subscription process is not automatic and takes staff time–and only generates an error message since multiple subscriptions are not allowed ~~ We’ve also had some questions about the Uninterruptus and Interruptus.  AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD will be shown on Sunday at 4 p.m. in Muenzinger Auditorium on 35mm, free of charge, sponsored by the International Film Series (thank you, Pablo!).  We don’t expect any of the CWA participants to speak at the Uninterruptus.  The Interruptus with Roger Ebert and various other participants (Werner Herzog, Ramin Bahrani, Jim Emerson and Julia Sweeney–see schedule for which days) will be Monday through Thursday in Macky Auditorium at 4PM ~~ And don’t miss the keynote on “Rethinking American Power,” which will be delivered by Colonel Ike Wilson.  He’s a fascinating speaker ~~ Can’t wait to see all of you in two weeks! ~~ Ms. Maura Clare, Director of Public Affairs, Conference on World Affairs, University of Colorado 465 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0465 ~~ 303.492.8611 ~~ 303.492.3934 ~~ www.colorado.edu/cwa ~~ CWA@colorado.edu.

~~ SUN MARCH 28TH ~ COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE JOINED BY SPECIAL GUESTS MARK FORD AND THE COLORADO ALL-STAR HIGH SCHOOL PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE ~~ Fort Collins, CO ~~ The Colorado State University School of the Arts presents the CSU Percussion Ensemble joined by special guests Mark Ford and the Colorado All-Star High School Percussion Ensemble, for a matinee concert on Sunday, March 28, 3 p.m. in the Griffin Concert Hall at the University Center of the Arts, 1400 Remington St., Ft. Collins, CO 80524 ~~ Tickets are $12 for the public, $7 for Colorado State students, and $1 for youth ages 2 to 17. Tickets are available at the new University Center for the Arts (UCA) Ticket Office in the UCA Griffin Lobby, by phone at 970-491-ARTS (2787), or online at www.CSUArtsTickets.com ~~ Featuring composer and leading percussion educator Mark Ford, and an eclectic mix of percussion instruments, the program includes Head Talk, performed by the Colorado All-Star High School Percussion Ensemble; Stone Wave for six percussionists by Rolf Wallin; Stubernic, by Ford, and Concertino for seven percussionists and solo marimba, featuring Ford ~~ The Colorado All-Star High School Percussion Ensemble was selected based on recommendations by high school band directors across the state. Students were nominated based on being the best percussionist(s) at their respective school and invited to participate at this special event ~~ About Mark Ford ~~ Mark Ford is the coordinator of percussion activities at The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas and a Past-President of the Percussive Arts Society. He is a marimba specialist and the coordinator of one of the largest percussion programs in the United States at UNT. Ford is an active performer on the marimba and he has been featured throughout the United States at universities and music conferences. He also regularly performs at International Music Festivals in South America, Asia, Australia and Europe ~~ With several marimba and percussion CDs to his credit, Mark’s recordings have further established his dedication to excellence in music. Ford’s solo marimba CDs, Motion Beyond and Polaris, have received outstanding reviews including The Instrumentalist which stated Ford’s performance is “superb and his compositional style is equally outstanding.” Mark has also recorded two DVDs and a CD with Japanese virtuoso marimbist Keiko Abe and the UNT Wind Symphony ~~ As a composer Mark Ford has written several popular works for solo marimba and percussion ensemble including Head Talk, Polaris, Kingdom Lore Fanfare, Stubernic, Afta-Stuba!, Heads Up! and The Surface of Life. His compositions have been performed at universities and concert halls throughout the world and also featured on National Public Radio. Ford is also the author of Marimba: Technique Through Music, a four-mallet marimba method book published by Innovative Percussion, Inc. Mark’s latest composition, Marimba Heritage is a mallet ensemble showcase. The work is built on motives of numerous marimba solos and is designed to honor the tradition of solo marimba performance ~~ Ford has been recognized as a leading percussion educator and his UNT Percussion Ensemble was selected as a winner in the 2009 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition. Mark Ford proudly represents Dynasty Percussion, The Zildjian Company, Evans Drum Heads, Latin Percussion and Innovative Percussion Inc. as performing artist and clinician ~~ For a full performance and event calendar, more information, and to sign up for a free event e-newsletter, visit www.CSUSchooloftheArts.com ~~ The School of the Arts at Colorado State University provides an enriched venue in which the study and practice of Art, Dance, Music and Theatre are nurtured and sustained by building the skills and knowledge needed by future generations of arts professionals to become contributors to the essential vitality of our culture and society. For more information, visit www.CSUSchooloftheArts.com ~~ FMI: Jennifer Clary, Colorado State University, Director of Marketing, School of the Arts ~~ Jennifer.Clary@colostate.edu ~~ Phone. 970.491.3603 ~~ Web. http://www.CSUSchooloftheArts.com ~~ Address. 1778 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO  80523-1778 ~~ School of the Arts ~~ Art w Music w Theatre w Dance ~~

~~ SAT MARCH 20TH ~~ Citywide Jazz ~ Denver Public Schools ~~ The Citywide Jazz Choir (Celeste Delgado-Pelton, Conductor); The Citywide Jazz Band (Lynn Baker, Conductor); & The CEC Jazz Combo (Ron Jolly, Conductor) @ The Mercury Cafe (aka The Merc), 2199 California St., Denver, CO 80205 ~~ HitTime; 4:00PM ~~ FMI: www.mercurycafe.com OR 3.3.294.9281 ~~.

~~ THURZZ APRIL 1ST ~ Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour at Macky Auditorium, CU Boulder ~~

CU-Boulder’s Artist Series invites you to experience guitarist/composer Lee Ritenour and pianist/composer Dave Grusin performing pieces from their Grammy-nominated album Amparo Thursday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Macky Auditorium.

Combining jazz and classical music, Amparo also fuses the duo’s Latin and folk influences. The two put their unique stamp on music by composers including Ravel, Handel, Albinoni, Jobim and Fauré with the help of CU-Boulder’s University Orchestra and conductor Gary Lewis. The second half of the program features music from Grusin’s award-winning film scores.

A free pre-concert conversation with CU-Boulder jazz studies professor Brad Goode will be held at 6:45 p.m. in Macky 102.

Ticket Information

Single tickets for this event are $12 to $52 with discounts for members of the CU community, seniors, youth and groups. Call the CU Presents Box Office at 303-492-8008 or visit http://www.cupresents.org for information or tickets for this performance.

Dave Grusin

Dave Grusin has worked in the music profession since the late 1950s, as an arranger, pianist, composer, and record producer. Born in Littleton, Colorado, and educated at the University of Colorado at Boulder, he holds honorary doctoral degrees from CU and from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Grusin has written more than 60 film scores, including The Graduate, Tootsie, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Firm, Havana, Heaven Can Wait, and On Golden Pond. He has received eight Academy Award nominations, and he won an Oscar in 1988 for The Milagro Bean Field War. Most recently, he scored Recount for HBO. Grusin’s life as a recording artist and producer has resulted in 10 Grammy awards and numerous nominations, including one for Two Worlds in 2002, and another for Amparo in 2008. These two classical projects with guitarist Lee Ritenour feature performances by Renée Fleming, Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham, Chris Botti, and James Taylor, among others. He has also arranged for and/or performed with such artists as Quincy Jones, Gerry Mulligan, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Arnold Steinhardt, Bobby Macferrin, Peggy Lee, Patti Austin, Diana Krall, Grover Washington Jr., Earl Klugh, Arturo Sandoval, Clark Terry, Sergio Mendes, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Andy Williams, and Paul Simon. From 1976 to 1995, Grusin and Larry Rosen owned GRP records. Together they are also cofounders of the National Foundation for Jazz Education, a philanthropic group dedicated to helping young jazz musicians. In addition to his career in music, Grusin is a rancher and a dedicated environmental activist. He has been a frequent participant in the Annual Conference on World Affairs held in Boulder.

Lee Ritenour

Growing up in L.A. in the 60’s, Grammy award winning guitarist Lee Ritenour received a rich cross section of exposure to jazz, rock and Brazilian music. From one of his first sessions at 16 with the Mamas and Papas to accompanying Lena Horne and Tony Bennett at 18, his forty year eclectic and storied career is highlighted by a Grammy Award win for his 1986 collaboration with Dave Grusin, Harlequin; 17 Grammy nominations; numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. He has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs, notably the Top 15 hit “Is It You,” which has become a contemporary jazz radio classic. In the 90s, Ritenour was a founding member of Fourplay, the most successful band in contemporary jazz, with keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason. The first Fourplay album in 1991 spent an unprecedented 33 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart. Adding to this legacy is his latest CD Smoke ‘n’ Mirrors; the recently completed Grammy nominated recording Amparo, (a follow-up with Dave Grusin to their highly-successful 2001 Grammy Award nominated contemporary classical crossover CD) and producer of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band’s latest CD Act Your Age (nominated for 3 Grammys).

About the Artist Series

The Artist Series, now in its 73rd season, has a rich tradition of bringing the finest performers in the world to Boulder’s Macky Auditorium. Recent performers on the series have included Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Hilary Hahn, and Arturo Sandoval. In addition to serving audiences with an exciting variety of performances, the Artist Series has an important educational mission, including outreach events planned in conjunction with almost every concert. The Artist Series is part of CU Presents which is hosted by the University of Colorado at Boulder College of Music ~~ FMI: cwa-students@colorado.edu OR cwafans@colorado.edu ~~~~.

CU-Boulder’s Artist Series invites you to experience guitarist/composer Lee Ritenour and pianist/composer Dave Grusin performing pieces from their Grammy-nominated album Amparo Thursday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Macky Auditorium ~~ Combining jazz and classical music, Amparo also fuses the duo’s Latin and folk influences. The two put their unique stamp on music by composers including Ravel, Handel, Albinoni, Jobim and Fauré with the help of CU-Boulder’s University Orchestra and conductor Gary Lewis. The second half of the program features music from Grusin’s award-winning film scores ~~ A free pre-concert conversation with CU-Boulder jazz studies professor Brad Goode will be held at 6:45 p.m. in Macky 102 ~~ Ticket Information ~~ Single tickets for this event are $12 to $52 with discounts for members of the CU community, seniors, youth and groups. Call the CU Presents Box Office at 303-492-8008 or visit http://www.cupresents.org for information or tickets for this performance ~~ Dave Grusin ~~ Dave Grusin has worked in the music profession since the late 1950s, as an arranger, pianist, composer, and record producer. Born in Littleton, Colorado, and educated at the University of Colorado at Boulder, he holds honorary doctoral degrees from CU and from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Grusin has written more than 60 film scores, including The Graduate, Tootsie, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Firm, Havana, Heaven Can Wait, and On Golden Pond. He has received eight Academy Award nominations, and he won an Oscar in 1988 for The Milagro Bean Field War. Most recently, he scored Recount for HBO. Grusin’s life as a recording artist and producer has resulted in 10 Grammy awards and numerous nominations, including one for Two Worlds in 2002, and another for Amparo in 2008. These two classical projects with guitarist Lee Ritenour feature performances by Renée Fleming, Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham, Chris Botti, and James Taylor, among others. He has also arranged for and/or performed with such artists as Quincy Jones, Gerry Mulligan, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Arnold Steinhardt, Bobby Macferrin, Peggy Lee, Patti Austin, Diana Krall, Grover Washington Jr., Earl Klugh, Arturo Sandoval, Clark Terry, Sergio Mendes, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Andy Williams, and Paul Simon. From 1976 to 1995, Grusin and Larry Rosen owned GRP records. Together they are also cofounders of the National Foundation for Jazz Education, a philanthropic group dedicated to helping young jazz musicians. In addition to his career in music, Grusin is a rancher and a dedicated environmental activist. He has been a frequent participant in the Annual Conference on World Affairs held in Boulder ~~ Lee Ritenour ~~ Growing up in L.A. in the 60’s, Grammy award winning guitarist Lee Ritenour received a rich cross section of exposure to jazz, rock and Brazilian music. From one of his first sessions at 16 with the Mamas and Papas to accompanying Lena Horne and Tony Bennett at 18, his forty year eclectic and storied career is highlighted by a Grammy Award win for his 1986 collaboration with Dave Grusin, Harlequin; 17 Grammy nominations; numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. He has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs, notably the Top 15 hit “Is It You,” which has become a contemporary jazz radio classic. In the 90s, Ritenour was a founding member of Fourplay, the most successful band in contemporary jazz, with keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason. The first Fourplay album in 1991 spent an unprecedented 33 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart. Adding to this legacy is his latest CD Smoke ‘n’ Mirrors; the recently completed Grammy nominated recording Amparo, (a follow-up with Dave Grusin to their highly-successful 2001 Grammy Award nominated contemporary classical crossover CD) and producer of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band’s latest CD Act Your Age (nominated for 3 Grammys) ~~ About the Artist Series ~~ The Artist Series, now in its 73rd season, has a rich tradition of bringing the finest performers in the world to Boulder’s Macky Auditorium. Recent performers on the series have included Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Hilary Hahn, and Arturo Sandoval. In addition to serving audiences with an exciting variety of performances, the Artist Series has an important educational mission, including outreach events planned in conjunction with almost every concert. The Artist Series is part of CU Presents which is hosted by the University of Colorado at Boulder College of Music ~~ FMI: Maura Clare,  Director of Public Affairs, Conference on World Affairs, University of Colorado, 465 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0465 ~~ 303.492.8611 ~~ 303.492.3934 ~~ ww.colorado.edu/cwa~~.

~~ THURZZ APRIL 15TH ~~ Jazz Vocalist SUNNY WILKINSON With THE KEN WALKER QUARTET Starrin’ Peter Sommer(ts)(Eric Gunnison(p), Ken Walker(b), & Paul Romaine(d) Presented By The Cache La Poudre Middle School Music Department In Collaboration With The Rocky Mountain HS Music Department ~~Attention all jazz fans ~~ PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDARS ~~ A CONCERT YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS ~~ The CLP Middle School Music Department in collaboration with the RMHS Music Department would like to announce this year’s Artist in Residence, jazz vocalist SUNNY WILKINSON (Michigan State University) with THE KEN WALKER QUARTET (Eric Gunnison – piano, Ken Walker – bass, Paul Romaine – drums and Peter Sommer, tenor sax.) The concert will take place on April 15, 2010, 7pm (Doors open @ 6:30pm) at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, Colorado ~~ Cache La Poudre Middle School Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Rocky Mountain High School “Spotlight” will open this evening’s performance ~~ Tickets will go on sale at the Lincoln Center Box Office on March 2, 2010 for only $10 each ~~ 1-970-221-6730 (box office) or http://www.lctix.com ~~ Box Office is open Tuesday – Saturday from 12:00pm-6pm. (Closed on Sunday’s and Monday’s) ~~ Lincoln Center Box Office is located at 417 W. Magnolia, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521 ~~ Sunny Bio… Inventive and flexible, Sunny Wilkinson (Michigan State University) is a mischievous vocal stylist who loves to toy with rhythm and tonal color. Her wide range, marvelous intonation, effortless agility, and passion for what she sings make her a one-of-a-kind artist. As the daughter of a Methodist minister, Sunny grew up singing in church.  In Minnesota, where the school-band tradition was very strong, Sunny started playing trombone in the fourth grade and continued into college, where she played and sang in a “Blood, Sweat, and Tears” style band.  She also played and sang in the jazz band at Arizona State University, where she was majoring in Choral Education.  It was there that she had her first exposure to jazz music and has been hooked ever since.  After graduating from college, Sunny moved to Los Angeles to pursue her singing career.  She spent fifteen years there as a session singer, teacher, performer, and jazz recording artist.  After meeting her future husband at a jazz convention in Washington, DC, Sunny moved to Okemos, Michigan, in January of 1993 to be with her husband, Dr. Ron Newman, where she continues her music career. In January of 2008 Sunny released her latest CD, a duo project featuring Los Angeles based pianist Tom Garvin entitled A Gentle Time – When Sunny Meets Tom. On the Chase Music Group label, this disc is an intimate excursion through the art of the duo, highlighting Sunny and Tom’s 30-year musical relationship. Sunny’s big-band CD on Chartmaker Jazz is called Sunny Wilkinson “High Wire.”  It is a bold project of arresting big-band selections that celebrates Sunny’s soaring, swooping vocals in a lush setting of challenging and well-executed musical arrangements. Throughout “High Wire,” Sunny takes effortless flight in excellent musical company.  Whether scatting, hugging the lines with the horn section, improvising freely, or caressing each melody with her own brand of passionate, personal intensity, Sunny shows herself to be the consummate professional.  On this release, Sunny swoops, growls, and scats her way through the Chick Corea title cut, taken as a jazz waltz. She has never sounded better.  The CD also includes the familiar standardsExactly Like You, Thelonious Monk’s Straight, No Chaser, and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Agua De Beber.  Sunny’s warm vocals and the contrasting arranging styles of Newman, the angular modernist, and Argersinger, the classic swinger, makes this CD exciting, fresh, and rewarding to listen to. While living in Los Angeles, Sunny fell in love with eclectic styles of music. This is reflected in her 1993 release on Positive Music Records, Sunny Wilkinson.  Each tune chosen or written by Sunny has a very personal reason for being on the CD.  For instance, the lyric for Now They’re Gone, written by Sunny and Roger Treece, was inspired by her son’s love of dinosaurs.  The stylistic range of the CD demonstrates her pure, unadulterated jazz ability as well as her love for contemporary and Brazilian music.  In her own words, “I’m thrilled with this CD.  The songs, the incredible musicians, and Michael Shapiro’s production have come together to make magic.” In September 1992, Sunny recorded a live version of the Thelonious Monk/Cootie Williams standard, Round Midnight, with full orchestra, for Honda of Japan.  This national television-ad campaign for the Honda Prelude was released as a single CD by Hibrite Records of Japan. In October of 1989, Sunny had the good fortune to record her debut CD, Alegria, for Hibrite records of Japan.  StixHooper, the diverse and talented drummer of the Jazz Crusaders, produced this project, with such stellar players as John Patitucci and Ernie Watts adding their special touch to make this a very memorable record.  Swing Journal heralded its arrival on the charts at number five in Japan. Her performance credits are impressive, having sung with The Count Basie Band, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Mark Murphy, Milt Hinton, Kenny Wheeler, Clark Terry, Bill Watrous, Curtis Fuller, and Edgar Winter, among others.  A busy travel schedule has her doing clinics and performances at university and school jazz festivals as well as jazz clubs across the United States ~~ FMI: http://www.sunnywilkinson.com ~~ FMMI: Tony Gezzi ~~ Director of Bands/Choirs ~~ Cache La Poudre Middle School ~~ 3515 W. Cty. Rd. 54G ~~ Laporte, Colorado 80535 ~~ (970) 488-7445 ~~ agezzi@psdschools.org ~~ Thank you Bohemian Foundation for Supporting Music and the Artist in Residence Program in PSD ~~