Jazz II Faculty Biographies
2012 Faculty is listed below and subject to change.
Bruce Hering
Lab Band Director, Eau Claire, Wis.
Bruce has been a music educator since 1981 and currently teaches at Eau Claire North High School. For 20 years, he taught at Eau Claire Memorial High School where his bands received numerous awards and honors including being named “One of America’s Best Jazz Bands” by Wynton Marsalis at the Essentially Ellington Competition in 2009. Hering received the Children’s Legacy Foundation Award in 2012, and the President’s Award from the University of Wisconsin in 2010. He leads his own big band, plays trumpet in that band, and conducts the Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra.
Steve Sveum
Studio Band Director, Sun Prairie, Wis.
Mr. Sveum is the instrumental music instructor at Sun Prairie High School in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, where the jazz ensembles under his direction have been selected six times as finalists in the Jazz at Lincoln Center's "Essentially Ellington" national jazz competitions, placing third three times. Mr. Sveum has been a faculty member of the J@LC Band Director Academy and has worked as a clinician at festivals around the United States. He has performed saxophone and clarinet with Bob Hope, Bob Newhart, the Temptations, Frankie Valli, Myron Floren, the Madison Symphony and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
Marty Robinson
Advanced Combo Director (Ambassadors), Appleton, Wis.
Dr. Robinson is Associate Professor of Trumpet and Jazz at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, directs the jazz ensembles and teaches jazz history in addition to applied trumpet . He holds degrees from Lawrence University (B.M. in trumpet performance), the Eastman School of Music (M.M. in jazz studies), and Florida State University (D.M. in composition). A prolific composer in both the classical and jazz idioms, Dr. Robinson has over 80 compositions and arrangements to his credit, performed by universities and high schools across the country.
Web page: http://www.uwosh.edu/music/faculty-1/marty-robinson-trumpet-jazz-ensembles
Jeff Campbell
Program Director; Academy Band Director; Bass, Rochester, N.Y.
Dr. Campbell was recently appointed Department Chair of Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media at Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N.Y., where he is also collegiate Instructor in Jazz Double Bass and Jazz Combo & Improvisation. Fluent in both the jazz and classical idioms. Dr. Campbell performs with Marian McPartland, Gene Bertoncini, Rich Perry, Trio East, Harold Jones, and the Eastman Jazz Quartet, as well as being a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra bass section. He has performed at music festivals throughout Europe, and has also appeared in the former Soviet Union and the Baltic Republics. Dr. Campbell maintains an active career as a jazz educator. 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. Dr. Campbell's book on the famous Duke Ellington-Jimmy Blanton duets (in preparation for publication) provides bassist with an opportunity to study the bass playing of the great Jimmy Blanton.
Web site: http://www.esm.rochester.edu/faculty/campbell_jeffrey/
David Bixler
Alto Saxophone, Bowling Green, Ohio
Alto saxophonist, composer and educator David Bixler has performed and toured with the orchestras of Lionel Hampton, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Duke Ellington. In 2000 he joined the Chico O'Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra, which began several musical collaborations with GRAMMY-award-winning pianist Arturo O'Farrill. In 2008, Mr. Bixler joined Arturo's RISA NEGRA sextet, and composed for the band's 2009 ZOHO release, "RISA NEGRA." Mr. Bixler's newest release, "The Auction Project," co-led with Arturo O'Farrill, combines jazz, Latin, and Irish music. Mr. Bixler appears as an educator, clinician, and performer throughout the world, and currently is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University.
Web site: www.davidbixler.com.
Doug Stone
Tenor Saxophone, Rochester, N.Y.
Mr. Stone has performed in the Chicago area with the Joel Spencer Quartet, the Ed Breazeale Group, and the John Burnett Orchestra. In 2004 and 2005, Mr. Stone toured with Maynard Ferguson and the Big Bop Nouveau. Mr. Stone is currently pursuing graduate studies at Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N.Y. and performs as a guest artist regionally.
Clay Jenkins
Trumpet, Rochester, N.Y.
Mr. Jenkins began his professional experience in Los Angeles, performing and recording with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He toured with the big bands of Harry James, Buddy Rich, and finally, the Count Basie Orchestra. In 2000, Mr. Jenkins joined the faculty at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., where he is Associate Professor of Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media/Collegiate Instructor in Trumpet, and maintains a busy performing, recording, and teaching schedule. Mr. Jenkins continues to perform and record with the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, of which he is a charter member (the trumpet section has included trumpet artists Snooky Young, Bobby Bryant, Chuck Findley, Oscar Brashear,and Byron Stripling, among others). Mr. Jenkins has numerous solo and ensemble CDs to his credit. He is a member of Trio East with Eastman colleagues Jeff Campbell (and Birch Creek Jazz Program Director) and Rich Thompson.
Web site: http://www.myspace.com/clayjenkinsjazz
Garrett Schmidt
Trumpet, Rochester, N.Y.
Mr. Schmidt is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Jazz Performance (trumpet) at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies (trumpet) from Eastern Illinois University. Mr. Schmidt currently performs with The Dave Rivello Ensemble.
Web site: http://www.myspace.com/garrettschmidtmusic
Clarence Hines
Trombone, Jacksonville, Fla.
Dr. Hines is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. He is an active performer, composer, and arranger. His recent performances include shows with The O'Jays, John Pizzarelli, David Sanborn and others. Dr. Hines has also appeared in festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, and Jacksonville Jazz Festival. His compositions and arrangements have been premiered at The Midwest Clinic and IAJE Conference and are published by UNC Jazz Press.
Web site: http://www.clarencehines.com/
Steve Horne
Trombone, Glenview, Ill.
Mr. Horne is a freelance artist in the Chicago area. He has performed with such artists as Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Carl Fontana, Louis Bellson, Don Menza, Joe Williams and many others. He serves as a clinician and adjudicator and maintains a private studio. He has numerous recordings to his credit.
Web site: http://www.acmebone.com/
Reggie Thomas
Piano, East Lansing, Mich.
Reginald ("Reggie") Thomas joined the Michigan State University College of Music as professor of jazz (piano) in 2011 after nearly 20 years as professor of music at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. He regularly appears as a guest artist at collegiate jazz festivals around the country, including those hosted by Lawrence University, the University of South Florida, and Texas Tech University. He has also performed internationally in Canada, Italy, Poland, Senegal, and England. He can be seen fronting his own groups (Mardra/Reggie Thomas Ensemble; OGD) on both piano and Hammond organ and performing with other artists including Ann Hampton Callaway and the Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker Project. His recordings include work with Clay Jenkins, Kim Richmond, and Clark Terry/Mike Vax, and MardraThomas. He is also a consultant/clinician for Jazz at Lincoln Center, working with the Essentially Ellington Program and the Band Director Academy. He has served on several summer jazz faculties across the country and abroad in addition to Birch Creek including most recently, the Barbican Center in London.
Web site: Michigan State University College of Music
Dennis Mackrel
Drums, Woodstock, N.Y.
The last drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra to be named by Basie himself in 1983, Mr. Mackrel returned to the Orchestra in September 2010 as the band leader. Mr. Mackrel is a noted jazz drummer and highly respected composer and arranger whose work has been recorded and performed by the Count Basie Orchestra, The Frank Wess Orchestra, The Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, The WDR Radio Big Band from Germany, The Klüvers Big Band from Denmark, and the McCoy Tyner Big Band, whose Grammy winning CDs included Mackrel's arrangements. He has won numerous awards including A National Endowment For The Arts grant for composition. He has served as a jazz educator in Europe, Asia, Canada and the USA.
Web site: http://dennismackrelmusic.com/
Rick Haydon
Guitar, Edwardsville, Ill.
Mr. Haydonwas recently named Director of the Jazz Department at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, where he also directs the guitar program and the recording studio. He is also on the faculty for Jazz at Lincoln Center's Band Director Academy. Mr. Haydon has numerous CDs to his credit.
Web site: http://www.rickhaydon.com/
