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| Austin Jazz Workshop releases Big Boss Tenor CD The Austin Jazz Workshop, a nonprofit group of professional musicians dedicated to jazz performance and education in central Texas public schools to release of their fourth compact disc recording, Big Boss Tenor. This is the first disc by the AJW to exclusively feature original compositions written by band members, including Alex Coke, Glenn Rexach, Shawn Ellison, and Michael Melinger. The CD was recorded live at three performances between October 2004 and May 2005. Big Boss Tenor features Alex Coke and Michael Melinger on saxophones, Glenn Rexach on guitar, Shawn Ellison on keyboard, Rick Glascock on vibraphone, Ernie Durawa and Kenny Felton on drums, and Jim Spector, Glenn Schuetz, and Brad Taylor on bass. It is an adventurous outing featuring a variety of compositional styles and spirited improvising from all players. The Austin Jazz Workshop's public school outreach began in 1994 with fourteen campuses, and has grown to over 100 performances annually for schools in the Austin, Del Valle, Manor, and Round Rock Independent School Districts. The project is designed to encourage at-risk youth to join band, orchestra, and choir programs available from the sixth grade level. If young people pick up instruments and become involved with positive, peer-oriented musical organizations, they are much more likely to stay in school through graduation day. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |