Experience Interlochen’s gifted faculty, students, and guests in Traverse City as the Interlochen in Town Series comes to The Alluvion. In this performance, local legend Bill Sears joins Interlochen Interim Program Director of Jazz Chris Glassman and the Chris Glassman Quintet for an evening celebrating jazz's lineage and the legacy of mentorship. Selections will paint a timeline of composers ranging throughout its 100+ year generational legacy.
Hailed by the International Trombone Journal as “a truly exceptional musician,” Michigan-based bass trombonist Chris Glassman is a rising star in the jazz world. Between 2017 and 2019, Glassman was a finalist in or won every international competition for jazz trombone in the United States—including the American Trombone Workshop Jazz Trombone Competition, the Chris Fuller International Trombone Competition, and the UNT Jazz Trombone Day competition. As a performer, Glassman has shared the stage with artists such as Michael Bublé, The Temptations, and The Four Tops and recorded two albums with his co-led ensemble, the Sencalar/Glassman Quintet. Glassman is also an avid arranger and has received commissions from the Brevard Music Center, the Wisconsin All State Jazz Band, Rodney Whitaker, and Michael Dease, among many others.
Bill Sears is a versatile saxophonist who is comfortable in a variety of musical settings. His engaging style reflects his deep appreciation for the entire history of the saxophone, from lush ballads reminiscent of the swing masters to the searing intensity of today's music. An active performer, Sears has played, toured, and recorded with many leading jazz musicians, including Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, and Peter Erskine, among others. He has also performed in backup orchestras for many popular artists, including Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, and The Temptations, and released two albums under his own leadership: Chasin' The Goal and With One Accord. Sears retired in 2021 after 34 years as Director of Jazz Studies at Interlochen Arts Academy.