Rutgers University Jazz Ensemble I

Home , Brilliant Circles, Charles Tolliver, Dave Valentin, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Stanley Cowell, Tito Puente

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE I

Conrad Herwig, Director

HONORING THE MUSIC OF PROF. STANLEY COWELL

With Guest Artist Bill O’Connell

Monday, May 3, 2021

Pre-recorded, published online via the MGSA Facebook page

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey PROGRAM Compositions by Stanley Cowell (1941-2020)

Blues for The Viet Cong Arr. by Bill O’Connell

Equipoise Arr. by Marc J. Stasio

JAZZ ENSEMBLE PERSONNEL Reeds Doug DeHays – Alto Sax 1, Flute Carter Vames – Alto Sax 2 Evan Kilgore – Tenor Sax 1 Max Donaldson – Tenor Sax 2 Tristan Voitcu – Bari Sax

Trumpet Grace Fox Liam Sutcliffe Gene Paolo Flores

Trombone Dave Mosko Ian Young Nathan Morla Justin Farquhar

Guitar Ilan Eisenzweig

Piano Peter Rushing

Bass Graham Kozak

Drums Clarence Penn ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Born in 1941 in Toledo, Ohio, Stanley Cowell began learning piano at age 6 with the help of notable family friend, virtuoso Art Tatum. Cowell later attend- ed Oberlin Conservatory and soon joined forces with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Max Roach, and Bobby Hutcherson. His debut 1969 albums, “Blues for The Viet Cong” and “Brilliant Circles,” ushered in a career that led to Cowell’s longtime collaboration and friendship with trumpeter Charles Tolliver. Cowell and Tolliv- er co-founded the Strata-East label, resulting in several highly-regarded releases. After a solid decade of performing and recording, Cowell’s career evolved in the 1980s to include time as an educator at CUNY’s Lehman College, and eventually Rutgers University. He continued to perform and record regularly throughout his career. Cowell passed on December 17, 2020, at age 79, and is survived by his wife and daughter.

Bill O’Connell is a native New Yorker who studied classical composition at Oberlin Conservatory of Music. His playing on various salsa and jazz settings have set the tone for his musical style. In 1977, he joined salsa great Mongo Santamaria, and later Chet Baker, Sonny Rollins, Emily Remler, and Charles Fambrough. O’Connell has been featured on virtually every recording made by flutist Dave Valentin. He has also written for television, including a documen- tary about Latin Jazz legend Tito Puente. O’Connell’s eight solo recordings have received wide critical acclaim throughout the world. On four separate occasions, he was the recipient of the coveted “Jazz Writer of the Year” award from the performing rights organization SESAC. O’Connell currently teaches piano, arrang- ing, and composition at Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Conrad Herwig is one of the leading trombonists in today’s jazz scene. He began in 1980 with the Clark Terry Big Band and went on to perform with Slide Hampton’s World of Trombones, Mario Bauza’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, To- shiko Akiyoshi, Mel Lewis, Bob Mintzer, the Mingus Big Band, Eddie Palmieri, Red Garland, Dave Liebman, Max Roach, Danilo Perez, and Brian Lynch. He has recorded 21 albums as a leader and was voted #1 Jazz Trombone (Talent De- serving Wider Recognition) in the DownBeat International Critics Poll. The Jazz Journalists Association nominated Herwig for Trombonist of the Year in 2011.

The Rutgers University Jazz Ensemble I is the top student jazz ensemble at the Mason Gross School of the Arts. The group has played commercials with Ray Charles, as well as the fifth-anniversary celebration of Harmony Hall in Fukui, Japan, and is featured frequently at the legendary Blue Note jazz club in New York City.