2010 Jazz Discovery Music Festival
SATURDAY, MARCH 20TH
Featuring

Steve Smith
& Vital Legacy

Featured Clinicians:
Rick Simerly, Will Campbell, Jim Ketch and Matt Olson

Steve Smith's Vital Legacy
Playing the music of Vital Information and Jazz Legacy

Featuring:
Steve Smith (Steps Ahead/Journey) - drums
Andy Fusco (Buddy Rich/Mel Lewis) - alto sax
Mark Soskin (Sonny Rollins/Herbie Mann) - keyboards
Vinny Valentino (Jimmy McGriff/Bill Evans) - guitar
Baron Browne (Jean-Luc Ponty/Billy Cobham) – bass

In a musical world where keeping a working band has proven difficult for many bandleaders, drummer-bandleader Steve Smith has managed to keep two bands working for the past decade. Smith's jazz-rock band Vital Information, has been working and recording for 27 years, while his straight-ahead group Jazz Legacy (which began as a Buddy Rich alumni group called Buddy's Buddies) has been touring and recording since 1999. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for this prolific bandleader, who has made a career out of amalgamating the many twists of his musical calling, to create a new band, Vital Legacy, which Smith refers to as, "The best of both worlds!"

The lineup of Vital Legacy brings together members of both bands: saxophonist Andy Fusco (from Jazz Legacy) guitarist Vinny Valentino (from Vital Information), pianist Mark Soskin (from Jazz Legacy), bassist Baron Browne (from Jazz Legacy and Vital Information), and Steve Smith manning the drums. Smith describes the line-up: "We used to have a sax player in Vital Information, in fact, Bill Evans played on our most recent recording, Vitalization. So to have saxophonist Andy Fusco playing melodies and solos on the Vital Information tunes simultaneously adds another dimension, while also bringing back a sound from our formative years. Plus Andy has a very unique take on the jazz/rock material. Vinny Valentino has a strong 'straight-ahead' background, so we can play the Jazz Legacy material with him playing the tenor parts on the guitar. Consequently, he plays in the 'front line' on the Jazz Legacy tunes. Keyboardist Mark Soskin tears up the Vital Information material. He plays the Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano in Vital Legacy and has a strong background of playing both straight-ahead and fusion. The highly versatile bassist Baron Browne and I are in both bands, so that's the easy part, we already know all of the music!"

The "best of both worlds" is a theme for Steve Smith's career that has taken him from rock stardom with the band Journey to the legendary fusion band Steps Ahead, to supporting musical icons Ahmad Jamal, Zakir Hussain, and Jean-Luc Ponty. In the last ten years, Smith has also led, or co-led, fifteen different jazz or jazz/ rock projects for the Tone Center label. The label has recently released Best Of Steve Smith – The Tone Center Collection. His educational Hudson Music DVD's Steve Smith - Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat and his latest DVD Drum Legacy-Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants are best sellers in the music educational market. The latter recently won Drum! magazines Best Educational DVD for 2008. Smith's constantly evolving drumming career has earned him Modern Drummer Magazine's #1 All Around Drummer award five years in a row, which led to him being voted one of the Top 25 Drummers of All Time. In 2002 Smith was also voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.

Andy Fusco was the lead alto saxophonist of the Buddy Rich Big Band from 1978-1983. He has toured with a number of other legendary performers including Gerry Mulligan, Mel Lewis, Frank Sinatra, and John Pizzarelli, and is widely recorded both as a sideman and the leader of his own ensemble. 

Mark Soskin is an in-demand sideman, a hard working bandleader, and a gifted composer/ arranger. He has recorded and performed with such diverse musicians as Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Randy Brecker, Billy Cobham, Buster Williams, Eddie Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, and Herbie Mann. His latest recording is entitled Man Behind the Curtain and features Ravi Coltrane, Bill Stewart and Jay Anderson.

Rick Simerly

Rick Simerly – is a jazz trombonist and currently Associate Professor of Music at Milligan College in Tennessee. He has been described by David Baker as "…one of the most exciting and consistently creative trombonists in jazz today."  Jamey Aebersold depicts him as "…an astounding player with fantastic range and a keen sense of developing a solo. His playing takes you on musical journeys and each one is different and exciting." The Online Trombone Journal states "Rick Simerly is in the upper ranks of contemporary trombonists", while the Jazz Review declares "…when jazz fans think about great trombone players, only a few names come to mind, J.J. Johnson, Steve Turre, or maybe Bill Watrous.  Soon jazz fans will be praising the slide horn of Rick Simerly." The International Trombone Association Journal wrote "Rick leaves no doubt about his mastery…Rick is "scary"!"

Rick has toured with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra under the direction of David Baker and has played in the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Nelson Riddle, Les Elgart, Bob Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Buddy Morrow, and the last band of Charlie Spivak.  He has performed with jazz artists Billy Taylor, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Rufus Reid, Jon Faddis, Bobby Shew, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Milt Hinton, Eric Alexander, Dave McKenna, Butch Miles, Adam Nussbaum, Plas Johnson, Jake Hanna, Tommy Newsom, Joe Wilder, Pat LaBarbera, Steve Wilson, Bobby Watson and many others. Some of the entertainers with whom he has toured and performed include Frank Sinatra Jr., Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Danny Thomas, Vic Damone, Lou Rawls, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, The Spinners, The Four Tops, The Commodores and The O'Jays. He has been a featured performer on the "JazzSouth" radio series on over 200 U.S. stations, and over 147 combined radio stations in Columbia and Australia.  His solo CD, Simple/Complexity, has received rave reviews from critics and performers throughout the United States.  It has been described as a "…chop busting display…" by Cadence Magazine, "a virtual dissertation of the trombone" by trombonist Buddy Morrow and the late J.J. Johnson declared "It is quite impressive.  You should be proud." His latest CD, Obscurity, is on the Double-Time Jazz label and features Eric Alexander, David Hazeltine, Lynn Seaton, Steve Davis and Scott Wendholt.  The International Trombone Journal stated "… there is nothing obscure about Rick Simerly's talent and ability – he is an awesome jazz voice. He could be a "poster child" for the Downbeat Magazine classification – Talent Deserving of More Recognition.  Obscurity is well paced, well produced and very well done."   Rick also recorded a series of jazz etudes released as the Maiden Voyage Jazz Solos For Trombone (book and CD set) composed by Lennie Niehaus and published by Jamey Aebersold Jazz. He is a veteran faculty member of the famed Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops and has been artist in residence at numerous jazz camps nationwide.  Rick has also served as a faculty member at the renowned Brubeck Institute in Stockton, CA. As a clinician for Conn-Selmer, Inc., he regularly performs clinics and concerts throughout the United States and has been a featured soloist for the International Association of Jazz Educators, The International Trombone Association and the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. Rick is an Artist/Educational Specialist for Conn-Selmer, Inc. and plays King and Conn trombones exclusively

Dr. Will Campbell

Originally from North Carolina, Will Campbell is the Director of Jazz Studies and Saxophone Instructor at UNC Charlotte. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts in Saxophone Performance and Literature degree from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the of Bachelor of Music (Jazz Studies) and Master of Music (Saxophone Performance) from the University of North Texas. While attending UNT, he was a member of the One O'Clock Lab Band and directed the Three O'Clock Lab Band. From 1990 to 1994, he toured internationally as a member of the Harry Connick, Jr. Orchestra. Recording credits include Blue Light, Red Light, When My Heart Finds Christmas, and The New York Big Band Concert (Video).  Dr. Campbell has performed with artists such as Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker, Bobby Shew, Pete Christlieb, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Doc Severinsen, Louie Bellson, and ensembles such as The Glenn Miller Orchestra, The Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra, The Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.  In 1995, he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Fellowship Grant, which allowed him to study privately with renowned saxophonist Dick Oatts in New York City. Since 1999, he has been a member of the University of North Texas Summer Jazz Workshop Faculty. Dr. Campbell has performed at conferences for the North American Saxophone Alliance, International Association for Jazz Education, and the World Saxophone Congress and has published two articles in the Jazz Education Journal. His arrangement of Pure Imagination for jazz ensemble is now available through UNC Jazz Press (University of Northern Colorado). Dr. Campbell is an Artist/Clinician for the Conn-Selmer Company and plays Selmer saxophones exclusively. 

Jim Ketch

Jim Ketch's career reveals a deep passion for the performance and teaching of music. He is a versatile and experienced artist with considerable skills in both the classical and jazz idioms. As a professional trumpeter and conductor, he has performed internationally in England, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. He has performed at 15 conferences of the International Trumpet Guild, including featured or solo performances at conferences held at the University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, Ithaca College, and Arizona State University. Ketch has appeared as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and clinician in hundreds of concert and educational venues across the nation. His classical and jazz performances include solo recitals, guest artist appearances with orchestras, bands, and jazz ensembles, and a wide variety of chamber and commercial music. His versatility as a performer is quite notable. He performs music ranging from Louis Armstrong to Pat Metheny and from J.S. Bach to Tori Takimitsu.

Mr. Ketch is a Bach/Selmer Paris trumpet artist and clinician for the Conn-Selmer Corporation. He is a faculty artist for both the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops at the University of Louisville and the Savannah Music Festival. Mr. Ketch, serving as artist-clinician and consultant, has joined with Marcus Roberts in providing the leadership for the creation of the Savannah Music Festival's Swing Central. This is a national high school jazz band competition begun in 2008. Mr. Ketch has served as conductor for All-State Jazz Ensembles in Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, and New Hampshire. As a former graduate student of trumpeter David Hickman, Mr. Ketch was active in the Keystone Brass Institutes, in conjunction with the Summit Brass. Mr. Ketch has served a President of the North Carolina Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators and he was a co-recipient of the first Jazz Service Award presented by the University of North Carolina-Greensboro for distinguished service to jazz education in North Carolina. From 2001-2004, he was Chair of the Department of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His articles on trumpet issues and jazz studies have appeared in the Journal of the International Trumpet Guild, the Journal of the International Association of Jazz Education, and the North Carolina Music Educator.

Mr. Ketch has performed with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, the Mallarme Chamber Players, the Crown Chamber Brass, the Triangle Brass Band, numerous pit orchestras for touring Broadway shows, and the pit orchestra for the North Carolina Theater. As a freelance musician and educator Mr. Ketch has appeared with an extensive list of popular and jazz artists including: The Temptations, The Four Tops, Natalie Cole, Ben E. King, The Manhattan Transfer, John Pizzarelli, The Gene Krupa Orchestra, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, the Ray McKinley Orchestra, the Ted Weems Orchestra, The Marcus Roberts Trio, Tom Harrell, Byron Stripling, Slide Hampton, Herlin Riley, Victor Goines, Ron Westray, Steve Wilson, Terri Lynne Carrington, Greg Gisbert, Joe Magnarelli, Joel Frahm, and many others.

James Ketch is currently Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As an educator, Professor Ketch is the recipient of the two highest teaching awards granted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mr. Ketch's students have appeared in Conferences of the International Trumpet Guild as finalists in the Mock Orchestra and Jazz Improvisation Competitions. Former students perform professionally in orchestras and military ensembles, are active educators at both the university, collegiate and high school levels, and pursuing graduate study at leading universities across the country.

Matt Olson

A native of Racine, Wisconsin, Matt Olson is Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Director of Jazz Studies at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Music degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from Northwestern University. Matt's teachers have included Frederick Hemke, Debra Richtmeyer, Mike Kocour, Don Owens, Paul Bro, and Jonathan Helton.

Matt's professional work includes performances with Randy Brecker, Kurt Elling, Benny Carter, Ken Peplowski, Kevin Mahogany, Chris Vadala, Doc Severinsen, Manhattan Transfer, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Lou Rawls, Johnny Mathis, Wayne Newton, the Temptations, the Four Tops, children's entertainer Shari Lewis, the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. His performances have taken him to the Montreal Jazz Festival as well as to Chicago's Jazz Showcase and Orchestra Hall. Matt has performed at numerous national and regional conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance and the 2003 World Saxophone Congress. He has also been a featured guest artist and clinician at Northwestern University, Arizona State University, the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Samford University, and high schools throughout the United States. His article on Jerry Bergonzi's approach to intervallic improvisation appeared in the January 2006 issue of Downbeat magazine. Matt's debut jazz recording, Vortex was released in March 2006.

Matt is active nationally as a clinician and adjudicator. He previously served as instructor of saxophone for the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities and summer instructor of jazz saxophone and jazz combos for the National High School Music Institute at Northwestern University. He also conducted one of two 2005 South Carolina Band Directors Association All-State Jazz Ensembles. He holds memberships in a variety of professional music societies including the North American Saxophone Alliance, BMI, Pi Kappa Lambda, MENC, Music Teachers National Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. To learn more about Dr. Olson and to find links to sound clips and reviews of his CD, visit Dr. Olson's web site.

• Northwestern University; Bachelor of Music, Saxophone Performance
• Northwestern University; Master of Music, Jazz Pedagogy
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Doctor of Musical Arts, Saxophone Performance .