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The Whitworth Jazz Ensemble is one component of the jazz studies program at Whitworth University. Directed for the past 19 years by Dan Keberle, D.M.A., the group is one of the Northwest's finest college jazz bands. The Whitworth ensemble was the winning band in the college/university division at the 2008, 2004, 2002, 1999, 1998, 1997, and 1994 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festivals (finishing second in 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2001 and 2000), and has been selected from colleges and universities in the six Northwest states to perform at seven All-Northwest and All-State Music Educators Conferences, including those in 2007and 2008. Whitworth’s program has been listed in Jazz Times magazine as one of the top jazz-education programs in the country. The 18-piece Whitworth Jazz Ensemble performs several concerts each year on campus, as well as at jazz festivals, in public schools, at civic events, and on annual tours throughout the United States. In January 2008 and 2004 they traveled to Rome for several performances with leading Italian jazz artists, followed by a performance trip to Hawaii in March. In 2006 they traveled to Sao Paolo and Salvador, Brazil, for concerts at music festivals. Other performance residencies have included a trip to Havana, two trips to Munich, and four trips to Rome, as well as nine performances at the Melbourne (Australia) International Jazz Festival and in the surrounding area. Over the past decade the ensemble has performed in standing-room-only concerts with guest artists Terence Blanchard, Robin Eubanks, Kenny Garrett, Eric Reed, Nicholas Payton, Jimmy Heath, Byron Stripling, Bob Mintzer, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, Phil Woods, Steve Turre, Slide Hampton, Carl Fontana, Marshal Royal, Bill Berry, Roberto Gatto, and Enrico Pieranunzi. The ensemble is grounded in the fundamentals of jazz, with an emphasis on improvisation and the swing style of groups such as the Count Basie Band. Aside from the large-ensemble experience, students at Whitworth may also participate in Jazz Ensemble 2, six jazz combos, vocal jazz class, private jazz-improvisation lessons, and classes in jazz history and jazz arranging. Many Whitworth jazz students have experienced great improvement in their jazz playing as the result of weekly private lessons (outside of class) in jazz improvisation and jazz styles. There are currently 8 jazz faculty members at Whitworth. |
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