Acclaimed as “a virtuoso saxophonist" (Beverly Hills National Auditions), and a “magician showing off his tricks" (www.austin360.com), Dr. Andrew Harrison has emerged as one of today’s most unique and engaging musicians, leading him to perform hundreds of concerts throughout the United States and Europe as a chamber musician and soloist. He has placed in numerous prestigious competitions, including the Frances Walton Competition, the U.S. “Pershing’s Own” Collegiate Concerto Competition, and most recently the Berliner International Competition. Dr. Harrison has been featured with numerous ensembles, including the Downey Symphony Orchestra, Music Academy of the West Orchestra, Cal Poly Pomona and La Sierra University Wind Ensembles, and the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble, and his playing has been described as "spectacular" (LA Opus) with a sound that is "broad and rich" (The Instrumentalist).    

An advocate for contemporary saxophone music, Dr. Harrison has premiered over 30 new works by emerging and preeminent composers including Joel Love, Jules Pegram, Jim Stephenson, and Jennifer Higdon, among others, which range from solo works to large ensemble premieres. He has also recorded on several acclaimed albums, including Shadow of Sirius (GRAMMY Nomination, 2016) and Places in the West with with the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Over the Rainbow and Bach Again with the TexSax Saxophone Ensemble, and has released In the City: New Works for Saxophone Quartet under his own label. 

As an educator, Dr. Harrison is a frequent presenter of masterclasses and clinics at numerous high schools, universities, and conferences around the country, including the North American Saxophone Alliance, Texas Music Educators Association,  and Denison Tutti Festival, along with Residencies at Websters University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Franklin College, among others. His students have been accepted to numerous prestigious schools and organizations, including Cal State Fullerton, University of the Pacific, USC, UT Austin, University of North Texas, the Pacific Symphony Youth Ensemble, and the Riverside Philharmonic.

Currently, Dr. Harrison serves on the faculty of Mt. San Antonio College, Cerritos College, and the French Conservatory of Music, and previously served as the Saxophone Mentor Artist at the Colburn School. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, and a Masters degree from the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music, and his teachers have included legendary saxophonist Harvey Pittel, and LA Philharmonic Saxophonists Jim Rotter and Douglas Masek. He is the Co-Founder of the Uproar Duo with acclaimed pianist Clare Longendyke, and is an Endorsing Artist with Eastman Winds.

Keith Kelly is a Phoenix-based woodwind specialist and composer who works primarily in improvisation-based music. Much of his original works live somewhere between the spheres of jazz, ambient, and indie-rock. As a leader, he directs the Composers/Improvisers Big Band, the jazz-rock-improvisation unit Ask Not, and is regularly seen at The Lost Leaf, Phoenix’s hub of creative music. Keith performs often with Crossing 32nd St, and throughout the Western/Southwestern United States at a variety of new music concerts - including the Outsounds Music Festival (CA), In the Flow (CA), Oh My Ears (AZ), and at The Roost (NM).

His close cadre of musical companions include: vibraphonists/percussionists Brett Reed and Nathan Hubbard; woodwind players Eric Rasmussen, Adam Roberts, and Josh Bennett; percussionist Ryan Anthony; bassist Ben Hedquist; synth-maniac Tony Obr; guitarist Mike Sawitzke; and pianist Ashley Oakley. Equally at home in the realm of popular music, he has recorded with EELS, Dispatch, Califone, Michael Krassner, and Max Knouse. His recorded music is available through both Edgetone Records and his own label EX(P)HX.

Dr. Kelly holds degrees from the Conservatory of Music at University of the Pacific and Arizona State University. Since 2012, he has served as the Coordinator of Music Humanities and Performance at Paradise Valley Community College.

Here is what Keith Kelly says about the Eastman 52^nd Street Tenor Saxophone"

"I’ve played a vintage horn, ever since I picked up the tenor saxophone.  I had found that modern horns lacked the power, the range of tone color, and the overall ‘umph’ that I loved so much about playing vintage horns.  The Eastman 52nd St Tenor Saxophone was a revelation to me – a modern horn, with all the precision key-work and attention to detail, coupled with the overall sound and feel of a vintage saxophone.  When I first played my Eastman with the musicians who know me and my music best, they raved about how I 'sounded more like myself' and how much 'clearer and focused' my sound became.  I feel so lucky to be able to play this horn every day and to share this hybrid of 'vintage and modern' with my students and other professionals."

Chris Schmidt is currently the conductor for the Louisville Youth Orchestra Horizons Brass Choir and he also is the instructor of low brass at Indiana University Southeast. He has been a low brass instructor in the Louisville KY Metro Area since 2008. There have been several of his ensembles that have performed at major conferences including the IUS Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble at the 2023 International Euphonium-Tuba Festival, the Youth Performing Arts School Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble at the ITEA Midwest Regional Tuba-Euphonium Conference in 2022, and the Oldham County High School Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble was selected to perform at the 2013 and 2021 KMEA Conference. Several of his private students from various local high schools have earned placements in the Kentucky and Indiana All State Bands as well as National Honor Bands including the John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band.

Mr. Schmidt attended the University of Louisville and earned a degree of Master of Music Performance with an emphasis in Wind Ensemble Conducting in May of 2010. While at U of L he studied conducting with Dr. Fred Speck and tuba with Mr. John Jones. Mr. Schmidt was also a guest tuba soloist with the University Concert Band when he performed The Fantasia for Tuba and Band by James Curnow under the direction of Dr. Greg Byrne. Prior to his time at Louisville Mr. Schmidt attended Morehead State University where he held the position of Principal Tuba in the MSU Symphony Band and earned two degrees, a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education. Mr. Schmidt was the chapter president of the International Tuba Euphonium Association. He was also awarded placements on the MSU Dean’s List, the KY Intercollegiate Band, the CBDNA Southern Division Intercollegiate Band, and the Lexington Brass Band. His primary teachers at MSU included euphonium virtuoso Dr. Earle Louder and tuba professor Dr. Stacy Baker as well as wind band conducting lessons with Dr. Richard Miles. After graduating from MSU, Mr. Schmidt taught instrumental music for eight years before beginning a freelance music career which has included solo recitals at the International Euphonium Tuba Festival in 2023 and several appearances as a guest soloist with wind ensembles and brass bands around the Louisville, KY Metro Area.

Mr. Schmidt’s business CP Schmidt Music, LLC operates out of Louisville, KY where he operates a studio with sixty private students and creates marching band drill designs and music arrangements for several high school and college band programs. He also serves as an adjudicator for marching band contests, concert band, and solo and ensemble festivals. Mr. Schmidt also performs with Chamber Winds Louisville, the Derby City Brass Band and the Indiana University Southeast Band and Orchestra.

Phillip Whack is a native of Columbia, SC.  It was there that he was a product of his environment and grew up hearing the likes of Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, Earth, Wind and Fire, The Doobie Bros, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Louie Armstrong, Grover Washington Jr, James Brown, and many others in the family household.  By constantly absorbing all of this music, it would prove to have a profound influence in his interest in music.
 
He went on to continue his studies at Brevard College in Brevard, NC, where he studied saxophone and clarinet with Dr.David Kirby and Dr. Jon Gudmundson.  As he honed his skills in college, he began his true quest in music.  Although Phillip was initially a classically trained musician, he started to get submerged in the recordings by artist such as John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Freddie Hubbard, Kirk Whalum, Weather Report, Tower of Power, etc.  Those and many other recordings would change his life and direction in music forever.
 
As a professional, Phillip has gone on to  record or share the stage with the likes of The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Maceo Parker, Clarence Clemons, Fantasia, Fred Wesley, Wycliffe Gordon, Tom Browne, Lenny Kravitz, Branford Marsalis, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ojays, Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review, and many others.  He's performed in 48 states, Asia, Europe, Canada,  and Africa.  Here is what he has to say about his Eastman 52nd Street tenor saxophone.  "Eastman Saxophones have everything that a saxophonist would want..They play well in all registers from top to bottom...They allow the player to be extremely flexible and with great intonation and pitch...And most of all, they allow you to sound like you"

Kadeem Chambers was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Decatur, Georgia. Chambers started his musical career as a trumpet player at the tender age of 9. At 12 years old, Chambers began to play the tuba, and became a fan of the instrument just after 3 months of learning how to play. During this short period, Chambers became a member of the district IV Honor Band, which enhanced his musical career. He was also a member of the GMEA All State Band for two consecutive years. For Chambers, being apart of an elite musical group was an honor, because he was among some of the best musicians in the state of Georgia. Throughout Chambers’ high school career, he proceeded to work with some of the most influential musicians and conductors which helped shape his musical craft. Musical influencers such as James Seda, Samuel Rowley, Nicholas Thomas, Gabriel Arnold, Natalie Brown, and Bernard Flythe, helped Chambers become a member of the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony for 4 consecutive years. These mentors also helped Chambers become a member of the University of Georgia’s JanFest Honor Band program, while allowing him to continue his membership in the GMEA All State Band for an additional 3 years. Because of Chamber’s successful mentorship, he was able to become a member of the Music For All National Honor Band of America during his senior year which motivated him to do more.

Kadeem Chambers attended Kennesaw State University, where he majored in Music Education, with a concentration in Music Performance. With the help of his instructor, Bernard Flythe, Chambers created many opportunities for himself while at the University. During his musical career, Chambers worked with many influential conductors and some of the best tuba professionals, including: David Kehler, Micheal Alexander, Micheal Moore, Tom Bough, Thomas Cremer, Mallory Thompson, Paul Dickenson, Nathaniel Parker, Scott Stewart, Col. Graham, Alan Baer, Samuel Hazo, and many others.

Mr. Chambers has also engaged in the entertainment side of music as well, through spectacular performances using his instrumental skills. Chambers is a featured musician on Mariah Carey’s album, “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” on the track, “Up Out My Face”. Chambers also performed for the Atlanta Dream during for their halftime show, played for Google’s National Tech Convention, appeared on Peachtree TVs show, “Drumroll: SWD”, performed as a musician on BETs, “The Quad”, performed as a musician on VH1s, “Drumline 2”, performed at Dolly Parton’s theme park “Dollywood” for their summertime celebration, and was a performer for the Dolly Pardon’s parade, while also being featured on the talk show “The View”. Mr. Chambers is also a Grammy Award Winner for his involvement as a tubist at

Beyoncé’s historic Coachella Performance and has also served as a musician on Drumline Live, where he tours across the nation to perform shows on a yearly basis.

Mr. Chambers currently works with the Atlanta Hawks as a Tubist for their band, the ATLBOOM where he is entering their second season. Mr. Chambers also works as a Brass Coach for Middle/High School students getting ready for various competitions and/or college preparations and is a student at Georgia State University where he plans to finish his degree in Music Education. He teaches individual lessons for students preparing for All State and college auditions to help expand their musical talents. Kadeem Chambers is very involved in his community by being a proud member of multiple organizations such as: Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Georgia Millennial Educators, National Association For Music Educators, Georgia Association of Educators, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America Incorporated.

Most artists who put a “Doc” in their name do it out of cleverness, for marketing reasons, or as a crafty way to express their mastery of their instrument or vibe. Since the release of his 2003 debut Saxappeal, Phillip “Doc” Martin has all that down pat, wowing audiences everywhere from Blues Alley in D.C. to the St. Lucia Jazz Festival and the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival and earning inspiring amounts of airplay (including on XM Watercolors and The Weather Channel) for tracks like “Deep Pockets” and the title track from his 2009 set Realization. His latest Innervision Records release Pocket Love further establishes this powerful expertise via his dynamic flow and tight, funky old school driven alto vibe.

While many independent artists with cool, successful “day jobs” prefer to avoid references to them when they talk about their music, Martin is the complete opposite, fully embracing the inspirational factor of being a top notch practitioner in two very different professions. Beyond his ever-expanding musical fan base, hundreds of patients in the Washington DC area know him as “Dr. Martin,” a board certified dentist in group practice there. He called his previous album Good Day At Work (2013) to reflect his artful balance between the rigours of life as a dentist and the sometimes exhilarating, often challenging grind of being an independent artist and performer. One of the insert photos in the packaging of Pocket Love finds him enjoying the best of both worlds, embracing his treasured alto while wearing his green scrubs and cap.

 “My first love was always playing the sax, and I continue to strive to be the best sounding alto player you’ve ever heard. If it’s unheard of that a saxophone artist also wants to be the best dentist you’ve ever gone to, that’s a testament to the hard work I have put in so that I may enjoy these two amazing careers. In both worlds, success comes from working with incredible, dedicated people and developing inspiring, enduring relationships.

https://www.phillipdocmartin.com/

Mr. Allen has 25 years of experience in performing professionally and teaching saxophone to pre-college, undergraduate and graduate level students. In addition to teaching at Texas Women’s University as Adjunct Professor of Saxophone, Mr. Allen is currently the Director of Instrumental Studies /Professor of Saxophone at Brookhaven College in Dallas. Mr. Allen’s saxophone students have gone on to win, placed high or been named as a finalist both state-wide and nationally in such competitions as the Texas All-State Bands, North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Solo and Chamber Competitions at NASA Biennial Conferences, MTNA Solo and Chamber Competitions, Fischoff Chamber Competition and other solo and chamber contests.

Mr. Allen has performed extensively with the East Texas, Mesquite, Garland, Las Colinas, Waco and the Dallas symphony orchestras – as well as the Texas Women’s University Wind Symphony, TAMU-Commerce Wind Ensemble, Richardson Community Band and the Camerata Woodwind Quintet. Mr. Allen has been a tenured member of the Dallas Winds (Formerly known as the Dallas Wind Symphony) since 1992 and has performed on 14 internationally released recordings with the group on both alto and tenor saxophones. Mr. Allen was a performer/composer/arranger for the Larry “T Byrd” Gordon Band for four years, performing music of various styles including rock and roll, jazz, country, and rhythm and blues. Mr. Allen is an active clinician and adjudicator state-wide. His professional organization affiliations include the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Community College Band Directors Association (TCCBDA), Kappa Kappa Psi and Pi Kappa Lambda. Mr. Allen received his Bachelor and Master degrees from Baylor University, where he was a student of Dr. Michael Jacobson.

Dr. Benjamin Vasko resides in Boston, where he is the Adjunct Instructor of Tuba/Euphonium at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, having recently finished a one-year appointment at Valdosta State University as Lecturer of Tuba and Euphonium and principal tubist of the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra. During the summer, Dr. Vasko is a brass instructor with the 20-time DCI World Champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He is also on the faculty of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, where he gives lessons, coaches chamber music, and teaches orchestral/band repertoire classes.

Dr. Vasko holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas and a Master of Music degree from the University of Georgia, both in Tuba Performance. His primary teachers have been Sam Pilafian, Charles Villarrubia, and David Zerkel. He completed his doctorate at Boston University under BSO tubist Mike Roylance. Dr. Vasko’s dissertation is an exploration of the benefits that collaborative learning have on student wellbeing and musicianship in collegiate tuba/euphonium ensemble.

Fluent in many styles of music, Dr. Vasko has performed with groups such as the Hot Tamale Brass Band, Urban Achievers Brass Band, South Coast Brass Band, 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra, and FunkCake, and for events hosted by companies like Dell, Captain Morgan, and The Chive. His playing and arranging can be heard in commercials for companies like Ford and State Farm.

Dr. Vasko has performed with groups throughout the US and Mexico, most recently having finished a tour to New York City to perform in Carnegie Hall with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Other recent engagements include the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular with the Boston Pops and the recording of an upcoming album of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s music with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. He has also performed with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, the Albany Symphony Orchestra (GA), Orquesta Sinfonico de la UACJ, Symphony Augusta, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Festival Orchestra.

Benjamin Vasko is an Eastman Performing Artist.

Sousaphonist, Producer, Composer, Educator & Entrepreneur hailing from Mobile, AL, taking on new feets high and low with his beautiful raw brass Eastman Sousaphone. Play in bands such as 5 MILE BRASS, a funky hip-hop brass band Brett started in 2019. Brett n' Butter, a country comedy band lead by Brett with vocals and tuba lead lines. Brett has also performed along side bands/ artist such as Trombone Shorty, Soul Rebels, Eddie Roberts, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and the late Charlie Daniels. Brett also loves creating and exploring anything to do with horns, especially tuba. He has composed published works under his own distribution ranging from solo tuba & piano, quartet, and even tuba w/ electronics. Brett also owns a music school in downtown Mobile called Mobtown Music, where him and his staff can teach any instrument you would like to learn online or in person. His education consist on 2 years at William Carey University & 3 years at University of Mobile, ending during the pandemic with an associates in music business and education. Brett will always strive to find what is next for the horn, as of now he hasn't found a boundary for what tuba can't do.

David is a Peruvian saxophonist, educator, director of ensembles and big band with more than 20 years as an active musician. He has participated in various Peruvian music and jazz festivals in Peru, Brazil, USA, Canada, Portugal, Spain and Belgium with the following performing groups: Cimarrones, David Cabrejos Sextet, Vanguardia Perú Big Band, Bareto, Modulated Attitude, and Los Calypsos. He is also an artist for the Brazilian brand Barkley Brasil saxophone mouthpieces.

He has shared the stage with musicians such as Eric Marienthal, Lenny Pickett, Andy Montañés, Adam Rappa, Tony Succar, Oscar Stagnaro, among others. David conducts “Vanguardia Perú Big Band," a jazz ensemble with nearly 10 years of experience made up of the most outstanding musicians from the Lima jazz scene, playing a repertoire of Peruvian music fused with jazz.

In the field of education, he conducts the "Tempo Big Band" at the Tempo Music School, where he is currently a professor of Pop and Blues ensembles at the San Ignacio de Loyola University (USIL) and teaches saxophone privately.

David will present his first album with his Peruvian jazz sextet in June 2023.

http://www.bobmintzer.com/

Cory Hungerford is recently retired from the United States Marine Corps after 20 years of service. His final assignment was serving as the Director of Chamber Ensembles and Staff Arranger with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band. Cory performed nationwide as musical director and sousaphonist with the band’s acclaimed Brass Band. In addition, he directed an initiative resulting in an exponentially increased presence on Marine Corps social media platforms.

Cory is the former Brass Branch Head in the Instrumental Division at the Naval School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition to these responsibilities, Cory was also the tuba instructor, faculty brass quintet leader, and taught chamber ensemble classes including brass quintet and brass band. He was also selected as the Instructor of the Year at the Naval School of Music.

As a guest artist and clinician, Cory has performed in over 30 countries working with international military bands and students of all levels. His notable achievements include leading the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band in the Royal Military Edinburgh Tattoo located in Edinburgh, Scotland; performing at national conferences including the U.S. Army Tuba Euphonium Workshop, International Euphonium Tuba Conference, and the Texas Music Educators Association Annual Conference.

Cory now resides in Murrieta, California where he is an active freelance musician and educator. He holds a degree in music from Thomas Edison State University and is dedicated to the education and enrichment of his students. Besides all things musical, Cory is an ardent whiskey and beer enthusiast. He also enjoys the challenge CrossFit presents to counteract the negative effects of his first hobby!

Cory Hungerford is proud to be an Eastman artist.

Dr. Thomas Lukowicz is an accomplished musician with a diverse career in performance, education, and the marching arts. He is the Associate Professor of Low Brass at the University of North Alabama, Tuba-Artist Faculty at the Tennessee Valley Music Festival, and Principal Tuba of the Canton Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of New York.

Dr. Lukowicz has performed with many top orchestras in the United States, including the Columbus Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, and Pittsburgh Symphony Brass. He has also recorded numerous CDs with the Chamber Orchestra of New York and can be heard on the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass recording “A Song of Christmas.”

He is also a passionate educator and has been on faculty at Wright State University, Kent State University, and Notre Dame College. Additionally, he served as an instructor at Carnegie Mellon University and the Oberlin Conservatory. He has led masterclasses, performed guest recitals at universities nationwide, and presented or performed at numerous Midwest, Southeast, Northeast, and International Tuba Euphonium Conferences. He has also served on faculty at the Roger Bobo Festival of Brass and the 2023 International Euphonium Tuba Festival. His students have gone on to win positions at the Seattle Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Shoals Symphony, and competitions at the regional and National levels.

Dr. Lukowicz is also an accomplished marching arts performer and educator. He has been a brass staff member at Music City, the Santa Clara Vanguard, Blue Knights, and Phantom Regiment drum and bugle corps.He also served on the music staff of the RCC Marching Tigers and the Spirit of America Band. He was a judge for the Pennsylvania Federation of Contest Judges, working championship shows for circuits in Pennsylvania and Michigan. He was a member of the Concord Blue Devils from 1997 to 1999, From 2001-2002, he was a performer with the North American touring cast of Blast!.

He earned his doctorate at Michigan State University, where he served as the Teaching Assistant for the studio. Dr. Lukowicz is the only brass musician to have earned an Artist Diploma from Carnegie Mellon University. Additional studies include the University of Southern California (MM), and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BM).

Harvey Pittel is an award winning and internationally acclaimed classical saxophonist who has performed as a soloist with many of the world’s greatest orchestras and has recorded extensively as a soloist and with ensembles including his own saxophone quartet. He is the Professor of Saxophone at The University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music.

http://www.harveypittel.com/

Dr. David Humphreys is Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Western Kentucky University, a position he has held since 2021. Prior to WKU, Dr. Humphreys taught at Texas Woman’s University, Texas Wesleyan University, and the University of North Texas. He previously held teaching positions at McKinney ISD (McKinney, TX), Edmond Memorial High School (Edmond, OK), Putnam City High School (Oklahoma City, OK), and El Sistema Oklahoma.

Dr. Humphreys has won multiple regional Tuba Euphonium Conference solo competitions on both tuba and euphonium. He has been invited to perform at several competitions and festivals including the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival; the Eastman Tuba Academy; the Buffet Crampon Tuba Euphonium Academy; various Regional Tuba Euphonium Conferences; and the International Tuba Euphonium Conference (ITEC).

As a chamber musician, Dr. Humphreys is acting principal tuba of the Owensboro (KY) Symphony and is a frequent guest with Orchestra Kentucky (Bowling Green). He is a member of the Western Kentucky University Faculty Brass Quintet and also is a member of the Boulevard Brass Quintet. He was previously principal E-flat tuba for the Dallas Brass Band. He is a founding member of the Juggernaut Tuba Euphonium Quartet, and the Frontier Brass Band (OK). He has performed with the Oklahoma City University faculty brass quintet and the University of Oklahoma faculty brass quintet. Additionally, he has performed with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas.

Dr. Humphreys has degrees in instrumental music education (BME, University of Oklahoma) and music performance (MM euphonium, University of Oklahoma; MM tuba, Oklahoma City University; DMA tuba, University of North Texas). His primary teachers include Don Little, Matt Good, Dr. David Childs, Dr. Ryan Robinson, Dr. Jeff Baker, and Brian Dobbins. His professional affiliations include the International Tuba Euphonium Association, Kentucky Music Educators Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and Oklahoma Music Educators Association.

Bennie Maupin is best known for his atmospheric bass clarinet playing on Miles Davis’ classic “Bitches Brew” album, as well as other Miles Davis recordings such as “Big Fun,” “Jack Johnson,” and “On the Corner.” He was a founding member of Herbie Hancock’s seminal band The Headhunters, as well as a performer and composer in Hancock’s influential Mwandishi band. Born in 1940, Maupin started playing clarinet, later adding saxophone, flute, and most notably the bass clarinet to his formidable arsenal of woodwind instruments. Upon moving to New York in 1962, he freelanced with groups led by Marion Brown, Pharoah Saunders, and Chick Corea, and played regularly with Roy Haynes and Horace Silver. He also recorded with McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Eddie Henderson, and Woody Shaw to name only a few.

Maupin’s own discography as a leader includes a well-received recording for ECM Records, “The Jewel in The Lotus” (1974), “Slow Traffic to the Right” (1976), “Moonscapes” both on Mercury Records (1978), and “Driving While Black” on Intuition, (1998). The instrumentation of Maupin’s current group The Bennie Maupin Ensemble, harkens back to the tradition of great saxophone-bass-drum trios, such as the group led by Sonny Rollins with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones. While echoes of the great John Coltrane can be heard in Maupin’s work, one can also discern the influences of Yusef Lateef, Sonny Rollins, and Eric Dolphy, as well as Maupin’s contemporaries like Wayne Shorter and the late Joe Henderson. Maupin’s approach to his music is intentional and profound, yet alive in the interpretation of the moment. He maintains active performing and teaching careers in Europe, and the US. Bennie Maupin currently resides in the Los Angeles area. 

Brian Asselin, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Education. Over the past 15 years Brian has toured Europe, the United States and Canada with various bands including: Delbert & The Commotions, The Legendary Funk Brothers, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), The Temptations, The Four Tops, The JW-Jones Blues Band, The Jivewires, The Holly Larocque and Mark Ferguson Big Band, Groovebug, and Organix. In his musical endeavors, Brian has shared the stage with such artists as Kim Wilson (Grammy Award Nominee, WC Handy Award Winner), Dan Ackroyd, Bob Mintzer (Grammy Award Winner), Randy Brecker (Grammy Award Winner), Chase Sanborn, Mike Murley (Juno Award Winner), Alex Dean, Guido Basso, Colin James (Juno Award Winner), Sue Foley, Pat Travers, Garrett Mason (Juno Award Winner), Roxanne Potvin (Juno Award Nominee), David Braid, Parliament Funkadelic, Brian Browne, Kathleen Edwards (Juno Award Winner), Sam Roberts (Juno Award Winner) and The Texas Horns. Brian received his bachelors in music performance from Carleton University in 2004 under the direction of Mike Tremblay, Rob Frayne, and Juno award winner Kirk Macdonald. Being an educator has always been in the forefront of his career. Brian started teaching private students while attending University which eventually led him back to school to obtain his education degree. Over the course of the last 10 years he has taught students topics ranging from saxophone, jazz improvisation, music theory, and song writing. Currently Brian is on staff as a professor at Algonquin College in the Industry Arts program as well as conducting several bands under a program called New Horizons which help adults learn a musical instrument in a band setting. Apart from being a saxophonist, Brian is also a songwriter. After attending teachers college he wrote a song dedicated to teachers around the world who inspire their students on a daily basis. The song has since gone viral (over 1 million views) on youtube and can be heard by choirs all around the world. The song has also been played on NBC’s Late Night News with Diane Sawyer. Since writing that song, Brian has created a YouTube channel, and released albums both under his own name as well as his new Soul project entitled ‘Delbert & The Commotions’. Back in 2009, Brian got the opportunity to tour with The Motown Legendary Funk Brothers which is an experience he will cherish for the rest of my life. The Funk Brothers (including Bob Babbitt, Uriel Jones, and Eddie Willis) were the back up band on most Motown albums including The Temptations, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, and countless others. The documentary ‘Standing In The Shadows of Motown’ is the story of The Funk Brothers. During his stay with the Funk Brothers he formed a friendship with the bands lead singer, Delbert Nelson and soon after they created the band – Delbert & The Commotions. Just last March, they released their debut album entitled ‘Let Me See Ya Dance’. With this album hot off the press, they are currently in the works to record their second album which will hopefully be released in early 2014.

Las Vegas based Charles McNeal studied extensively in Denver Co. privately and at the college level with teachers that include Walt Fowler, Willie Hill, Rich Charluce, Keith Oxman, Ron Miles, Javon Jackson, Nelson Rangell, Brad Leali, and Walter Barr. He has been a featured performer at many national and international festivals including Monterey Jazz Festival (CA), San Jose Jazz Festival (CA), San Francisco Jazz Festival (CA), Playboy Jazz Festival(CA), Telluride Jazz Festival (CO), Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy), and Porretta Soul Festival (Italy). He has performed, recorded and/or toured with: Lyle Lovett Large Band, The Headhunters w/Mike Clark and Bill Summers, Jimmy Scott, Charlie Mussellwhite, Keb Mo, John Faddis, Wynton Marsalis, James Carter, Steve Turre, Leslie Drayton, McCoy Tyner, Ray Obiedo, Dave Garabaldi, RAD, Steve Turre, James Carter, Brenda Boykin, Claire Dee, Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Barbara Morrison, Jackie Ryan, Take 6, Kirk Whalum, Nneenna Freelon, Barbara Dennerlein, Jr. Mance, Bruce Forman, Mark Elf, Roberta Flack, The Temptations, Ollie Woodson, Norman Conners, Jean Carne, Curtis Olson, Peter Horvath, Jaz Sawyer, Boz Scaggs, and Nicolas Bearde. In addition to being a world class saxophonist, his website “charlesmcneal.com” is the #1 source for jazz saxophone transcriptions and related educational resources on the web. Read what’s being said about this Las Vegas saxophonist: “…When I walked into Pearl’s, the piece “Brujo” was in full swing. It was a swift piece that featured Charles McNeal primarily on soprano sax with Wally kicking and stomping on the drums, pushing Charles to great heights. The group was very tight and seemed to like that tempo. Charles’s alto solo had a contemporary edge on “Tony,” a piece dedicated to Tony Williams.” “…Charles was into a very avant-garde mode that took the rest of the group in that fast-clip direction.” “…before slowing the pace for the first of Nelson’s compositions, “A Penthouse Dawn,” admirably performed by the orchestra and alto soloist Charles McNeal.”

https://www.youtube.com/user/chayjazz