Instrumental, Composition, Ensemble Workshops
MARC MOMMAAS
One of the founders of New York Jazz Workshop School of Music, faculty director Marc Mommaas (1969, NL) made NYC his home base in 1997 and has since developed a strong reputation as a tenor saxophonist, composer and leader of his group ‘Global Motion’.
Marc received a full scholarship from the Manhattan School of Music where he pursued his Masters in Jazz Performance and upon graduating was awarded the ‘William H. Borden Award’. He frequently tours Europe, the US and Canada with different formations and tours with three groups of his own: “Global Motion”, “Mommaas/Moreno/Nadley” trio and “Balance” (duo). Mommas background in education includes years of private teaching, summer jazz camps as faculty member with NYU and jazz workshops with pianist Armen Donelian.
For more information about Marc Mommaas visit his website
MIKE LONGO
Mike Longo is one of New York Jazz Workshop’s senior advisors. Longo resume is way too long for the little space we have available here. He studied under Oscar Peterson and started his professional career playing piano for Cannonball Adderly at age 15 before joining Dizzy Gillespie’s band as pianist and musical director (positions he held for 22 years).
In his long and prolific career Mike shared the stage with such musical luminaries as Milt Jackson, James Moody, Jimmy Witherspoon, Coleman Hawkins, Lee Konitiz the great Miles Davis, and many others including two of the most influential percussionists of all time: Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa.
Mike Longo is a teacher who has helped many jazz players with private instruction. Mike is an advocate of jazz instruction and has written nine books including Theory and Musicianship for the Creative Jazz Improviser, Voicing and Voice Leadings for the Contemporary Jazz Pianist, The Technique of Creating Harmonic Melody for the Jazz Improviser and How to Sight Read Jazz and Other Syncopated Type Rhythms (the latter now a required text at SUNY) all available from our store. His latest recording, “ Float Like a Butterfly” won him critical acclaim and can be purchased on our online store. Mike contributes to the faculty curriculum and teaches selected workshop and master classes
For more information about Mike Longo visit his website.
GEORGE COLEMAN JR.
George was seven when Jazz innovator and master drummer Max Roach gave him his first set of drums. The background music of his childhood was set to the harmonic sophistication of his father, George (“Big George”) Coleman’s saxophone and the classic blues of his mother Gloria’s bass, piano, organ and vocal work.
George has worked and recorded with such notable jazz masters and young lions as Harold Mabern, Benny Powell, Jamil Nasser, Lou Donaldson, John Patton, Sir Roland Hanna, Don Braden, Benny Green,Ray Drummond,Jim Rotundi, Russell Malone, Geoff Keezer,Charles McPherson, Sonny Fortune, Eric Alexander, and of course George and Gloria Coleman.
George along with friend and brilliant musician/composer Ned Otter, co-founded Essential Arts Concepts, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to expanding public awareness of jazz, and increasing the performing and recording opportunities for jazz artists. Through the efforts of EAC George has conducted music instruction clinics and master classes for grade school and college undergraduate and graduate music conservatory students in the US, Europe and Asia.
To find out more about George Coleman Jr you can visit his website
TONY MORENO
Tony Moreno grew up in New York City. His mother, Nina Dunkel Moreno, was a major influence on his interests in music. She was harpist, musicologist and teacher who studied at Juilliard and the Paris Conservatory with Marcel Grandjany and Nadia Boulanger. At the age of 11, Tony’s mom took him to the neighborhood club to hear Elvin Jones, from whom he purchased his first set of drums and cymbals a week later. Tony studied with Elvin at Frank Ippolito’s Professional Percussion Center over the next 6 years.
Tony is a member of Kendra Shank’s Quartet with Frank Kimbrough and Dean Johnson, which performs throughout the U.S. and has recorded two CD’s, the latest is “The Abbey Lincoln Songbook”. Tony has also performed and recorded with Marc Mommaas and the band Global Motion with Nicolaj Hess and John Hebert.
Other recordings Tony has appeared on include: Frank Kimbrough and Noumena with Scott Robinson and Ben Monder; Riccardo Luppi: “Mnemosine” and “Moire Signum” with Stefano Battaglia and Paolino Della Porta; Rez Abbasi: “Modern Memory” with Tim Hagens, Gary Thomas, Michael Formanek and Scott Whitfield; Gene Ess: “One World Tribe” with Lonnie Plaxico, Ravi Coltrane and Takuya Nakamura; Ole Mathiessen: “Chinese Horoscope” with Russ Lossing and Francois Moutin; Paolo Botti “Viola Trio” with Salvatore Maiore; Fred Favarel: “The Search” with Richie Beirach, Peter Herbert, Dave Pietro, John O’Gallagher, Tim Ries, Oscar Noriega, Mark Feldman and Erik Friedlander. Tony also appears on a number of DVD’s: The Lounge Lizards “Live in Tokyo”; Barry Harris “Madrid concert”; Spooky Actions “Live in Moscow”. Webcasts include two Mordy Ferber Quartet “Live at the Blue Note” sessions with Dave Liebman/George Garzone and Eddie Gomez/Richard Bona.
Tony is committed to providing outstanding jazz education, he is a member of the faculty at New York University (Jazz Studies Program) and Columbia University as well as City College of New York Jazz Studies department. He has pubblished a text book called “Rhythmic Studies for All Instruments” (Muse Eek – amazon.com).
To find out more about Tony Moreno you can visit his website
VIC JURIS
Born Victor E. Jurusz Jr. in 1953 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Vic Juris began his professional ascent in the early 1970s through appearances and recordings with Phil Woods, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miroslav Vitous. He participated in the jazz fusion movement with the Barry Miles group and in duets with Larry Coryell. His virtuosity and creativity in both acoustic and electric ensembles allowed him to quickly build a broad fan base.
Vic has recorded and performed with an extensive roster of jazz greats, including David Liebman, Freddie Hubbard, Gary Peacock, John Ambercrombie, Bireli Lagrene and Lee Konitz. A master of fluid lyricism, subtle phrasing and engaging harmonies, Vic is especially well known for his seductive ballads. He’s a prolific composer and recorded many of his previous works with the Steeplechase label.
Vic is the author of Modern Chords: Advance Harmony for Guitar, published by Mel Bay in 2004. A dedicated music educator, he’s on faculty at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and the Jazz & Contemporary Music Program at New School University in New York City.
To find out more about Vic Juris you can visit his website
REZ ABBASI
Born on the Indian sub-continent, removed at the age of four to the driving sounds of Southern California, schooled at the University of Southern California and the Manhattan School of Music in jazz and classical music, as well as a pilgrimage in India under the tutorial of master percussionist, Ustad Alla Rakha, Rez Abbasi is a vivid synthesis of all the above stated influences and genres.
Making New York home for the past 15 years, Rez Abbasi is considered by many to be one of the foremost modern jazz guitar players on todays scene. He has developed a unique sound both as a composer and an instrumentalist and has honed his skills with performances through out the world including multiple tours in Europe, Canada, the U.S., Mexico and India. He has performed and recorded with many greats including, Grammy winner Ruth Brown, Peter Erskine, Kenny Werner, Barre Phillips, Tim Hagans, Marc Johnson, Billy Hart, Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith, Gary Thomas, Rick Margitza, DD Jackson, Dave Douglas, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Tony Malaby, George Brooks, Pandit Ronu Majumdar, Pandit Kadri Gopalnath, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Greg Osby and a host of others.
The breadth of Abbasi’s inspiration sometimes invites guests to help realize it. In the past, he has had fine musicians such as Dave Liebman, Gary Thomas, and Peter Erskine. For Bazaar, he has chosen close New York collaborators, Rudresh Mahanthappa and Marc Mommaas on saxophones as well as Gautam Siram on south Indian percussion. Abbasi states, “To create a world-based music steeped in jazz is my goal. In this way, I’m following in the footsteps of some of the greatest jazz musicians. John Coltrane,Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie all immersed themselves into music from around the world and then brought it back home. If I have that kind of unifying affect, I’ve succeeded!”
Rez Abbasi is also an innovative educator and is eager to share is knowledge with students from all over the world.
For more information about Rez Abbasi check out his website
NICOLAJ HESS
Nikolaj Hess won the gold prize in “Berlingske Tidendes” competition of non-classical music in Copenhagen; won the category best European jazz piano player under 25 in the RAI competition in Rome and was a finalist in Leverkusener Jazztages “European Young Artist” competition in Germany.
Having graduated from Rhythmic Conservatory at 22, he was the first to get topgrade 13 for his concert performance in piano, his major subject. He later studied in the US with Richie Beirach, Danilo Perez and Gary Dial. He also studied in West Africa with master drummer Odartey and at Legon University in Accra, Ghana.
Nikolaj Hess is leader, co-leader and member of several groups like NH Quartet, Funky Nacht Music, Hessismore, SisselVeraPettersen/NikolajHess, DocStomp aka Spoiled Child, counting and having counted members like Francois Moutin, Kenny Wolleson, Christian McBride, Marc Mommaas, Marylin Mazur, Donny McCaslin, Jochen Rueckert, Satoshi Takeishi, Jesper Lundgaard, Mads Vinding, Alex Riel, Lars Danielsson, Jacob Fisher, Johannes Weidenmuller, Tom Rainey, Cameron Brown, Sissel Vera Petersen, Hans Ulrik and Chris Minh Doky.
Nikolaj Hess has worked with Lee Konitz, Benny Golson, Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, Hal Willner, Etta Cameron, Ulla Henningsen, Julee Cruise, Jamey Haddad, Ben Street, Ben Allison, Essiet Essiet, Lage Lund, Ron Afif, Michelle Walker, Ed Neumeister, Danny Gottlieb, James Genus, David Liebman, Hal Crook, Harwie Swartz, Jean Luc Ponty, Marcello Pelletiri, Andrea Marcelli, Michael Blair, Kysia Bostic, Ed Howard, Youron Israels, Dennis Charles, Doug Raney, Judy Niemack, Cæcilie Norby, Debbie Cameron, Lars Hug, Bob Rockwell, Caroline Henderson, Jukka Perko, Severi Pyysalo, Ed Thigpen, Copenhagen Art Ensemble, and many others. He was the music director for american theater guru Robert Wilson’s “The White Town.”
He is associate professor at The Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen, where he is teaching part time. Part of his work includes research/development projects in composition and recording, among them on electronic music, combining computer-based interactive music with acoustic improvisation and composition.
He has also been a guest teacher at New School University, New York; William Paterson University, New Jersey, Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique Paris, Funda College, South Africa.
To find out more about Nikolaj Hess you can visit his website
In the last few years, Tim Price has had the extreme good fortune to have bands of his own featuring world class stellar players like Lew Tabackin, Rachel Z, Allison Miller, and Scott Lee. His stature at the North Sea Jazz Festival couldn't have been more prestigous with a backup band of Bennie Green on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Carl Allen on drums. Tim's special guest that night at the end of his set was Dutch superstar tenor titan Hans Dulfer. As a clinician Tim has instigated a "Tribute To Oliver Nelson" in Saint Paul, MN as well as been a favorite as a clinician and artist at the prestigious Cape May Jazz Festival.
Tim's travels have also taken him to New Orleans in September 2004 for a very special "Coltrane Tribute" with Tony Dagradi, and superstar drummer extrodinaire Stanton Moore from the jam band "Galactic". Also, on the bandstand was New Orleans finest on bass, Chris Severen, and from "Los Hombres Calientes" pianist Victor Atkins. The Coltrane event as well as the club "Snug Harbor" was SRO. As was gigs that Tim played in the Pennsylvania area with one of his bands featuring Rachel Z. At this point in time Tim's career couldn't be more positive. With a CD release on the way with sax legend Sue Terry and two releases under his own name this year, things are moving in a very positive way.
Tim Price is a Selmer saxophone clinician, and a demanded performer and educator worldwide. Tim, a Berklee College of Music graduate, is one of the country's foremost woodwind artists.
His extensive studies have taken him into one on one learning with jazz masters like Sal Nistico, Charlie Banacos, Fred Lipsius, Sonny Stitt, James Moody, Ray Pizzi and Lenny Pickett.
He has played with musicians like Bennie Green, Hans Dulfer, Lew Tabackin, Ray Drummond, Jon Mayer, Greg Bandy, James Gadson, Don Patterson, Billy James, Major Holly, Alan Dawson, Bill Doggett, Jack Mc Duff, Cecil Payne, Richie Cole, Ernie Watts, Charlie Watts from the Rolling Stones, Gary Burton, Doc Severinson, Dr. John, Phil Woods, Charlie Mariano, Shirly Scott, Trudy Pitts, Sonny Stitt and Ernie Krivda, Rachel Z, Sue Terry, and John LaPorta. To name but a few!
He's spent years in the trenches with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey under both Murray McEachern and later Buddy Morrow, Glenn Miller under Buddy DeFranco, Cab Calloway and Harry James. He's also been part of Ernie Krivda's Fat Tuesday big band. Tim's bassoon has been a part of the Lawrence "Butch" Morris Orchestra at the 2004 "Vision Festival" in New York City as well as Rome and other destinations.
In addition, he's done various soul and rock gigs with folks like Billy Paul, The 5th Dimension, Lou Christie, Milt Trenier, Four Tops, Felix Cavelerie, Al Kooper and many many others from that idiom.
To find out more about Tim Price you can visit his website
Dr. Alexander Pope Norris is a native of the Baltimore/ Washington, DC area. A 12-year veteran of the New York Jazz scene, Alex has worked with the Village Vanguard Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Big Band, Betty Carter, Avishai Cohen, Gary Thomas,, Lonnie Plaxico, Brad Mehldau and Brian Blade. In Latin Jazz, his performing/recording credits include Jerry and Andy González, Hilton Ruiz, Poncho Sanchez, and Chico O’Farrill. Alex has also been active in Jazz Education, both as a clinician and as a faculty member at several institutions. From 2005-2008 academic year, Alex was Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Miami. He has recorded as a sideman on many prestigious Jazz record labels, including Blue Note, Verve, Impulse, Sunnyside, Palmetto, and Steeplechase. Norris has one recording as a leader, Alex Norris Quintet-A New Beginning, on the Fresh Sounds/New Talent label.
Voice
In command, infectious, energetic and strong: Fay Victor hypnotizes audiences, whether she sings a blues, sculpts a free improvisation piece, reinvents a Herbie Nichols tune through her own lyrics, or effortlessly scats over the harmonies of a jazz standard. Her musicality is deft and the words (usually hers) speak of universal themes with the focus of a story-teller, running the full gamut of human emotion in an original mix of traditional song forms and free improvisation.
At the beginning of the nineties, Ms. Victor began building a name as a jazz vocalist around NY performing primarily jazz standards and blues. After navigating the city clubs for a few years and having formed her first working trio, Victor needed a fresh start and more work and followed the call the Europe. Victor made Amsterdam, the Netherlands her home, living in that city for nearly 8 years. The experience was a fruitful one. Victor used this time to study and hone her distinctive sound, her ear and widen her musical horizons that made the transition from a singer of standards to the unique vocal artist she has become today, a vocalist coming from the jazz tradition as a basis for improvising in the sense of Ornette Coleman/late Coltrane and beyond contrasted by an earthy soulfulness expressed through originals that offer taut construction and witty lyrics. Ms Victor voice and approach is about embracing the gamut of musical expression in an effortless way and talking about the small details that mean so much to so many.
Victor returned home to New York City in 2003 and since then has been one of the most active vocalist on the scene, stretching her voice around the city, touting her groups into clubs, constantly developing new material and forging new collaborations that are taking her as far away as Moscow, Russia.
Victor has appeared at venues/festivals including BAMCafe Live, Het Bimhuis (Amsterdam), The Stone, Roulette/Location One, Zebulon, Poklad (Gdynia), Galapagos Art Space, Barbes, CBGB’s, The Vision Festival Series, Cornelia Street Café, Tonic, the 55 Bar, The HOWL Festival, River to River Festival and GRIM Winter Nights Festival (Marseille, FR). Victor has performed with such notables as Odetta, Gloria Lynne, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Lawrence “Butch” Morris, Misha Mengelberg, Roswell Rudd, Gary Lucas, Tyshawn Sorey, Connie Crothers, Matana Roberts, Vijay Iyer, Michael Attias, Michael Moore, Duck Baker and Steve Coleman.
To find out more about Fay Victor you can visit his website
HILARY GARDNER
Classically trained from the age of 12, vocalist Hilary Gardner became enamored of jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae.
Since her arrival in New York in 2003, Hilary has performed in many of New York’s top venues, such as Iridium, Birdland, Sweet Rhythm, the Jazz Standard, and the Allen Room at Lincoln Center.
Hilary has performed with trumpet star and Jazz Messenger Valery Ponomarev, headlining a concert at the Moscow Philharmonic’s Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Russia as well as touring throughout Germany as part of Twinz Records’ Blue Chips Meets Blue Notes tour.
Hilary regularly performs with the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, an 18-piece big band led by Mike Longo, Dizzy Gillespie’s longtime pianist and musical director. Hilary was the featured vocalist with Arturo O’Farrill’s big band at the New Hampshire Music Festival in the summer of 2007.
Hilary is the voice of The Kurt Weill Project, a collaboration with pianist/producer Frank Ponzio, bassist Peter Donovan, and drummer Vito Lesczak. Their CD, A Song About Forever: Songs by Kurt Weill, was released in June 2008.
Hilary is a dedicated jazz educator and teaches privately as well as in workshop settings.
For more information about Hilay Gardner visit her website
Percussion
MAKANE KOUYATE
Makane Kouyate was born into a Griot family in Segou, Mali, West Africa. He has been drumming since he was 5 years old. As a youth he worked for four years with Ballet National Of Mali and competed into two consecutive Malian biennale contests. He begen travelling and performing as lead drummer with the group Super Biton throughout West Africa at age 14. In 1997 he played with the word-renowned singer and guitarist, Habib Koite’.He came into the USA in 2000 and toured with singer Sadjo Kouyate’. Currently he resides in New Yorkand teaches and performs across the country at schools and festivals. He has taught at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, the Queens Conservatory of Music, Spring Valley School, The South Bronx Summer Camp and many more institutions. Makane performs with Many artists including the Mamadou Diabate Ensamble, Manding Jata, Sidiki Conde’ and his ballet, Balla Kouyate’. HE has performed at the Lowell Folk Festival, Symphony Space, Carnagie Hall, the New Jersey Art Museum as well as many other venues. Makane his dedicated to music education and the best instructor you could find if you are interested in learning African Drumming.
Not sure if the class is right for you? For a low fee of $25 come and sit in on a class before you sign up. To make an appointment contact us by email or call 917-340-0270.
