Ben Markley Quintet Ft. Rodney Whitaker
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RODNEY WHITAKERInternationally renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker is one of the world’s renowned double bass performers, educators, mentors and is dedicated to inspiring and growing the next generation of jazz educators and musicians. A Detroit native, he grew up in the city soaking in the sounds of jazz and classical music and working with the finest musicians in the city. Building on his Detroit roots and enormous talent, Whitaker went on to earn an international reputation as one of the world’s finest jazz double bass performers. He completed a seven-year tenure as bassist with the Wynton Marsalis’ Sextet, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and has toured the world over the last twenty-six years, collaborating with over 100+ legendary performing jazz artists such as Dianne Reeves, Hank Jones, Mulgrew Miller, Junko Onishi, Yutaka Shiina, Kenny Burrell, Diana Krall, John Lewis, Kathleen Battle, Marian McPartland, Wycliffe Gordon, Kenny Garrett, Bradford Marsalis, Bob James, Roy Hargrove, Jon Carl Hendricks, Tommy Flanagan, Frank Morgan, Terence Blanchard, Betty “Be-Bop” Carter, Chick Corea, and leading symphony orchestras across the world—just to name a few. He has appeared and presented master classes at the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) conferences. 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. In 2011, he was nominated for an EMMY for the ‘Original Music’ category, “Malawi and Malaria: Fighting to Save the Children” produced by Robert Gould and Sue Carter. Whitaker collaborated with musicians Phil Dwyer and Alan Jones on “Let Me Tell You About My Day,” produced by Alma Records and was nominated for a Juno Award in 2006 for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year, Canada's equivalent to the United State of America’s Grammy. He is a full professor of jazz double bass and director of jazz studies at Michigan State University where he has built one of the leading jazz degree-granting programs, offering both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Jazz Performance.
Ben Markley QuintetBen Markley Ben Markley is a pianist, composer, arranger, author, educator, and leader of the Ben Markley Big Band, a daring ensemble known for their creative takes on beloved modern and contemporary jazz classics. Fresh off the heels of Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton, Markley tackles his most ambitious project yet: Ari’s Funhouse, a big band album featuring the music of drummer Ari Hoenig, with Hoenig himself in the drum chair. The album received great critical acclaim and was selected as one of the best 4 star rated albums of 2022 by DownBeat magazine. Markley is active as a composer and arranger with many big band and vocal jazz charts published through UNC Jazz Press as well as his own website. Recent arranging commissions include the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, and Wyoming Jazz Educators All-State Jazz Band. In 2023 Markley published Cedar. The Life and Music of Cedar Walton (University of North Texas Press). Markley conducted more than seventy-five interviews with friends and family members, musicians who played with or were otherwise influenced by Walton, and industry figures such as club owners. Musicians interviewed include such stars as Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, and Ron Carter. Walton’s wife Martha shared her extensive archives of photos, ephemera such as fliers and tour itineraries, and letters to inform Markley’s writing which is the definite biography on Walton. Markley’s book A Practical Approach to Improvisation - The David Hazeltine Method was published by Jamey Aebersold Jazz in December of 2014. It documents David Hazeltine’s process of creating etudes from transcriptions. Markley is an active performer in the Denver-metropolitan area and along the front range. He currently teaches jazz piano and serves as department chair of the music department for the University of Wyoming. Kyle Swan Wil Swindler Wil is an Instructor of Music and the Associate Director of Jazz Bands at Colorado State University, a position he has held since 2009. He is a frequent adjudicator for high school and college jazz festivals around the country and maintains a private saxophone/composition studio in the Denver area. Wil has served as an adjunct saxophone teacher and Jazz Ensemble director at Denver University, instructor at the University of Northern Colorado, composition teacher for the Colorado Conservatory of the Jazz Arts, faculty at the Yellowstone Jazz Camp, as well as the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Camp, and the Rocky Mountain Summer Music Camp. Originally from Central Texas, Wil began studying music at age five, and picked up the saxophone at age nine. He earned a B.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas in 2001 where he played in, composed for, and recorded with the 1:00 Lab Band. While at North Texas, he studied with Jim Riggs, Paris Rutherford, Neil Slater, and others. In 2000 he attended the Henry Mancini Institute on a full scholarship from BMI, and received a commission the following year from HMI for a piece premiered at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. In 2001, Wil relocated to New York City, where he played with Toshiko Akiyoshi and Bill Warfield's NY Fusion Ensemble, among others. During his time in N.Y., Wil studied saxophone with Dave Pietro and composition with Michael Abene and Jim McNeely as a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop. In 2003, he returned to his hometown of Austin, Texas, where he co-founded the 10-pc Chamber Jazz Ensemble and served as musical director for vocalist Kevin Ahart. Mr. Swindler has lived in Colorado since 2006 with his wife April Johannesen and daughter Annika. As an educator, Wil is in demand as a saxophone and jazz clinician and joined the
music faculty at Colorado State University as an adjunct Jazz instructor in the fall
of 2009. He is a frequent adjudicator for high school and college jazz festivals around
the country and maintains a private saxophone/composition studio in the Denver area.
Wil has served as an adjunct saxophone teacher and Jazz Ensemble director at Denver
University, instructor at the University of Northern Colorado, composition Originally from Central Texas, Wil began studying music at age five, and picked up the saxophone at age nine. He earned a B.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas in 2001 where he played in, composed for, and recorded with the 1:00 Lab Band. In 2000 he attended the Henry Mancini Institute on a full scholarship from BMI, and received a commission the following year from HMI for a piece premiered at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. In 2001, Wil relocated to New York City, where he played with Toshiko Akiyoshi and Bill Warfield's NY Fusion Ensemble, among others. During his time in N.Y., Wil studied saxophone with Dave Pietro and composition with Michael Abene and Jim McNeely as a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop. In 2003, he returned to his hometown of Austin, Texas, where he co-founded the 10-pc Chamber Jazz Ensemble and served as musical director for vocalist Kevin Ahart. Mr. Swindler has lived in Longmont, Colo. since 2006 with his wife April Johannesen, and daughter Annika. Steve Kovalcheck While having worked professionally in Nashville and New York, Kovalcheck has called Colorado home since 2007. He is active as a performer in Colorado, across the US, and internationally, having performed in China, Sweden, France, and Romania. While in Colorado, Kovalcheck serves on the faculty for the DownBeat award-winning jazz studies department at the University of Northern Colorado where he teaches jazz guitar, jazz improvisation, small jazz ensembles, and jazz composition. He is also active giving clinics nationally and internationally. Kovalcheck recently released Ghost Orchid, a quartet recording of all original music performed by some of Colorado’s finest jazz musicians; Paul Romaine on drums, Peter Sommer on tenor sax, and Ken Walker on bass. Kovalcheck also has a number of creative projects to look out for in the coming months (planned releases in 2022). These projects include a new trio recording that is a step in a different artistic direction. This recording, Nine Mile Hill, is a musical homage to Kovalcheck’s roots in Nashville. Blending country, blues, rock, and jazz influences, this recording features the drummer Danny Gottlieb (Pat Metheny Group, Gary Burton, Mahavishnu Orchestra) and bassist Jon Hamar (Jeff Hamilton trio/Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra). Kovalcheck also participated in a collective recording with bassist Jon Hamar and pianist Dawn Clement, release date pending. He also recently recorded with the Ari Hoenig and the Ben Markley Big Band, an album that will be released in June of 2022.
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The WHEE3TRIO ft. Gilad Hekselman
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GILAD HEKSELMANGilad Hekselman is one of the leading voices in jazz guitar. Only a few years after his arrival to NY in 2004, this native Israeli was already sharing stages with some of the greatest artists in the New York City jazz scene including Chris Potter, Eric Harland, Fred Hersch, Mark Turner, Anat Cohen, Ari Hoenig, Esperanza Spalding, Jeff Ballard, Ben Wendel, Gretchen Parlato, Ben Williams, Avishai Cohen, Tigran Hamasyan, Aaron Parks and Becca Stevens among many others. In May 2019, Hekselman featured his quartet at the legendary NYC venue The Village Vanguard. He has also been playing all other major jazz clubs in New York City, including the Blue Note, The Jazz Standard, Dizzy's Club and Smalls. He is constantly touring world-wide and has played most noteworthy jazz festivals and venues including Montreux, North Sea, Montreal & SFJazz to name a few. Hekselman has released 9 critically-acclaimed records as a band-leader, many of which have made it into 'best of the year' lists on NY Times, Downbeat Magazine, Amazon, All About Jazz and many other publications. His 10th record, Far Star, was released on Edition Records in May 2022. It's an all-original album in which Hekselman plays many instruments, and it features special guests such as Eric Harland, Shai Maestro, Ziv Ravitz and more. The record release will be celebrated with a week-long engagement at the Village Vanguard in NYC at the end of March 2022. Gilad is the recipient of several prestigious awards and recognitions. In 2017, Gilad placed first in the Rising Star category of Downbeat Magazine. That same year, he won the 7 Virtual Jazz Club international competition 2017. In 2018 Gilad was asked by guitar legend Pat Metheny to perform as part of his NEA Award ceremony at The Kennedy Center, alongside some of Metheny's other favorite young guitar players. Gilad is also the winner of the 2005 Gibson Montreux International Guitar Competition, which led to a string of performances including opening for guitar legend Paco de Lucia with his trio at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2006. Gilad began his prolific recording career in 2006 with the release of his debut album, SplitLife (Smalls Records), recorded with bassist Joe Martin and drummer Ari Hoenig. It received rave reviews from the press as did his second album, Words Unspoken (LateSet Records), recorded and released in 2008 with Joe Martin, drummer Marcus Gilmore and tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm. In 2009, Gilad recorded three tracks for Walt Disney Records, one of which was included in the record Everybody Wants To Be a Cat (2011). The album features versions of Disney songs played by a top-shelf lineup of musicians including Dave Brubeck, Joshua Redman, Esperanza Spalding, Diane Reeves, Roy Hargrove, Kurt Rosenwinkel, The Bad Plus and many other jazz legends. Born in Israel in 1983, Gilad studied classical piano from age 6 and began studying guitar at the age of 9. From age 12 to 14 he performed regularly with the band of a weekly children's television show. He attended the prestigious Thelma Yellin School of Arts, graduating with excellence from the jazz department at age 18. Gilad received the America - Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarship for studies abroad to attend The New School in New York, where he completed his BFA in performing arts in 2008. ENDORSEMENTS: MOFFA GUITARS / VICTOR BAKER GUITARS / MOOLLON GUITARS & PEDALS /HEERES GUITARS / IBANEZ GUITARS & AMPS / EARTHQUAKER DEVICES
WHEE3TRIOLed by drummer Andy Wheelock the WHEE3TRIO is a collaboration of close friends whose unique voices seamlessly blend into joyfully captivating musical experiences that invite listeners into an intimate space where friendship and artistry can be felt as one. With a rhythmic foundation rooted in Afro-Latin and West African traditions, the trio builds infectious, percussive grooves that sculpt undulating landscapes where melodies, that make you feel like home, soar effortlessly above. The heart of the trio resides in Gonzalo Teppa's virtuosic bass mastery, its soul intricately woven by Walter Gorra's extraordinary piano artistry, and its vitality painted by Wheelock’s rhythmic ingenuity. Mix these with a dash of serene electronic soundscapes, and you will feel the palatable joy of friendship and creativity, the essence of the WHEE3TRIO. Andy Wheelock is a Drummer, Percussionist, Composer, and Educator. Wheelock is an active performer and can be heard performing regularly around the Front Range. He is a founding member of the Live Edge Trio, the WHEE3TRIO, KEWO, and can be heard playing regularly with the Gonzalo Teppa Quintet, Ben Markley, New Stream Brass Ensemble, the University of Wyoming Jazz Faculty, and the Cheyenne Symphony. Wheelock has had the honor of sharing the stage with Adam Birnbaum, Steve Nelson, Bill O’Connell, Craig Handy, Ernie Watts, SK Kakraba, Jorge Glem, Bobby Shew, Chuchito Valdés, Joel Frahm, Henry Linarez, Bob Bowman, Ivan Trevino, and William Moersch. Gonzalo Teppa is a two-time Latin Grammy Nominee for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” and “Best Latin Jazz Album”, for work on the recordings “Tiempo” by Linda Briceño; and “3rd Element” by Luisito Quintero. Teppa was named “Best Jazz Soloist” by Downbeat Magazine in 2004, 2005, and 2006. He also received “Best Jazz Soloist” award at the Greeley Jazz Festival in 2004 and 2005. Teppa has performed with: Wynton Marsalis, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Matt Wilson, Ed Simon, Chris Potter, Tom Harrell, Ron Miles, Art Lande, Slide Hampton, Don Byron, Jeremy Pelt, Ben Goldberg, and others. Walter Gorra is an award-winning pianist, composer and arranger based out of the New York/New Jersey metro area. Currently 28 years old, Walter graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder Magna Cum Laude and High Honors in May 2017 with the following three degrees – MS Structural engineering, BM Jazz Piano and BS Civil Engineering. He then pursued a master’s degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging at William Paterson University in New Jersey, graduating in May 2019. In 2015, Walter was one of 30 young artists selected by KUVO during their 30th Anniversary year, as part of their “30 Under 30” campaign given them the spotlight and opportunity to have their audience become acquainted with them and their music. In February of 2015, Walter received a grant from the Boettcher Foundation to present and play with NEA Jazz Master Paquito D'Rivera in a master class and concert. The group, "The Walter Gorra Septet" played with Paquito D'Rivera at the KUVO radio studios in Denver, at the University of Colorado Boulder during a masterclass, and at the Mount Vernon Country Club in Denver. Walter has worked with Billy Childs, Rufus Reid, Pete McGuinness
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