The LPHS Jazz Band and both Boston & Kesling Middle School Jazz Bands will rehearse with our guest artists in the LPHS band and orchestra rooms Thursday, May 7, 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
The La Porte High School Jazz Bands will present their 26th annual "JazzFest" on Friday, May 8, at 7:00 PM in the La Porte High School Auditorium. Performances will feature all LPCSC Jazz Bands with six professional guest artists. This year’s featured guest artists include:
Jim Widner, bass: Jim Widner is currently a Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. As leader of the Jim Widner Big Band, he is celebrating his 27th year of hosting big band jazz camps all across the United States. Jim is also the director and founder of the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Jim also holds a MA degree from Memphis State University and has done postgraduate work at the University of North Texas. Jim has performed at the world famous Lionel Hampton and Montreaux (Switzerland) Jazz Festivals. His performance background includes concert dates with Clark Terry, Marilyn Maye, Lou Marini, Mulgrew Miller, Bucky Pizzarelli, Wycliff Gordon, Louie Bellson, Randy Brecker, Bill Watrous, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and an appearance before former President Bill Clinton. In 1999, students at the University of Missouri - Columbia renamed the music wing of the fine arts residential college, " Widner House" in honor of him. In 2006 the title of "Statesman" was conferred upon him by The Statesmen of Jazz. In 2008 he was a cover story feature in the March issue of JazzEd magazine and in 2009 he was a recipient of Downbeat magazine's Achievement Award for his work in jazz education. In 2011 Jim was inducted into his hometown's Wall of Honor in Lebanon, MO. In 2013 he was the recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award from the College of Fine Arts and Communication, University of Missouri - St. Louis, and was once again featured in subsequent articles in Downbeat magazine " Student Becomes Teacher" and in JazzEd magazine "The Art of The Big Band Jazz Camp". Jim is a Yamaha Performing Artist and a D'Addario artist. He was a founding member of the Jazz Education Network and served on its Board of Directors. The Jim Widner Big Band records on the Chase Music Group label and their critically acclaimed CD's include "Yesterdays and Today", " Body and Soul", " Live", " Flying High", " Out of This World", and their newest release "The Beat Goes On".
Charles “Chip” McNeill, saxophone: In addition to his position with the University of Illinois School of Music, Professor McNeill is Musical Director and Jazz Tenor Saxophonist for Grammy award-winning recording artist, Arturo Sandoval. He has toured with and recorded the compact discs (CDs) Americana and Hot House with Arturo Sandoval. In 1998, Hot House won a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz recording. To his credit, Professor McNeill won a Grammy for his performance on Hot House, and two of his charts were nominated for Grammys from the recording. Professor McNeill also has performed and toured with the legendary jazz trumpeter, Maynard Ferguson, with whom he has produced, written, and performed on several CDs, including Live in London, These Cats Can Swing, and Maynard Ferguson's final CD, The One and Only. He has recorded performances with Nat Adderley, David Liebman, Duffy Jackson, Ira Sullivan, the Woody Herman Orchestra, Ted Shumate, and Larry Willis. Professor McNeill's most recent CD is "The Whirl" on Armored Records. He has performed with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joe Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine, and Wynton Marsalis. Professor McNeill has performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Monterey Jazz Festival in California, and Noto Jazz Festival in Japan. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Town Hall in Sydney, Australia, and the London Palladium. He also has performed for jazz radio and television productions in Europe, Japan, the United Kingdom, India, and Indonesia. Before joining the University of Illinois School of Music, he was Chair of Jazz Studies at Florida International University in Miami and Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg.
Allen Beeson, trumpet: Allen grew up outside the small southwestern Missouri town of Cassville and studied piano from age 6 to 12 and began playing trumpet in the high school band at age 14. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia where he performed in any ensemble that used trumpets. In 1984 he met and became a student of Bobby Shew. As with most of Bobby’s students, a longtime friendship is enjoyed today. Allen has performed with jazz artists such as Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillispie, Louis Bellson, Conte Condoli, Gary Foster, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, John Faddis, Marvin Stamm, Conrad Herwig and John Fedchock to name a few. He has also performed with entertainers, Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Mel Torme, Jack Jones, John Davidson, Olivia Newton-John, Bob Hope, Bob Newhart, Frank Gorshin, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Jan & Dean, The Beach Boys and The Manhattan Transfer. Allen performs regularly with the Jim Widner Big Band, The Saint Louis Jazz Orchestra, Lenny Klinger’s Galaxy, and The Allen Beeson Jazz Quartet. Allen also records with other small jazz groups and big bands, as well as rock and funk bands. Last February Allen played lead trumpet on the Les Brown Band in a recording project yet to be named or released, behind the vocal group The Lettermen. Currently Allen is an adjunct professor of jazz trumpet at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Allen’s first recording as leader is entitled “First Time Out” on the Chase Music Group label and is available at public appearances, through his website of www.allenbeeson.com and wherever Chase Music Group recordings may be distributed. “First Time Out” features 7 of Allen’s original tunes performed by Ken Kehner, Piano, Todd Strait, Drums, Kevin Hennessy, Bass and Tim AuBuchon on Tenor Sax. As a Yamaha Performing Artist, Allen uses Yamaha Trumpets and Flugelhorns exclusively.
Paul McKee, Trombone: Paul McKee, newly appointed Associate Professor of Jazz Trombone and Arranging/Composition at the University of Colorado at Boulder, received a BME from the University of Northern Iowa and an MM in Composition form the University of Texas at Austin. In 1984 he joined Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd and appeared on several Grammy-nominated recordings. Over the years Paul has served on the jazz faculty at schools including DePaul University, Youngstown State University, Northern Illinois University, the University of Missouri at Kansas City and Florida State University. Paul maintains a busy schedule as a clinician and guest artist, and his arrangements and compositions have been performed and recorded by professional and academic jazz ensembles worldwide. His recording Gallery was released to critical acclaim and features performances by Carl Fontana, Bobby Shew, Tim Ries and Ron Stout. Paul recently appeared on the recording Back When It Was Fun with 7 on 7, a group comprised of musician/educators from colleges across the nation. Additional recent recordings include big band projects by Dan Gailey (University of Kansas) and Steve Owen (University of Oregon). Paul is a clinician for the Conn-Selmer company and plays King trombones exclusively.
John “Chip” Stephens, piano: Chip is the Associate Professor of Jazz Piano and Jazz Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He holds degrees from the University of Akron and Cleveland State University. Sought after for his outstanding collaborative abilities, Chip Stephens can be heard on nearly 70 records and compact discs as a side-man and band leader. In 2011, he performed with legendary jazz musicians, Benny Golson and Curtis Fuller. An album recorded with Fuller in 2010, entitled, “I Will Tell Her” remained at number 1 on the jazz radio charts for nearly two months. Mr. Stephens is regarded in the industry as a powerful jazz pianist, hard swinging, lyrical and clear. He has performed on 4 continents with some of the most prestigious names in jazz. Having performed on Grammy and Emmy winning recordings with trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval, his performing credits are many and include; Eden Atwood, Michael Brecker, Jerry Brown, Kenny Burrell, John Fedchock, Maynard Ferguson, Curtis Fuller, George Garzone, Greg Gisbert, Benny Golson, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Charlie Haden, Conrad Herwig, Milt Hinton, Red Holloway, Javon Jackson, Ingrid Jensen, Randy Johnston, Steve Kirby, Bill Kirchner, Ernie Krivda, Ralph Lalama, Tony Leonardi, Joe Lovano, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Keith Oxman, Tito Puente, Nelson Rangell, Bobby Shew, Howie Smith, Clark Terry, Frank Tiberi, Roseanna Vitro, The Jim Widner Big Band and Glenn Wilson. Since 2004, Mr. Stephens has been consistently ranked in the top 10% of University of Illinois professors. Along with being acknowledged by his students and the university for the exceptional quality of his instruction, performing abilities and overall achievements, Mr. Stephens was one of only four faculty recognized by the Committee on Promotion and Tenure, the Provost and Vice Chancellor in 2008 for his outstanding work. He maintains a very diverse teaching and performing career at both the national and international levels and has over fifteen years of teaching experience at the university level. This experience and diversity have proven beneficial to his students who have received national and international recognition for their work. Ten of Mr. Stephens’ students have been recognized in the Down Beat Student Music Awards and four have won their respective categories. Several of his students have secured university level teaching positions.
Montez Coleman, drums: Montez Coleman has toured the world with some of the biggest names in jazz. A longtime member of the Roy Hargrove Quintet, Coleman has also worked with nationally recognized musicians like Rufus Reid, Russell Malone, and Wynton Marsalis. Coleman has been touring extensively since 2007 with The Roy Hargrove Quintet and The Roy Hargrove Big Band throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Admission: Adults $ 10.00, Students age 12 and over/Sr. Cit. $ 7.00, Under age 12 Free. Tickets will be available at the door and in advance from LPHS Jazz and Lab Band members.