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Jeff Ellwood

Jeff Ellwood is the newly appointed Director of Instrumental Jazz Studies at Mt. San Antonio College. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Berklee College of Music and Master of Music degree from Cal State Fullerton.

He has studied saxophone and improvisation with: James Moody, Rick Margitza, Billy Pierce, George Garzone, Hal Crook, Gary Foster, Eric Marienthal, Charlie Banacos, Jim Odgren, James Rotter, and Charles Richard. Jeff has shared the stage with: Tony Bennett, James Moody, Joe Zawinal, Randy Brecker, Christian McBride, Stevie Wonder, Bob Mintzer, Eddie Daniels, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Grusin, John Williams, and Quincy Jones to name a few.

In 2001 Jeff was awarded the “Best College Saxophonist Award” at the prestigious Reno Jazz Festival. In 2002 and 2003 he was accepted to attend The Henry Mancini Institute in on a full scholarship. Jeff has appeared multiple times with The HMI Big Band at Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2005 he performed as a featured artist with The Alan Pasqua Jazz Collective at the International Association of Jazz Educator’s conference in Long Beach, CA.

Jeff can be heard performing with Alan Pasqua throughout the greater Los Angeles area. He can soon be heard on the upcoming Alan Pasqua CD featuring: Alan Pasqua, Jimmy Haslip, Nels Cline, Scott Amendola, Ambrose Akinmusire and Alex Acuna

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Album Review

Matt Gordy: Be With Me

Read "Be With Me" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


There is an expression of high regard for playing, “in the tradition," which basically means, yeah, that is jazz, music of the highest order. Matt Gordy's “Be With Me" is particularly arresting because it is in the tradition, but neither a recreation nor an exercise in nostalgia. Everyone from Charlie Christian to Modern Jazz Quartet has played “Topsy" (1937) in one form or another. It lends itself to multiple blues changes and swing to boppish solos, all of ...

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Album Review

The Matt Gordy Jazz Tonite Sextet: Be With Me

Read "Be With Me" reviewed by Jack Bowers


In 2006, drummer Matt Gordy heeded the mandate to “go west, young man," moving from Boston to Los Angeles, while he was still “young at heart," and quickly becoming a mainstay of the local scene, after years of success as a jazz and classical drummer in New England, and even with the Maracaibo, Venezuela, Symphony Orchestra, where he spent nine years as chief percussionist. After fifteen years gigging in Los Angeles, Gordy decided it was time to record his first ...

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Album Review

Jeff Ellwood: The Sounds Around The House

Read "The Sounds Around The House" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


As a professional musician hoping to have a meaningful career, hiding one's light under a bushel, may not be the best way to recognizable success. Such might be the case for tenor saxophonist Jeff Ellwood. He may have fallen into the trap evinced by the Dave Frishberg ditty “I Want To Be A Sideman." But as the saying goes; “better late than never" as Ellwood released a self-produced debut, The Sounds Around The House. ...

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Album Review

Jeff Benedict Big Band: The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful

Read "The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful" reviewed by Jack Bowers


As saxophonist Jeff Benedict is a professor emeritus of music at California State University-Los Angeles, he shouldn't be overly concerned if an impartial observer should decide to grade the southern California-based Jeff Benedict Big Band's second album, The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful. After careful listening, herewith is the report card. Brass and reeds: A. Rhythm section: A. Cohesion: A. Swing quotient: A. Soloists: A. Choice of material: A. Arrangements: A. Album title: A+. In ...

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