Alumni jazz stars return for concert Friday

Fredonia Jazz Ensemble in the 1970s. Members of the award-winning group will be back for Homecoming Weekend, when they will play again in King Concert Hall.

Celebrating 67 years of jazz, the Fredonia School of Music presents the Jazz Extravaganza Concert on Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m.
Alumni and current student jazz ensembles will perform in King Concert Hall in a free concert open to the public.

Featured alumni groups include jazz pianist Ron Corsaro’s Trio, and the 1974 Fredonia Jazz Ensemble directed by Craig Fattey. Current student groups include the SUNY Fredonia Latin Jazz Ensemble directed by John Bacon, the Monday Night Jazz Ensemble directed by Bruce Johnstone, and the current 2006 Fredonia Jazz Ensemble, a student led and student funded ensemble directed by Mike McGough.

Jazz pianist, composer and arranger Ron Corsaro (class of 1961) who played with the Tommy Dorsey band, opens the program with his trio. Corsaro is the current director of the Lewiston Jazz Festival, has recorded two CD’s with the world renown tenor saxophonist, Don Menza, and has composed music for The Tonight Show and two Tommy Tedesco albums.

The award winning Fredonia Jazz Ensemble of 1974 includes alumni from as far away as Germany, Arizona, and California who are returning to the campus for a joyous reunion in celebration of jazz. Winners of the 1974 Quinnipiac College Jazz Festival, the group will perform compositions and arrangements by alumni Monk Rose (’72), Paul Stencil (’73), Bob Shaut (’73) and Los Angeles studio recording artist Howie Shear (’75) who received the 2003 Outstanding Alumni Award from SUNY Fredonia.

Arrangements for the concert were made by Linda Phillips of the Fredonia School of Music, Craig Fattey, director of the 1974 Fredonia Jazz Ensemble, and by Patti Feraldi, Director of Alumni Affairs. The public is invited to attend this free concert.