School of Music
presents
Kennesaw State University
Jazz Faculty and Friends
Monday, November 17, 2008
8:00 pm
Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family Performance Center
Concert Hall
Twenty-third Concert of the 2008-2009 season
Kennesaw State University
Upcoming Music Events
Tuesday, November 18
Kennesaw State University
Jazz Combos
8:00 pm • Bailey Performance Center Performance Hall
Wednesday, November 19
Kennesaw State University
Wind Ensemble and Concert Band
8:00 pm • Bailey Performance Center Performance Hall
Thursday, November 20
Kennesaw State University
Gospel Choir
8:00 pm • Bailey Performance Center Performance Hall
Saturday, November 22
Kennesaw State University
Opera Gala
8:00 pm • Bailey Performance Center Performance Hall
Monday, November 24
Kennesaw State University
Percussion Ensemble
8:00 pm • Bailey Performance Center Performance Hall
Tuesday, December 2
Kennesaw State University
Choral Ensembles Holiday Concert
8:00 pm • Bailey Performance Center Performance Hall
For the most current information, please visit
http://www.kennesaw.edu/arts/events/
Kennesaw State University
School of Music
Monday, November 17, 2008
8:00 pm
Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family Performance Center
Performance Hall
KSU Faculty and Friends Jazz!
An Evening of Great Music
“Originals, Standards, and Whatnot!”
Sam Skelton: winds
Wes Funderburk: trombone
Trey Wright: guitar
Tyrone Jackson: piano
Robert Dixon: bass
Justin Varnes: drums
John Lawless: percussion
Justin Varnes drums
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Justin Varnes studied music at the
University of North Florida. After a brief stint with the Noel Freidline
Quintet, Mr. Varnes relocated to New York City to pursue a master's
degree in jazz studies at the New School. In New York, Justin toured for
six years with vocalist Phoebe Snow, with whom he performed on the
Roseanne Barr Show, as well as National Public Radio's "World Cafe"
(he would later perform on "World Cafe" with pop group "Five for
Fighting"). He also performed with Phoebe at Madison Square Garden,
where he played alongside singers Jewel and Paula Cole.
Mr. Varnes has performed with several jazz greats in New York,
including: Ben Wolfe (Harry Connick, Jr.), Aaron Goldberg (Joshua
Redman), Wessell Anderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Marcus Printup, Steve
Kirby (Cyrus Chestnut), Peter Bernstein, and Eric Lewis (Wynton
Marsalis).
Currently residing in Atlanta, Mr. Varnes performs regularly with the
Christian Tamburr Quartet, as well as Bob Reynolds, Kevin Bales, Joe
Gransden and Gary Motley. Justin is also a top call sideman for touring
artists through Atlanta. He has performed with Vincent Herring, Kevin
Hays, Victor Goines and recently has been tapped for some work with
Earl Klugh.
concerto soloists with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in “The Glory
and the Grandeur” by Russell Peck.
A graduate of Georgia State University, Mr. Lawless’s teachers include
Tom Float, Jack Bell, Cloyd Duff, Paul Yancich, Bill Wilder, and Mark
Yancich. Mr. Lawless’s previous faculty appointments include those at
Georgia State University, Clark Atlanta University, and West Georgia
State University.
Robert Dixon bass
Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Robert Dickson received his
Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alabama and a Master
of Music from the University of New Orleans where he was a graduate
teaching assistant. He performed extensively in the New Orleans area
and relocated to Atlanta after hurricane Katrina in the fall of 2005. In
addition to his background in jazz, Mr. Dickson also attended the
Brevard Music Camp as an orchestral bassist. He has performed with
many jazz greats including Terri Lynne Carrington, Jerry Coker, Dizzy
Gillespie, Lou Marini, Jason Marsalis, Steve Masakowski, Irvin
Mayfield, Davy Mooney, Ed Petersen, Shannon Powell, Lew Soloff, and
Johnny Vidacovich.
Tyrone Jackson piano
Tyrone Jackson performs an eclectic blend of classic and contemporary
jazz to soothe the aural palette. The new jazz CD, "Dedicated," is
Tyrone at his finest—creative composition, wonderful collaborations and
technical mastery.
Tyrone was born in the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans where he honed
his skills learning traditional, Latin, and fusion jazz. An accomplished
composer as well, Tyrone utilizes a counterpoint of harmonic balance
with melodic lyricism and rhythmic ostinato. He has played with Earl
Klugh, Melba Moore, Wynton Marsalis, Wes Anderson, and Greg
Dawson. Jackson toured Italy and Austria with the UNO Jazz Band in
1997 and Brazil with Michael Ward in 1996. He has opened for Gerald
Albright, Spyro Gyra, The Crusaders, and Chaka Kahn. In 2008 he
toured Thule, Greenland and opened for Marcus Miller, St. Lucia, played
with Jeff Golub and with Kirk Whalum.
Sam Skelton winds
A native of Conyers, Georgia, Sam Skelton has been active on the
Atlanta music scene for well over a decade. Skelton graduated summa
cum laude from Georgia State University and the private studio of Tony
Carere with a degree in jazz studies. During his course of study at GSU,
Sam was a Montgomery Music Scholar and a two-time fellowship
recipient to the Aspen Music Festival. He continued his saxophone
studies with Kenneth Radnofsky at Boston University in 1991.
As a woodwind doubler, Skelton is well versed in any genre of music.
His grasp of saxophone, clarinet, and flute has enabled him to remain
very busy in live performance as well as in the studio.
Skelton has performed and/or soloed with The London Symphony
Orchestra, The Atlanta Symphony, The Atlanta Pops, The Peachtree
Pops, The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and The Cobb Symphony Orchestra
as well as numerous local high school and civic ensembles. World
premiers include James Oliverio’s “Children of A Common Mother,”
Lee Johnson’s “Ora Pro Mi: Concerto for Winds Soloist” (clarinet, flute
and soprano saxophone), and “Seaside Symphony” (clarinet and soprano
saxophone soloist). Skelton also played the premier recording of “Ora
Pro Mi” and “Seaside Symphony” with the London Symphony
Orchestra.
As a sideman on more than 150 compact discs, Skelton remains very
active in the studio and can be heard on recordings by such artists as:
Elton John, Howard Tate, Matchbox 20, Train, Edwin McCain, The Gap
Band and The Ohio Players. Television and radio jingles include The
Weather Channel, The Travel Channel, Ford, The Cartoon Network,
CNN, Nature’s Own, Popeye’s, Papa John’s and Turner South.
Television appearances include “In the Heat of the Night,” “Savannah”
and “Sinbad’s Summer Jam II” on HBO.
Skelton is currently director of jazz studies and lecturer in saxophone at
Kennesaw State University. Sam served as professor of saxophone at
Georgia State University from 1991 to 2004 and was jazz ensemble
director at Georgia Tech from 2002-2004 and was artist-in-residence at
the University Of Georgia for the Jazz Department. He served as visiting
professor of saxophone at Furman University 2001-02. Professional
associations include: Georgia Music Educators Association, Georgia
Association of Jazz Educators, International Association of Jazz
Educators, National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (voting
member) and the American Federation of Musicians.
Wes Funderburk trombone
Wes Funderburk joined the faculty at Kennesaw State University in
2007. He has performed across the United States and Europe and is an
active trombonist in Atlanta and the Southeast. He is the author of
Funderbone.com and the inventor of Blog Songs!—an award-winning
music blog and podcast. Mr. Funderburk has performed and recorded
with a wide array of internationally renowned artists including Natalie
Cole, Co-Ed, Gloria Lynne, Peter Noone, Freda Payne, India Arie, Slide
Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Garrett, Rich Matteson, Toshiko
Akyoshi and Cecil Welch. He has performed throughout Atlanta at
venues such as Churchill Grounds, Symphony Hall, Spivey Hall, The
Georgia Dome, the Variety Playhouse and The Fox Theater as well as the
famous Apollo Theater in New York. He has also been a featured
performer at The Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival,
Atlanta Black Arts Festival, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Montreux-Atlanta
Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival.
Mr. Funderburk’s recording credits include Verve Records, Universal
Records, Arista Records, the Cartoon Network and the Weather Channel.
His arranging credits include music for Natalie Cole, The Georgia Brass
Band, Georgia State University, Joe Gransden and The Piedmont
Trombone Society. Mr. Funderburk is also the leader of the Funderbone
Jazz Quintet and the Funderhorns—a freelance commercial horn section
working closely with Dallas Austin’s DARP studio among others.
As an educator Mr. Funderburk has given clinics and master classes at
the University of North Florida, Georgia State University, Columbus
State University, the Mars Hill Low Brass Retreat, Tanglewood Music
Center and numerous high schools across the Southeast. He maintains an
active private studio for students of all ages and was a director of the
2005 Atlanta Youth Jazz Orchestra and assistant director of the 2005
University of North Florida Music Camp. He earned degrees in trombone
performance from the University of North Florida and Georgia State
University.
Trey Wright guitar
Trey Wright began playing guitar at age 15. Initially inspired by the
blues, Trey was exposed to jazz early in his development by a private
instructor. While studying Sociology at the University of Georgia,
Wright furthered his study of jazz improvisation with pianist and
composer Steve Dancz. In 1994, he co-founded the Athens/Atlanta
based jazz band Squat. The group is a six-time winner of the Best Jazz
Award at the Flagpole Athens Music Awards and has been a featured
artist at the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Twilight Athens Jazz Festival,
Harvest Midtown, and has performed with Medeski, Martin, and Wood,
the B-52’s, Maceo Parker, Maynard Ferguson, the Squirrel Nut Zippers,
and the Charlie Hunter Trio. Along with managing Squat and producing
six independent CD releases, Trey plays guitar and piano with the group,
touring throughout the Southeast.
Trey is also a freelance musician in the Athens and Atlanta area and has
performed with Yellowjackets bassist Jimmy Haslip, upright and electric
bassist John Patitucci, Grammy winning saxophonist Joe Lovano, and
Mel Bay Records recording artist Corey Christiansen. Trey has
performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, and the World
Sacred Music Festival in Bangalore, India. As a solo guitarist and with
his trio, Trey has been a featured performer at the Athens Music and Arts
Festival, the Lake Oconee Jazz Festival, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival.
Trey has also recently performed with the newly formed Cobb
Symphony Jazz Orchestra (CSO JAZZ!).
In December of 2002, Trey completed a Master of Music degree in Jazz
Studies at Georgia State University, and he currently is on faculty at
Kennesaw State University and the Atlanta Institute of Music. Trey has
also taught at LaGrange College, Gainesville College, and was a Jazz
Artist-in-Residence at the University of Georgia. In 2006, Trey released
his first CD Where I’m Calling From, receiving rave reviews and airplay
throughout the United States, New Zealand, England, Australia,
Germany, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, Scotland, and the Netherlands.
Trey began recording his second CD in the spring of 2008.
John Lawless percussion
John Lawless became Director of Percussion Studies at Kennesaw State
University in 2004. Principal Timpanist of the Atlanta Opera since 1979,
Mr. Lawless was appointed as Principal Timpanist with the Chattanooga
Symphony and Opera Orchestra in 1986. Since 1978, Mr. Lawless has
performed and recorded as an extra with the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra while maintaining a thriving freelance career as studio and pit
percussionist.
A founding member of the Atlanta Percussion Trio, Mr. Lawless
performs more than 600 school concerts a year for audiences totaling
300,000 annually. In 2004 the Atlanta Percussion Trio performed as
