SUNY Plattsburgh Department of Music Announces 33rd Annual Jazz Festival Concerts

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Ray Vega

PLATTSBURGH, NY (04/23/2009)(readMedia)-- The SUNY Plattsburgh Department of Music kicks off its 33rd annual Jazz Festival directed by Dr. Rick Davies with a concert on Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. in E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium, Hawkins Hall. Rick Davies and Jazzismo, with guest artist, trumpeter Ray Vega, will perform a program of jazz, Latin, and Afro-Caribbean tunes, including music composed by the performers. This event is free and open to the public.

The Jazz Festival Concert will feature performances by the SUNY Plattsburgh Jazz Ensemble, directed by Herm Matlock, and the Mambo Combo directed by Dr. Rick Davies, with Vega, as part of the Jazz Festival on Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. in E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium, Hawkins Hall. Tickets are available at the door and in advance at the Angell College Center desk. Prices are $8 general admission; $5 seniors, students, SUNY Plattsburgh faculty and staff; and $2 SUNY Plattsburgh students.

On Friday, May 1, at 2 p.m. in Room 300, Myers Fine Arts, Vega will hold a workshop for students and the general public. Participants are welcome to bring their instruments. Vega will talk about his career and his experiences as a Latin and jazz music performer and band member based in New York City.

A native of the South Bronx, Vega is a veteran of many bands including: Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Mario Bauza, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Hector LaVoe, Johnny Pacheco, Larry Harlow, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez and Louie Ramirez. He has performed and/or recorded with numerous artists including: Joe Henderson, Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, Paquito D'Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, Israel Lopez "Cachao," The Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, The Lincoln Center Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Paul Simon, Yomo Toro, Eddie Palmieri, La Orquesta Sinfonica De Simon Bolivar, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Bebo Valdez, and Celia Cruz. Vega currently works with the renowned contemporary classical composer Osvaldo Golijov, performing first and solo trumpet in the critically acclaimed work "La Pasion Segun San Marco."

Vega grew up immersed in the heart of the vibrant New York City jazz and salsa music scenes. In addition to learning about these two musical styles with some of the great legends, he received his formal training studying trumpet with Sidney Baker, Henry Nowak, Mike Lawrence, Stan Shafran, Richard Brezowski and Jerry Gonzalez. He studied jazz harmony and improvisation with Susan Winder, Bobby Rogovin and Lonnie Hillyer, and Afro-Caribbean percussion with Luis Bauzo.

As an educator, Vega has conducted master classes in trumpet performance, jazz improvisation, brass performance techniques and Afro-Caribbean jazz at many schools and organizations including the Manhattan School of Music, The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., The Music Advancement Program at the Julliard School, The New School in New York City, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of the Arts in Philadelphia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Notre Dame University/Lebanon. Since 2003, he has also served as artist in residence for the Flynn Arts Latin Jazz series in Burlington, Vt. Vega is currently a senior lecturer at the University of Vermont.

Jazzismo is a Latin jazz group led by trombonist and composer Davies and has existed in its current incarnation since March of 2002. Started by Davies in New York City in the late 1990s, the original group included such Latin music stalwarts as pianist Arturo O'Farrill and bassist Harvie Swartz. When Davies relocated to the local area to assume a faculty position at SUNY Plattsburgh, he reorganized the group using some of the finest musicians in Vermont, Montreal and northern New York state.

Currently the group consists of Davies on trombone, Alex Stewart on saxophone, Tom Cleary on piano, John Rivers on bass, Jeff Salisbury on drums and Steve Ferraris on Latin percussion duties.

Jazzismo performs both original compositions and Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz standards. Much of the material comes from Jazzismo's first album "Salsa Strut," released in 2001, and from their latest CD "Siempre Salsa," which was released in 2006.

Jazzismo has played a number of local venues including two appearances at the annual SUNY Plattsburgh Jazz Festival and numerous appearances at clubs such as Red Square in Burlington, Vt. and Macdonough's in Plattsburgh, N.Y. They have also accompanied various well-know musicians including Harvie S and Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros.

During the 2003 Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, the group opened for violinist and Fania All-Star violinist Alfredo De La Fe and his orchestra, and played at Red Square, which featured an appearance by trombonist Ray Anderson.

In July 2009, Jazzismo will be artists-in-residence for the 5th year in a row at the FlynnArts Summer Latin jazz camp sponsored by the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington, Vt. They will perform a concert in the Flynn Space featuring Vega as guest artist.

33rd Annual Jazz Festival with Dr. Rick Davies, director, and guest artist, Ray Vega (trumpet)

Thursday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m.- Rick Davies and Jazzismo with Ray Vega, E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium, Hawkins Hall. Free and open to the public.

Friday, May 1, at 2 p.m. Workshop with Ray Vega, Room 300, Myers Fine Arts Building. Free and open to the public.

Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. Festival Jazz Concert, Ray Vega performs with the SUNY Plattsburgh Jazz Ensemble, Herm Matlock, director, and the Mambo Combo directed by Dr. Rick Davies, E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium, Hawkins Hall. Tickets: $8 general admission. $5 seniors, students, SUNY Plattsburgh faculty and staff. $2 SUNY Plattsburgh students. Tickets at the Angell College Center desk or at the door.