The Mike Kaupa Jazz Quartet

EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC THE MIKE KAUPA JAZZ QUARTET Mike Kaupa, trumpet, flugelhorn Gary Versace, piano Jeff Campbell, bass Chase Ellison, drums Tuesday, June 29, 2021 Kilbourn Hall (livestream) 7:30 PM PROGRAM My Accountant Done Told Me Canal Days Motian Motion Akimbo Euronics Waterlilies Spare Change All music composed and arranged by Mike Kaupa PERSONNEL Mike Kaupa, trumpet, flugelhorn Gary Versace, piano Jeff Campbell, bass Chase Ellison, drums MEET THE ARTISTS Trumpeter Mike Kaupa has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, and Japan. From 2001 through 2005 he was a member of the faculty at the annual Seminario de Jazz, in Barcelona, Spain. On Saturday, December 2nd, 2007, Mike performed at the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. He was an interim professor of jazz trumpet at the Eastman School for the 1999/2000 school year and the spring semester, 2010. He recently performed at the “Remembering Marian” tribute to Marian McPartland con- cert at the 92nd St. Y in NYC. In April 2016 he was a soloist with the Penn State University (Erie) Jazz Ensemble. Among others, he has performed with Jorge Rossy, Ben Monder, Mark Murphy, Gary Bartz, Luci- ana Souza, Joe Locke, Mel Torme, and Ray Charles. Mike holds a Bache- lor of Music degree from Fredonia State University and a Master of Music degree from The University of Miami. He is currently on the faculty of The Harley School, Finger Lakes Community College, Eastman Commu- nity Music School, and the IfCM Collective. Originally hailing from Cos Cob, CT, jazz pianist, organist, and accordion- ist Gary Versace is one of the busiest and most versatile musicians on the international jazz scene, often featured in bands led by musicians such as John Scofield, Maria Schneider, John Abercrombie, Anat Cohen, Al Fos- ter, Regina Carter, Ellery Eskelin, Ray Anderson, Rich Perry, John Hollen- beck, Ralph Alessi, Kurt Elling, Madeleine Peyroux, Matt Wilson, Brad Shepik, Ingrid Jensen and many others. Versace has released several CD’s under his own name on the Criss Cross and SteepleChase labels, the most recent being ‘All for Now,’ released in 2020 to critical acclaim and a 4 star review in Downbeat magazine. He received a Grammy nomination in 2019 along with vocalist Kate McGarry and guitarist Keith Ganz for their trio recording ‘The Subject Tonight is Love,’ thus marking his eighth appearance on a Grammy nominated recording. Other recent CD releases as a sideman include appearances with Rich Perry, Vic Juris, John Hollenbeck and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, Ronnie Cuber/Gary Smulyan, John Hart, the Andrew Rathbun quintet featuring Tim Hagans and Bill Stewart, Ralph Alessi, Kurt Elling, and dozens more over the past several years with both nationally and interna- tionally known jazz artists. Versace continues to appear annually in the Downbeat’s Critics and Read- er’s Polls, and won the Jazz Journalists’ Association’s ‘Best Instrumentalist –Instruments Rare In Jazz (accordion)’ award in 2018 and their ‘Organist of the Year’ award in 2012. Gary appeared twice as a guest on Marian McPartland’s acclaimed NPR show ‘Piano Jazz,’ and McPartland has de- scribed him as ‘…endlessly inventive…(Versace) really has an extraordi- nary talent.’ MEET THE ARTISTS Gary was a tenured professor at the University of Oregon in their jazz studies program before moving to New York City in 2002, where he has spent the last 18 years as a full time performer. He joined the Eastman faculty in 2017 as an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies, and continues to maintain an active career worldwide as a performer, educator, and clinician. Jeff Campbell has carved out an impressive career as a bass player of ex- traordinary artistry, fluent in both the jazz and classical idioms. As a jazz bassist, he maintains an active schedule performing with Marian McPart- land, Gene Bertoncini, Rich Perry, Trio East, Harold Jones, and the East- man Jazz Quartet featuring Harold Danko, and has appeared on McPart- land’s Piano Jazz program on National Public Radio. In high demand across the globe, Jeff has performed at such prestigious European musical events as the Nice, Montreux, North Sea, Riga, and Parnu Jazz Festivals, and has also appeared in the former Soviet Union and the Baltic Republics. His first CD, West End Avenue, with John Hollenbeck and John Wojcei- chowski, features a combination of original compositions and jazz stand- ards. Additionally, Jeff is a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orches- tra bass section. His summers are occupied with the Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Door County, Wisconsin, where he serves as program director, and the Eastman Summer Jazz Studies and Bass Day, of which he is co-director. In addition to a busy performing schedule, Jeff maintains an active career as a jazz educator with a keen interest in bass playing of the past, present, and future. A full-time professor at Eastman since 1997, his teaching duties include jazz bass, jazz history, jazz theory and aural skills, and small group performance. He is a regular contributor to the Double Bassist magazine, and is the Jazz Editor of Bass World, the official publication of the International Society of Bassists. Jeff’s book on the famous Duke Ellington-Jimmy Blan- ton duets (in preparation for publication) provides bassist with an opportunity to study the bass playing of the great Jimmy Blanton. Jeff’s music education began at an early age under the influence of his professional-musician parents. As a young musician, Jeff received much of his musical training working with local professional musicians in a myriad of musical styles and venues. Through these experiences, Jeff developed a healthy balance between the artistic and practical issues faced by today’s professional musician. Jeff holds degrees in double bass performance and music education from Brigham Young University (BM) and the Eastman School of Music (MM, DMA). He has studied bass with John F. Clark, James VanDemark, Jeffrey Turner, and Robert Zimmerman, and jazz com- position with Bill Dobbins and Fred Sturm. MEET THE ARTISTS Drummer, Chase Ellison, originally hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico now calls Rochester, New York home as he pursues a Doctorate of Musical Arts with an emphasis in performance and literature in the Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media Department at the Eastman School of Music. Additionally, Chase is a graduate teaching assistant with various roles and responsibilities within the Jazz & Contemporary Media Depart- ment including teaching individual studio lessons. Prior to his studies at the Eastman School of Music, Chase earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at the University of New Mexico graduating and Master’s of Music from the Eastman School of Music, and also spent time cutting his teeth in the city of Detroit with its rich legacy of world-renown jazz artists. Along with having the fortunate opportunity to have been mentored by some of the greats in the music, Chase has also been afforded numerous opportunities to share the stage with world class jazz musicians in a small- er group setting at venues in music festivals and jazz clubs throughout the country. Among the artists he has been honored to perform and/or record with include – legendary father of Vocalese and 8 time Grammy Award Winner/NEA Jazz Master Jon Hendricks, trumpeter Bobby Shew, tenor saxophonist Doug Lawrence, vocalist Tommy Gearhart, legendary gospel artist Rance Allen, and many other notables in the big band & orchestra settings too, such as NEA Jazz Master composer/pianist/arranger/ bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi, and tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin. Fur- thermore, Chase seeks balance between his performing and recording schedule in order to focus on providing educational opportunities for those in the community via masterclasses at local universities, public schools, and private lessons. With a deep respect for the tradition of the music by humbly paying tribute at each performance opportunity, Chase strives to become a professor at the college level in order to give back and pass the torch to the next generation of jazz musicians UPCOMING EVENTS AT EASTMAN Wednesday, June 30, 2021 Rich Thompson, jazz drums Kilbourn Hall, 7:30 PM Thursday, July 1, 2021 Clay Jenkins, jazz trumpet Kilbourn Hall, 7:30 PM Tuesday, July 6, 2021 Jeff Campbell, jazz bass Kilbourn Hall, 7:30 PM TICKETS ONLINE: www.EastmanTheatre.org PHONE: (585) 274-3000 IN PERSON: 433 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14604 Information about upcoming Eastman concerts and events can be found at: www.esm.rochester.edu/concerts www.facebook.com/ConcertsAtEastman Kilbourn Hall fire exits are located along the Supporting the Eastman School of Music: right and left sides, and at the back of the hall. In We at the Eastman School of Music are grateful the event of an emergency, you will be notified by for the generous contributions made by friends, the stage manager. If notified, please move in a parents, and alumni, as well as local and national calm and orderly fashion to the nearest exit. foundations and corporations. Gifts and grants to the School support student scholarships, Please note: The use of unauthorized photo- performance and academic facilities, educational graphic and recording equipment is not allowed in initiatives, and programs open to the greater this building. We reserve the right to ask anyone Rochester community. Every gift, no matter the disrupting a performance to leave the hall. size, is vital to enhancing Eastman’s commit- ment to excellence. For more information on Restrooms are located on the main floor of Kil- making a gift, please visit www.esm.rochester.edu/ bourn Hall. Fully-accessible restrooms are availa- advancement or contact the Advancement ble on the first floor of the Eastman School.

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