Results for "Austin"

Dena Taylor

Born: October 25, 1951

Based in Austin, TX, Dena Taylor is a jazz vocalist who harkens back to the days of smoke-filled clubs and smoky-voiced chanteuses. Her sound is solid; without a lot of vocal gymnastics in the Jazz Standards she covers. She inhabits the songs and makes them her own – feeling happiness, anger, joy, sorrow, love and hate. She draws listeners in and allows them to relate to these songs all over again. Dena was named “Best Female Jazz Artist of the Year” by Indie Music Channel in 2014. Her album “The Nearness of You” showcases her vocal talents and reminds us that even though she is a “seasoned” artist singing Standards, these songs don’t lose their ability to move and touch the audience just because they may have fallen out of vogue.

Larry Natwick

Born: February 12, 1942

Larry Natwick is a jazz pianist and composer with over fifty years of performance experience in jazz clubs, concerts and festivals. Originally from Northern California, Larry studied piano and music theory at San Francisco State University. The rich cultural scene of the Bay Area would prove to be a vital source of inspiration and instruction, leading to more advanced studies with Mike Nock and Kent Glenn. In 1979, Larry moved to the Pacific Northwest and during his twenty year residency there played every major festival including "Bumbershoot" and "Earshot" in Seattle, and the "Mt

Dr. James Polk

Born: September 10, 1940

Brian Pardo

Born: April 14, 1956

Dr. Brian Pardo joins the faculty to teach jazz guitar as a Lecturer in Music. He has performing/recording credits that include Jack McDuff, Chuck Israels, John Clayton, Stan Getz, Eddie Harris, Charles McPherson, Arthur Blythe, Barbara Dennerlein, Paul Hanson, Mark Levine, Claudia Gomez, Tony Monaco, Paul McCandless, Bonnie Raitt, Audra McDonald, The Shirelles, Coco Lee, Tom Waits, Train, and many others. He has performed at the Monterey, San Francisco, Russian River, Clearwater, San Jose, Stanford, and JVC jazz festivals. His recent album, It’ll Always Be Home, features members of the Yellowjackets, Santana, Tower of Power, the Roy Hargrove Group, and Kitaro. Dr

Dave Lee

Born: March 19, 1952

DAVE LEE (Trumpet) has been a freelance musician in Austin since relocating from the Pacific Northwest in 2001. Dave regularly performs with NAJO and Mainstream Jazz, his own big band and combo, as well as the Ken Ragsdale Orchestra, and gigs with other jazz and pop groups in Austin, Houston and surrounding areas. Dave also teaches privately in the Pflugerville and Round Rock school districts. With a 40-year background in music ministry, Dave is currently scheduling “Jazz Worship” experiences for churches throughout Texas. Performing in the “pit” for over 60 musical productions at the Georgetown Palace Theater and Zach Theater in Austin, Dave enjoys the variety of Broadway show productions as well

Rob Mazurek

Born: July 8, 1965

Rob Mazurek is a multidisciplinary artist/abstractivist, with a focus on electro-acoustic composition, improvisation, performance, painting, sculpture, video, film and installation, who spent much of his creative life in Chicago, and then Brazil. He currently lives and works in Marfa Texas with his wife Britt Mazurek. Mazurek was born in 1965 in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 1975 he moved with his family to a suburb of Chicago where he started playing cornet at the age of 10. A confrontation with the music of Sun Ra at the age of 16 at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1981 had inspired Mazurek to want to become a serious composer performer

Morris Nelms

Born: October 1, 1956

Morris Nelms, pianist/vocalist, grew up in Frederick, OK, discovered Jazz at Cameron University in Lawton, OK, and was instantly hooked. He completed a Bachelor's degree at the University of Oklahoma in 1978 and a Master's degree in Composition at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX in 2000. Currently, he teaches at Texas State University. He has taught and played Jazz for many years. In addition, he has taught and, in some cases, is teaching: Introduction to the Fine Arts, Aural Learning, Improvisation/Combo performance, Big Band Performance, Jazz History, Jazz Appreciation, Jazz Piano, Jazz Guitar, Jazz Voice and University Seminar. He hopes you will buy the CD he recorded in 1999 with Cullen Offer, The Best Thing For You Would Be The Cullen Offer Quartet, on Progressive Records (PCD 7114). He can also be heard to good advantage on Ken Slavin's latest CD I'll Take Romance. Noel, the latest CD by the band Small World, is his most recent studio recording. Faculty pianist: Clark Terry International Institute of Jazz Studies 1994-1997. Performances with: Snooky Young, Marshal Royal, Louis Bellson, Ed Shaughnessy, Clark Terry, Plas Johnson, Red Holloway, Butch Miles, Kenny Washington, Al Grey, Sonny Stitt, Kris Kimura, Jim Cullum Praise Band leader since 2005, Buda United Methodist Church, Currently performing at Perry's at La Cantera in San Antonio from 6-10 Tuesdays and Thursdays, at Perry's in Austin from 7-11 on Saturdays, and every second Wednesday with Baker's Dozen Big Band from 9:30-1:30 at the Elephant Room in Austin.

Keith Fiala

Born: November 19, 1968

Keith Fiala is one of the most exciting, innovative and versatile trumpet players and educators/clinicians on the music scene today. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Fiala moved to Austin, Texas in 1988 to study with Raymond Crisara at the University of Texas and lived in Austin until 2017 when he was asked to assist Arturo Sandoval on his tours as his road manager, become his practice partner and have the chance to start building a solo career under the guidance of one of the greatest trumpet players / musicians that has ever lived! A First Call trumpeter while living in Austin and throughout the Lone Star State, Keith was also a founding member of and performer with the celebrated R&B group , Memphis Train Revue for over 22 years and has toured the world performing with his mentor, the legendary Maynard Ferguson

Take Five with Jeff Lofton

by AAJ Staff
August 14, 2019

About Jeff Lofton Jazz trumpeter and composer Jeff Lofton is a Grammy member and two time SXSW Austin Music Awards winner. His creativity, musical integrity and talent has been well-received in both his 1950's Miles Davis tribute as well as his original material. In 2009 the City of Austin proclaimed January 15th “Jeff Lofton ...

Jeff Lofton

Born: September 5, 1966

Jazz trumpeter and composer Jeff Lofton is a Grammy member and two time SXSW Austin Music Awards winner. Jeff has performed at One World Theater, Stateside at the Paramount, and the Long Center for the Performing Arts since his arrival on the Austin music scene in 2007.  

His creativity, musical integrity and talent has been well-received in both his 1950's Miles Davis tribute as well as his original material. In 2009 the City of Austin proclaimed Jan 15th “Jeff Lofton Day.”  He has performed at jazz venues such as Snug Harbor in New Orleans, and The Iridium, in NY, as well as regional central Texas performance venues. He has received ongoing positive press and regional and national attention such as allaboutjazz.com, Jazztimes, and Downbeat magazines. In 2015 he was named an American Icon in Macy’s national ad campaign supporting “Got Your 6” programs benefitting U.S. veterans and their families.