Doors & bar at 7 - Music at 7:30 - $30 in advance - $35 at the door - Seated listening room show
Bill Sears and his A-list band kicked off The Alluvion Jazz Series last year and although it was winter, the room was 100 degrees by the time the band finished the first tune! Bill is coming back for more, with a few new cats on the band stand. There is no doubt, this will be yet another swinging, feel good night featuring Bill's own songs, and uniquely curated jazz standards.
THE BAND:
Bill Sears on tenor saxophone, Bobby Ferrazza on guitar, Mike Kocour on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, & Sean Dobbins on drums. Learn more below.
TAKE A LISTEN:
Saxophonist Bill Sears + NMC Jazz Big Band
Rodney Whitaker, with band
Pianist Michael Kocour
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About the artists:
BILL SEARS - TENOR SAXOPHONE
Bill Sears has been Director of Jazz Studies and Instructor of Saxophone at the Interlochen Arts Academy since 1987 and at the Interlochen Arts Camp since 2010. The award-winning Interlochen Arts Academy Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos, under Sears' leadership, are considered to be among the finest high school groups in the country. An active jazz saxophonist, Sears has performed, toured, and recorded with many leading musicians including Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Rick Margitza, Peter Erskine, Art Farmer, Joe Williams, and Nancy Wilson. He has also performed in backup orchestras for many popular artists, including Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, and The Temptations. Sears also has two CD's under his own leadership, "Chasin' The Goal" and "With One Accord," both of which feature not only his engaging and individual saxophone voice, but also several of his compositions. Sears is a Conn-Selmer performing artist and clinician.
Learn more in Interlochen’s article “Celebrating Bill Sears”
BOBBY FERRAZZA - GUITAR
Having been a professional jazz musician for over 30 years, Ferrazza has performed all over the United States and beyond, including such places as Europe, Africa, Australia and Japan, concertizing with some of the most celebrated musicians in the world, including: Donald Byrd, Joey DeFrancesco, Joe Lovano, Stevie Wonder, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, J.J. Johnson, Slide Hampton, Curtis Fuller, Billy Hart, Robin Eubanks, Gary Bartz, Dan Wall, Marcus Belgrave, Clark Terry, Steve Turre, Bill Watrous, Jack McDuff, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Greg Bandy, Ernestine Anderson, Vanessa Rubin and many others. All of these musical experiences, both educational and professional, have instilled in Ferrazza the passion to pass music on to others and to teach. Bobby Ferrazza has taught at the Oberlin Conservatory since 1988, where he is currently Professor of Jazz Guitar. He also taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy from 1992-1996.
Read more on Oberlin College & Conservatory’s website
MICHAEL KOCOUR - PIANO
Michael Kocour is a jazz pianist, organist and composer. He also serves as Director of Jazz Studies in the School of Music at Arizona State University.
An active performer for more than three decades, Kocour has appeared at venues around the world and has been a guest on Marian McPartland's internationally syndicated NPR program "Piano Jazz." Among the many artists and ensembles with whom he has appeared with are Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Lovano, Eddie Harris, James Moody, Eddie Daniels, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Ira Sullivan, Carl Fontana, Dewey Redman, Lew Tabackin, and the Chicago Symphony.
Read more on his website
RODNEY WHITAKER - BASS
Internationally renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker, currently holds the titles of Professor of Jazz Bass and Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University where he has built one of the leading jazz degree programs and performing faculty in the United States of America. He is considered one of the leading performers and teachers of the jazz double bass in the United States. Whitaker has performed and toured with over 100+ legendary performing jazz artists over the past 25+ years. Featured on more than 100+ recordings - from film to compact discs - Whitaker’s film scores, China, directed by Jeff Wray, was released on PBS Fall 2002 and Malaria and Malawi, released on PBS Fall 2010. Also, Whitaker has a DVD release featuring Michigan State University’s Jazz Department entitled, “Inside Jazz” and three new compact discs entitled, “Get Ready” & “Work To Do”—both on Mack Avenue Records and “Better Than Alright” by Michigan State University College of Music.
Read more on his website
SEAN DOBBINS - DRUMS
Sean Dobbins got his start as sought-after Detroit area jazz sideman at a young age, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. As Sean’s Career progressed, he found himself the recipient of many awards and accolades including the “Woody Herman Jazz Award”, an award for outstanding musicianship, as well as the Louis Armstrong Scholarship. Due to Sean’s great talent both as a player and an educator, he has been the focus of countless news articles, jazz radio programs, and documentaries.
Sean’s sound can best be described as hard-driving, solid rhythm with refreshing melodic sensibility. Some of Sean’s influences include Art Blakey, Jeff Hamilton, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ed Thigpen, Sonny Payne, as well as Detroit area greats Gerald Cleaver and the one and only Elvin Jones.
Read more on his website