April is Jazz Appreciation Month!
As in past years, WBGO celebrated JAM by honoring the higher institutions and the next generation of Jazz musicians. Every week during the month of April, we will be spotlighting the music of various music schools from both the New York and New Jersey area as well as from farther afield!
WBGO celebrates the music of students from DePaul University's School of Music in Chicago on Monday 4/7-Wednesday 4/9.
The Jazz Studies program at DePaul University offers courses in applied jazz, improvisation, theory, history, arranging, composition, and pedagogy. It prepares students for a professional career in the recording industry, theatre orchestras, jazz groups, and other areas of the commercial music industry. The graduate jazz studies program allows students to specialize in either performance or composition. Faculty members are highly celebrated performers, teachers, composers, and arrangers, drawing upon the resources of the Chicago jazz scene. Scott Burns is the director of Jazz Studies.
Graduate Jazz Studies student Sam Taylor, (tenor saxophonist and a 2023 DownBeat Student Award winner and co-winner of the Soloist award in the Graduate College division) submitted an original tune he recorded live in March on his graduate recital with fellow Graduate Studies student Elio Wijaya (piano), joined by professional players on the Chicago scene.:
- SONG: "I Don’t Know Yet"
- Composed and performed by Sam Taylor
- PERSONNEL: Sam Taylor (tenor saxophone), Elio Wijaya (piano), Matt Gold (guitar), Clark Sommers (bass), Peter Varnado (drums)
- BANDLEADER: Sam Taylor