Mike Allen, Saxophonist / Pianist / Composer / Bandleader Mike Allen's formal music training began in Montreal at McGill University. Shortly after completing a degree in classical and jazz performance he met and formed a lasting musical collaboration with guitar great Sonny Greenwich. In New York City, pursuing a Master's Degree at N.Y.U., Mike met pianist Don Friedman with whom he has toured and recorded two nationally aired radio broadcasts. At the same time, Mike was engaged in private studies with Joe Lovano and pianist/arranger Jim McNeely. Since relocating to Vancouver, he has become a close musical partner with bassist Chuck Israels and has studied in San Francisco with Joe Henderson. He has performed and/or recorded with Gary Bartz, Donald Bailey, Kenny Wheeler, Branford Marsalis, Bill Goodwin, Ernestine Anderson, Peter Lietch, Don Thompson, and others. He has released four CDs as a leader and is busy performing locally, touring throughout Canada and preparing for the release of his fifth CD.
Mike Allen, 41, is profiled in Mark Miller's "Miller Companion to Jazz in Canada" and has a Master's in Jazz from New York University. He has performed and/or recorded with internationally recognized players including Cedar Walton, Julian Priester, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Liebman, Gary Bartz, John Taylor, Jim Snidero, Brian Lynch, Don Friedman, Don Thompson, John Ballantyne, Kevin Dean, Phil Dwyer, Chuck Israels, Donald Bailey, Ali Jackson, Seamus Blake, and Pete Magadini. Allen was a member of Canadian guitar legend Sonny Greenwich's quintet from 1990 to 1995. His playing is featured on Greenwich's Standard Idioms (Kleo) and Fragments Of A Memory (Cornerstone). In 1993, Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail listed Mike as one of a half-dozen "Interesting Canadians To Watch". Since then, he has been performing primarily on the West Coast, with several Canada-wide tours and regular features on nationally aired CBC radio broadcasts. His 2005 release Love One Another was hailed as the "#1 Canadian Jazz Album Of 2005" by the Ottawa Citizen.Fearless, Allen's 2004 release was chosen by Public Radio International jazz host Jim Wilke, as one of the "Best Pacific Northwest Jazz CDs of 2004", while his 2003 trio album Dialectic won "Outstanding Jazz Recording 2003" at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Visit his web site at http://members.shaw.ca/mikeallen/index.html
Clipper Anderson, Bass
Clipper has spent the last several years building his reputation as one of the finest jazz bass players in the Pacific Northwest. He was described in Seattle's premier jazz magazine Earshot as being "...a player for the connoisseur to savor." The list of recordings on which Clipper appears is both long and impressive, including several with award winning Seattle jazz vocalist, Greta Matassa. He has recently performed with jazz artists, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Terry Gibbs, James Moody, Peter Erskine, Bob Berg, Jack Jones, and Buddy DeFranco.
Steve Barnes, Vocal Jazz & Theory
Growing up in Ontario, Steve composed his first few dozen pieces at
age 6. He has served as pianist and musical director for many stage
productions, and has taken directorial roles in a number of vocal
groups including Western Washington University's Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
In 2006, he received his B.A. in Music Education from WWU.
Jeff Busch, Drums
Jeff Busch is an exuberant drummer/percussionist, vocalist, and composer whose passion for soulful music of varied traditions has led him to perform with jazz, blues, and gospel groups--as well as calypso, samba, and Cuban jazz ensembles. Between 1988-96, Jeff studied fine art, and music in Leeds, England. He studied percussion and drum set with Dave Hassel, calypso with steel drum master Dudley Nesbitt, and later Brazilian percussion with Jesse Bannister. In Leeds he first worked as a percussion accompanist for dancers at the Northern Contemporary Dance School; The Phoenix Dance Company and The Northern Ballet. Now based in Seattle, Jeff continues this work for the Cornish College of the Arts, and for Janelle Keane's Afro-Brazilian dance classes at the University of Washington Experimental College.
In 1997, Jeff spent six months in Brazil and studied with a variety of percussionists including Edmilson Costa Teixeira, Gilo do Pandeiro, and Mestres Memeu and Lazaro from Olodum. In 1998 Jeff returned to Brazil and had the opportunity to play and perform with the Jovino Santos Neto group which included drummer Marcio Bahia, bassist Arismar do Espirito Santo, and saxophonist Hans Teuber.
Currently Jeff continues to perform with a variety of groups in the Seattle area including the Jovino Santos Neto quinteto; Cuban jazz groups Rumba Abierta, and Tumbao led by pianist Julio Jauregui; and Cuban dance band Mango Son, led by Roberto Sanchez. He is the drummer at First AME church, and also plays for pianist Kent Stevenson, and gospel singer Patrinell Wright.
Jeff continues to teach percussion to people of all ages both privately and in schools and universities. He is currently the recipient of a King County Arts grant for a recording project entitled 'Drums and Voices - Contemporary Spirituals' which is a collaborative effort with gospel singer Patrinell Wright.
Darin Clendenin, Piano
Darin Clendenin grew up in Portland Or. He played w/ Local greats Leroy Vinneger, Nancy King and Ron Steen. He has recorded w/ Dave Weckl, Paul Mazzio, Jake Kot and Eric Marienthal. He moved to Seattle 7 years ago and became a favorite of vocalists like Edmonia Jarrett, Ernestine Anderson and Greta Matassa.
Theodore DeCorso, Artistic Director, Clarinet, Saxophone
Theodore DeCorso has performed extensively as clarinetist and saxophonist. He has appeared in solo and chamber recitals throughout the US and Europe including recitals at the International Clarinet Congress in London and Seattle and in Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. He was clarinet concerto soloist with the Arctic Chamber Orchestra on tour in the People's Republic of China and was the soprano saxophonist for the sound track of "Make Prayers to the Raven," a PBS TV documentary which was broadcast worldwide. He received a Master's Degree in Clarinet Performance from the Julliard School and a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Connecticut. He is currently Music Director of the Sun Coast Symphony Orchestra in Clearwater, Florida.
Ed Donohue, Trumpet
Ed Donohue, an active Seattle area free-lance jazz trumpet player, directs jazz bands and wind ensemble at Port Angeles Junior High School. Prior to his work at Blaine Jazz, Ed for 20 years was the featured guest trumpet, jazz and improvisation faculty at the University of Alaska Summer Arts Camp.
Bob Gray, Band Director
of Blaine High School and a graduate of the Music Ed program at WWU. He is a strong contender for "Mr. Congeniality" at every festival.
Randy Halberstadt, Piano
Randy Halberstadt has been a major figure on the Pacific Northwest jazz scene for many years. A multi-dimensional pianist, he is equally at home playing be-bop, Latin, down-home blues, mainstream, free and eclectic jazz.
He has performed with Herb Ellis, Terry Gibbs, Buddy de Franco, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, Joe LaBarbera, and many others.
On the strength of his large repertoire, great sense of swing, and acute listening skills, Randy has established himself as a first-call accompanist for jazz vocalists. He has performed with Sheila Jordan, Kevin Mahogany, Marlena Shaw, and Ernestine Anderson.
In 1997 Randy performed with the innovative Jay Clayton at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. He is featured on Jay's 1997 recording Circle Dancing.
While Halberstadt's own recordings showcase his formidable pianistic skills, they also establish him as a first-rate composer. Inner Voice features Randy's compositions in the jazz trio format, which range from blues to Latin to polymetric. Clockwork presents Randy's beautiful songs with lyrics (also written by Randy) and features five of the Northwest's best vocalists. Jay Clayton's remarkable gift for conveying the true emotion of a ballad is in evidence here, as well as her stunning prowess as a scat singer.
More recently, Randy has begun to demonstrate his talents as an arranger. He arranged most of the music for Seattle vocalist Janis Mann's recordings, "A Little Moonlight," "Lost In His Arms," and "So Many Stars" and for Greta Matassa's recording "Live at Bake's Place."
A full professor at the prestigious Cornish College of the Arts (in Seattle), Randy teaches jazz theory, piano, and ear training. He also teaches privately.
Larry Holloway, Bass
Larry Holloway is a monster talent of the biggest of upright basses. His sound is generous and irrepressible. A regular on the Northwest and national jazz scene, Larry was recently heard performing with "STARDUST" in Blaine.
Greg Hopkins, Trumpet
Internationally recognized as an arranger, composer, and performer, Professor Hopkins is a beloved member of the Berklee Jazz Composition Department. For a detailed bio see berklee.edu
Martin Kuuskmann, Bassoon Soloist
Estonian-born bassoon virtuoso Martin Kuuskmann is dedicated to redefine the bassoon as a top caliber solo instrument. His commitment to contemporary music has led to the premieres of several bassoon concerti written especially for him. He has appeared worldwide as soloist with numerous leading orchestras and festivals, including the New York Philharmonic and the Macao Orchestra. He has collaborated with jazz luminaries such as Joe Zawinul, John Patitucci, Gerry Mulligan. The New York Times recently praised Kuuskmann's playing as "Kuuskmann offered virtuoso technique and superhuman breath control..." His latest recording of David Chesky's bassoon concerto is nominated for a 2007 Grammy®. Kuuskmann is a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music. For more info, please visit martinkuuskmann.com
MadFusion represents the new frontier in musical collaboration. Pianist Matt Herskowitz, drummer David Rozenblatt and bassist Mat Fieldes draw upon diverse musical cultures and genres to forge a completely new sound which defies labeling. The music is a progressive blend of jazz and classical traditions with world music, funk, club, pop and hip-hop.
Influenced by their experiences with great music and musicians from around the world, MaDFusion brings an eclectic slant to its musical soundscape. Performances include high-energy bursts of virtuosity interspersed with contemplative, soul-searching respites. MaDFusion consistently dazzles audiences with the unexpected through scripted content and improvisation.
View their website for more information about this group and the individual artists: http://www.hrpmusic.com/bio_index.html
Members of MaDFusion:
Pianist Matt Herskowitz is a unique new voice from within the nexus of classical and jazz traditions. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, Matt is a brilliant young jazz pianist, a stunning interpreter of the classics, and a composer of vast range and originality. Unwilling to divide himself into different musical personae and bewildered by the arbitrary segregation of jazz and popular music from the classics, Matt prefers to expound on their essential unity, combining them into a new mode of expression.
David Rozenblatt's talents have drawn him to all corners of the globe and all styles of music, performing in the world's most revered concert halls as well as intimate nightclubs. He has performed and collaborated with some of the finest talents in pop, jazz and classical. David received his Bachelor and Master's degrees from The Juilliard School, where he became a founding member of the critically acclaimed New York Percussion Quartet. He also leads his own Latin jazz band, Latin Jamzz, featuring prominent musicians as guest artists.
Mat Fieldes is one of the most sought-after bass players on the New York freelance scene today and is equally comfortable in jazz, rock, hip-hop, R&B, and classical genres. Mr. Fieldes was born in Hastings, New Zealand. He earned his Master's degree from The Juilliard School where he studied with Eugene Levinson, Principal Bass of the New York Philharmonic.
Mat tours extensively as solo bassist for Absolute Ensemble, an electro-acoustic crossover chamber orchestra, which performs at major venues worldwide. As a soloist, he was honored to premier "Lost Illusions", a concerto written for him by Gene Pritsker for electric and acoustic bass with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in front of 30,000 people.
Greta Matassa, Vocalist
In the Pacific Northwest, where she built her career, Greta Matassa wins wide acclaim. Four times, the readers of "Earshot," the Seattle jazz magazine, have voted her the best jazz vocalist in the the Northwest and she is currently nominated for the award this year.
Jim McFalls, Trombone
Born in Columbia, PA, Jim began studying trombone at age nine and, at fourteen, was performing professionally in community concert bands, rock bands, and jazz combos throughout the Central Pennsylvania area.
After his seventeen-year worldwide touring and recording stint with the Jazz Ambassadors, the premiere touring jazz ensemble of the US Army, Jim retired from the military in 1998 to find a variety of projects awaiting him. As a freelance musician, he has been performing in an incredibly diverse array of situations. These include a 3-year run with Chuck Brown, Washington, DC's "Godfather of Go-Go," appearances with the Baltimore Symphony Pops Orchestra, the critically acclaimed Great American Music Ensemble, the popular nation-wide show "The Four Kings of Rhythm and Blues," and the Kennedy Center Orchestra. Jim's recording credits include numerous major-label projects as a featured soloist as well as various national television spots. Currently, Jim is a regular member of the internationally renowned Capitol Bones and their larger counterpart, the Capitol Bones Big Band. Jim has appeared on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" with Thievery Corporation, a DC-based techno/trip-hop band, and made several recent appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. He has also backed up such performers as Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, Lorna Luft, Gene Chandler, Michael Amánte, Melba Moore, Ben E. King, Bob Newhart, and Debbie Reynolds.
Today, Jim is in great demand as both a trombonist and educator. He has performed and recorded with such jazz luminaries as Dave Liebman, Geoff Keezer, Denis DiBlasio, Ingrid Jensen, Clark Terry, Jim Ridl, Arturo Sandoval, Christian McBride, Joe Kennedy, Ron Blake, Carl Fontana, Jon Faddis, and Toots Thielemans. In addition to his hectic performance schedule, Jim is on the music faculty at the Peabody Conservatory, the Baltimore School for the Arts, Towson University, where he is the Big Band Director, the University of Maryland, and Gettysburg College for the annual Mason/Dixon Summer Jazz Camp. He is also currently serving as President-Elect of the MD Chapter of IAJE. As well as guest conducting county, district, and all-state level jazz ensembles in the Mid-Atlantic region, Jim also appears at high schools and colleges throughout the country as a performer/education specialist.
Jon Mutchler, Piano
Jon Mutchler is one of the festival's long term instructors, teaching jazz piano, combo, and theory.
He has taught piano for over 25 years and is the house pianist at Semiahmoo Resort where he can be heard on weekends. He has also produced 5 CDs of solo piano music, all available on Amazon.
He is proud to be the son of jazz education legend, Dr. Ralph D. Mutchler ("RDM") and is raising a family of 7 children (several who have attended the Blaine Jazz Festival) with his wife Diane in Ferndale. He is also the founding pastor of the Ferndale Alliance Church where he has served 20 years.
He has a BMus degree in jazz studies and piano performance from Western Washington University.
Gene Pritsker, Composer, Guitarist, Rapper
Composer/guitarist/rapper Gene Pritsker has written over three hundred compositions, including chamber operas, orchestral and chamber works, electro-acoustic music, songs for hip-hop and rock ensembles, etc. All his compositions employ an eclectic spectrum of styles and are influenced by his studies of various musical cultures. He is the founder and leader of Sound Liberation, an eclectic band playing the New York club circuit. For more information, please visit his website: genepritsker.com
Jud Sherwood, Drums
Jud Sherwood performs regularly throughout the Northwest with his own groups and by carefully assembling players from around the region to play jazz in concert and at clubs. He has performed with Herb Ellis, Bill Perkins, Teddy Edwards, John Stowell, Bert Wilson, and Nancy King. He founded The Jazz Project in February 1997 to increase performance opportunities for Jazz Musicians and to promote the music from a musician’s perspective of community development and education.
Christopher Woitach, Jazz Guitarist
Christopher is a jazz guitarist and composer, currently residing in Portland, OR. Mr. Woitach studied composition with David Borden and Bob Keefe in Ithaca, NY, and jazz guitar with Jim Hall in New York, NY. He has had a twenty four year career of composition, performance and teaching, working with many innovative players, including a year with cellist Hank Roberts.
