Results for "Berklee College of Music"

Jazz World Records: From Hong Kong with Love

by Rob Garratt
July 14, 2022

"I've had plenty of labels in the past--three or four, I can't remember--and I always swore I'd never do it again," begins Clarence Chang as he sits down to lunch. And yet here we are, chewing linguine and discussing the label he just founded, Jazz World Records. “The only true jazz label in ...

Seba Molnar

Born: April 30, 1994

Seba Molnar is a saxophonist, composer, and educator, based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Seba Molnar is a Berklee alumni with a degree in saxophone performance. While at Berklee, Seba had the opportunity to study with world-renowned saxophonists George Garzone, Bill Pierce, and Tia Fuller. Since graduating Seba has made a name for himself as an in demand saxophonist both as a side man and as a leader. Seba has performed and recorded with Grammy nominated artist Debo Ray, jazz legend George Garzone, Mighty Mystic, Kat Wright and many others. Seba frequently plays in Boston and around the greater New England area

Chris Buono

Born: June 5, 1972

Chris Buono makes music with a guitar in his hands and pedals at his feet. As a leader Chris heads the forward-thinking Chris Buono Collective and the genre-bending Duo Calvo. As a sideman and/or guest soloist Chris Buono has performed and/or recorded with Dweezil Zappa, Snarky Puppy, Bumblefoot, Karsh Kale, Graham Haynes, David Fiuczynski, Oz Noy, Keith Carlock, Rodney Holmes, Steve Jenkins, Tony Grey, Dave Martone, Sophia Ramos, Dopapod, Consider the Source, Kung Fu, JAZZ IS PHSH, James Chance & The Contortions and many more.

As an educator Chris has taught guitarists from all over the world through Berklee College of Music, TrueFire, Guitar Player, Guitar One, Just Jazz Guitar, Hal Leonard, Alfred, Course Technology & Guitarinstructor.com among others. Chris Buono is responsible for 45 TrueFire courses including the celebrated Guitar Gym series, eight instructional books on guitar and music technology and nearly 50 guitar magazine articles.

Harry Skoler

Jazz clarinetist Harry Skoler was born in Syracuse, NY in 1956. Harry is Professor of Woodwinds at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee in 1978, and a Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory in 1986, where he studied with legendary jazz great Jimmy Giuffre. His recordings include Conversations in the Language of Jazz, Reflections on the Art of Swing - A Tribute to Benny Goodman, and A Work of Heart on Brownstone Recordings. He has authored articles on jazz education, including a "Pro-Workshop" article in Downbeat magazine, and has been included with a biography and philosophy of artistry in Gianluca Campagnolo's Volume 10 method book for clarinet, which features bios and tips from many of today's prominent clarinetists

Refugee Music in Europe: Migration, Asylum, Soundroutes, and Arab Jams

by Arthur R George
November 5, 2019

World conflicts do not spare musicians. They are among the millions of displaced persons upon the planet. A refugee assistance organization in Europe which has assisted hundreds said an accurate total is impossible to know; one estimate put the number into the thousands. Many had been privileged in their home countries, highly-educated, middle class or more. ...

Iming Lin

Born: December 8, 1989

Iming Lin is a classically trained, jazz saxophonist and composer, from Taipei, Taiwan. His musical journey began when he was six years old, when his parents decided to enroll him for piano lessons in the hopes that music would calm and discipline this boisterous, energetic six-year old boy. Few years later, Lin picked up the saxophone at the age of ten when his music teacher introduced him to wind concert band. Lin went on to study classical saxophone at Chinese Culture University and Shih Chien University. He won the Shih Chien University Concerto Competition in 2009 and performed Paul Creston “Concerto for Alto Saxophone” with Shih Chien University Orchestra at Taipei ZongShan Hall

Jeff Byrnes

Born: September 1, 1983

Jeff Byrnes began his journey in music at the tender age of 11, playing trumpet in his school band. After picking up the euphonium in the eighth grade, Jeff discovered that the deep end is where he likes to swim. Discovering the electric bass his freshman year of high school, he picked up the instrument & taught himself, listening to a combination of Motown R&B and 90’s era rock music.

Playing in the high school jazz band is really where it all happened though, introducing him to the sounds of jazz in all its idioms.

Jeff spent 2002–2007 attending Berklee College of Music as an upright bass principal.

Lauren Desberg

Born: March 12

Lauren Desberg’s songs are not the dated sounds of speakeasies and flappers, nor are they the type to be tucked into small lounges or clubs. Lauren’s voice and music fuse together the past and the present, combining classic jazz standards and measures with today’s popular music and lyrics. It’s meant for iPhone’s- morning train commutes and cocktail party playlists. The Harlem-based vocalist simultaneously pays homage to traditional jazz while adding her own contemporary feel—she embodies the spirit of her generation yet defies expectations all the same. Lauren grew up in Los Angeles, CA—born to a musical family who had her singing from day one

Walter Smith III

Born: September 24, 1980

From an early age, Walter began taking music very seriously. “My first gig was playing at a McDonald's in Houston with another saxophone player. I took a solo on “Blue Bossa.” It was terrible. People clapped, and I figured if I could get away with that and get applause, how could I fail?”

Although it may appear Smith is a new voice on the scene, he is widely recognized as an adept performer, accomplished composer, and inspired educator. Smith’s recent release, return to casual, garnered critical acclaim from audiences and critics alike. “return to casual [is] Smith’s deeply poised first album as a leader for Blue Note... The whole enterprise rings of cool sophistication in a small-group style that Smith and his contemporaries helped define... In that sense, return to casual is not just a homecoming of sorts, but also an emphatic confirmation.” In September of 2024, Smith released his sophomore album for Blue Note Records, “three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not”, featuring a new offering of original music.

Walter Smith III Joins Berklee As Chair Of The Woodwind Department

April 4, 2019

Berklee has named saxophonist Walter Smith III as chair of the Woodwind Department. Smith, a Berklee alumnus who recently released his fifth album as a leader, is widely recognized as an accomplished performer and composer, and an inspired educator. Smith takes up the position on May 1. “Bill Pierce has left a strong legacy of excellence ...