Student
Newman hitting all the right notes
“Every time a school showed interest,” Newman said, “I went to their website. I wanted to see what they offered in their music programs. Most of the schools put little emphasis on jazz. Mostly classical and symphony. Nothing wrong with that. I love all music. But jazz was my thing.” (Read Full Story on Press Democrat)
Faculty
The music department welcomes pianist Ken Cook and trumpeter Dave Scott to its studio adjunct faculty. You can hear Ken and Dave perform on the Faculty Jazz Ensemble concert in Weill Hall on Thursday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15, $12 and $10. For information call 707-664-2353.
Cook, who teaches jazz piano, studied at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, and received a master of music degree in jazz performance – piano from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has over 25 years of experience performing with jazz, blues, Latin, Brazilian, soul and funk bands. Ken has recorded with Michelle Willson (Evil Gal Blues), Bullseye Blues (Cool Christmas Tunes) and guitarist Bruce McLeod’s quartet.
Scott received a bachelor of music degree in instrumental music education from the University of Michigan and a master of music in trumpet performance from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. He studied trumpet with Armando Ghitalla of the Boston Symphony orchestra. Currently a faculty member at The JazzSchool in Berkeley, Scott is active as a trumpeter, pianist, jazz teacher, lecturer and trumpet teacher in jazz and classical styles.
Teaching upright and electric bass at SSU, Cliff Hugo brings a breadth of playing, touring and recording experience to the music department – from Ray Charles to Supertramp, Carl Verheyen and the Beach Boys.
To get the flavor of funk’s distinctive beat, think about James Brown singing “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” “The main premise that I want to get across,” Hugo says, “is that jazz in its purest sense is a process and not a style.” While jazz includes things like swing, R&B, and funk, the process goes beyond knowing the style to actually communicating through it. For the piano, bass and rhythm players, the art of “comping” a soloist means composing, arranging and orchestrating – in real time – their parts relative to the soloist. “Taking an idea and putting it through your own muse – that’s been going on for thousands of years.”
Catch Cliff Hugo: Jazz in the Style of Funk at the Jazz Forum at SSU Wednesday, September 26 at 1 p.m. in GMC 1029 and again on Nov. 8 when he performs with the Faculty Jazz Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. in Weill Hall.
Alumni
SSU Jazz Alums Get Five Stars in Downbeat Review
Two former students of jazz faculty Randy Vincent and George Marsh are members of the highly acclaimed group, Zooid, whose latest CD just received a rare five-star review in Downbeat magazine.
The album is Tomorrow Sunny/The Revelry, a project of cutting-edge jazz composer Henry Threadgill, and features guitarist Liberty Ellman and drummer Elliot Humberto Kavee.
The London-born Ellman, recipient of the 2011 Downbeat Critics Poll for Rising Star Guitar, lived his earliest years in New York but spent his adolescence and most of his 20s in the Bay Area, emerging with a bachelor of arts degree in Music from SSU.
Before moving to New York, Elliot Humberto Kavee was the drummer of choice among the Bay Area’s most gifted creative musicians, playing on over 40 critically acclaimed recordings. In addition, Kavee was a musician, composer, musical director, actor and writer with the Tony award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe for seven years — the only musical director in the group’s 40-year history to win a dramalogue award.
The other members of Zooid are Threadgill on alto sax and flute, Jose Davila on trombone and tuba, Stomu Takeishi on bass guitar and cellist Christopher Hoffman. The Downbeat review by is not yet available online but the album has received accolades from The New York Times and AllAboutJazz.com, among others.