Jazz Concert Set for April 26
April 19, 2012
UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications
UT Tyler Jazz Ensembles in Concert April 26
April 19, 2012
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)
April 19, 2012
The University of Texas at Tyler Department of Music and the UT Tyler Friends of the Arts will present the UT Tyler Jazz Ensembles in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26 in the University Center theater, Dr. Michael Thrasher, School of Performing Arts director, announced.
The public concert will feature trumpet virtuoso Mike Vax, former lead trumpet player with the Stan Kenton Band.
Vax will perform with the UT Tyler Jazz Patriots Combo and the 18-piece UT Tyler Jazz Ensemble, which are both under the direction of Dr. John Webb, UT Tyler professor of music.
“The program will feature everything from blues to bop – beautiful ballads to high-energy swing – plus some ‘trademark’ high notes on the trumpet! Bring your friends and family for this exciting musical treat,” Webb said.
A San Francisco Bay area native, Vax is a jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer and clinician. He has played lead and solo trumpet with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, the Clark Terry Big Bad Band and the U.S. Navy Show Band. His composition ‘Naked Gun’ was chosen as the theme song for the Naked Gun films. As a recording musician, he has performed on more than 75 albums, including 20 under his own name.
Vax has performed and/or recorded with various musicians and vocalists, as well as jazz orchestras, armed service orchestras and Dixieland bands.
He has appeared as guest lead trumpet and soloist with symphony pops orchestras throughout the United States, as well as the All-American Collegiate Orchestra at Disney World. He also has toured extensively in Europe, Scandinavia, South America and Japan.
For more information, contact Webb, 903.566.7387 or jwebb@uttyler.edu.
One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of almost 7,000 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.