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CUESTA COLLEGE FEATURES
SAXOPHONIST PETER EPSTEIN
IN “BUG,” A JAZZ EVENT ON NOVEMBER 12
It may be
the best Central Coast jazz concert this fall. A group of talented jazz
musicians, including internationally-known saxophonist Peter Epstein,
will take the stage for “BUG,” a performance scheduled to kick off at
7:30 p.m., Saturday, November 12 in Cuesta College San Luis Obispo
Campus Room 7160. Along with Epstein, the concert will feature former
Cuesta Director of Jazz Studies, James Miley on Piano; his brother Jeff
Miley on guitar; Roger Shew on bass; and Brian Hamada on drums. The
Cuesta Jazz Combo also will be featured.
BUG is the
accidental brainchild of Hamada. Following a successful 2004 performance
at the Cuesta College Central Coast Jazz Festival in San Luis Obispo of
the Peter Epstein Quartet (featuring Jeff Miley, Shew and Hamada), James
Miley (then Director of Jazz Studies at Cuesta College) began planning
ways to bring the group together again.
A date was
secured and the band members were confirmed. However, James Miley then
accepted a new faculty position at Virginia Tech and moved to the east
coast. Rather than allow the gig to fall through, Hamada suggested that
the group book a few more dates in Southern California so Miley could
fly out from the east coast to play on piano and bring along a few new
tunes in the process. The rest is history. This small tour is a bit of a
trial run for the group in its current form. A typical set list might
include anything from Monk to ABBA in addition to originals by both of
the Mileys and Epstein.
Epstein is
Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). He
began his career in 1984 in Portland, Oregon where he apprenticed with
resident musicians like Nancy King and Glen Moore. After four years of
studying jazz and various world music genres at California Institute of
the Arts, he moved to New York City from 1992 to 2002. Throughout his
career, Epstein has appeared on more than 30 recordings and has toured
in more than 20 countries with such notable artists as Bobby Previte,
Brad Shepik, Ralph Alessi, Michael Cain, Miroslav Tadic, Medeski,
Martin, & Wood, Mike Stern, Steve Coleman, Jim Black, Ravi Coltrane, Uri
Caine, Kadri Golpalnath, and many others. As a leader, Peter has
released four albums for MA Recordings. His most recent solo album for
MA, “Old School,” features Peter Erskine on drums and Scott Colley on
bass. Even more recent is “Boats,” the latest release from the resident
UNR faculty ensemble, The Collective. More information can be found
online at www.peterepstein.com
Hamada – a,
drummer, jazz educator and “closet cowbell enthusiast” – has performed
with many jazz greats, including Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Rosemary
Clooney, Ernie Watts, Bob Mintzer, Jeff Lorber, Peter Epstein, Tim Ries,
Michael Davis, Bobby Shew, Lanny Morgan and the inestimable
Don Ho. As a member of the legendary CSU Fresno Jazz Band 'A' he toured
Japan, Korea and Europe, performed at the Northsea and Montreux
International Jazz Festivals and in 1983, was the recipient of a
DownBeat jazz soloist award. He has been an active clinician and
adjudicator throughout California and Nevada for nearly 20 years,
maintains a vibrant drum studio in Central California and currently
holds down the drum chair for the Fresno Jazz Composers Orchestra.
James Miley, winner of the 2004
IAJE/Gil Evans Fellowship in Jazz Composition, joined the faculty of
Virginia Tech as Director of Jazz Studies in the fall of 2005 following
appointments at Cuesta College, Fresno State University, and Albion
College. A versatile composer, comfortable in both the jazz and
classical idioms, Miley has written music for a variety of chamber and
choral ensembles in addition to his work for jazz orchestra. He has
appeared as a guest composer/director at numerous festivals and
universities, including the University of Oregon, CSU Northridge, and
the Monterey Jazz Festival. Miley has long been interested in the
reinterpretation of modern jazz small group compositions for jazz
orchestra, and recent collaborations with noted composers/performers Tim
Ries, Ron Miles and Peter Epstein have provided a wealth of new material
for the big band. His catalog of compositions and arrangements is
available through Walrus Music, Heritage Press, and UNC Jazz Press.
Guitarist Jeff Miley received his
bachelor’s in classical guitar performance from California State
University Northridge in 1988. While immersed in his music studies
there, he became a member of the Sun Guitar Quartet, whose
accomplishments included winning the Andres Segovia Performance Award
from the American Guitar Society and traveling to Japan to perform at
the Tokyo International Chamber Music Festival in 1989. They were the
first guitar ensemble ever to have been invited to this prestigious
festival. In addition to his classical studies, Miley studied jazz
arranging and jazz improvisation with Ladd McIntosh, and performed in
the jazz ensembles under the direction of Gary Pratt and Ladd McIntosh.
Since graduating, Miley has spent his time working on his original music
projects, and working as a sideman on numerous recording sessions,
concerts, and club dates. Back in 1995, right as his first album was
being released, he became the recipient of the Spotlight Award from
Guitar Player Magazine. Since that time, Miley has been intimately
involved in the release of four original albums, with more on the way.
He currently serves on the faculty of the Cuesta College Music
Department and his guitar playing continues to take him across the U.S.
and to Europe for performances. More information can be found at www.jeffmiley.com
Shew, a native of the Pacific
Northwest, holds a masters degree in jazz studies/bass performance from
Western Michigan University. Roger has shared the stage with jazz
artists such as Kenny Werner, The New York Voices, Bob Brookmeyer, Royce
Campbell, and Sunny Wilkinson. In 2001, Roger placed third in the jazz
division at the International Society of Bassists worldwide competition.
Roger is currently on the music faculty of Fullerton College, directs
the award winning jazz ensemble at Laguna Beach High School and performs
regularly throughout Southern California.
Tickets for the concert are $10
for adults and $8 for students, seniors, Jazz Federation members and
children under 12. For more information, contact Cuesta College
Performing Arts at 546-3195.
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