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Donny Thompson talks to local jazz artists and features their music. The Jazz Outreach Initiative is here to help you discover your own personal joy for jazz.
Speaker 1 0:00
This is a k u and v studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Unknown Speaker 0:17
You're listening to 91.5k you envy, jazz and more. And this is jazz outreach initiatives, the joy of jazz. I'm your host, Donnie Thompson and this program is underwritten by the augustinus. Trattoria, a small local family owned Italian restaurant at the corner of West Flamingo in Buffalo specializing classic always scratch Italian favorites, handmade pastas and desserts. For more information go to D Augustine's Trattoria lv.com. Hello friends welcome to another episode of jazz outreach initiatives, the joy of jazz on K u and v 91.5, jazz and more. The joy of jazz features conversations with local jazz artists and showcases their music. I'm your host, Donnie Thompson. And I'd like to thank our underwriter for the show. The Augustine has tried to Rhea D'Agostino is Trotter he is a small local family owned Italian restaurant at the corner of Buffalo and West Flamingo specializing in classic always scratch Italian favorites, handmade pastas, desserts and more. More information at the augustinus lv.com. Today we have an exciting show as we bring you the next generation of jazz musicians who are ensuring this great American art form continues to grow and flourish. Our guests today are jazz outreach initiative co founder and vice president of education and programming Gary Cordell, Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra, mentor and member of the joy Jazz Orchestra. Eddie rich and one of Joy's talented young musicians. Noah Kaczynski. Welcome, gentlemen. Thank
Unknown Speaker 1:48
you for having us, Donnie. Hey,
Unknown Speaker 1:52
Gary Cordell. For those who may not be aware of jazz outreach initiative, or joy, as we call it, tell our listeners briefly what it is and how its mission serves young people in the larger community.
Unknown Speaker 2:04
Well, jazz outreach initiative was born from conversations that myself and our other co founder, Kenny ramped and had Kenny and I met here in college at UNLV. And we've maintained our friendship now for about 40 years. But we started talking about the impact that music had on us and how it actually gave us a life and a career and it reached you know, more into our lives than than just actually just playing gigs. And so we decided that we wanted to create an organization that would help foster that for for younger musicians.
Unknown Speaker 2:49
That's great. Now, of course, Kenny ramped and being a world famous trumpet player with Jazz at Lincoln Center orchestra and a long career before that, but you're also really well known here in Las Vegas and elsewhere. As one of our primary first call musicians, founded the nonprofit taps, which stands for the trumpet is allied to perform patriotic services, and even writing and arranging music and performing on trumpet for decades. After graduating from right here at UNLV. How did you get your start on trumpet? And who were your early influences?
Unknown Speaker 3:21
Well, actually, I got my start on trumpet because I wanted to miss a day in school so I could go see what the band was all about. I come from a family of athletes and really didn't think I would end up doing that, and I fell in love with was playing the trumpet. And I've, I've been very fortunate throughout my career that I've had many, many people that not only opened doors for me, but they would knock me over the head and drag me through them. My first band director, who has who just now retired from the same high school after, you know, he's been there almost 50 years. Mr. Rick Coggan was a was early influence on me, my next teacher in the community college where I went and Alabama Robert Bean was a trumpet player, and then I came out here, and I met mine and Kenny's teacher, wall Boyan, who had such a profound influence and changed the trajectory of my life. That's great.
Unknown Speaker 4:23
So we're gonna actually listen to some music from jazz outreach initiatives, Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra. But before I play a tune, tell us a little bit about this group of young musicians. And what makes this program so unique in the valley here.
Unknown Speaker 4:37
Well, the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra is made up of middle school and high school students from around the valley. And it's not really an all star band. It's, you know, everyone is welcome to come, you know, various levels. And one of the unique things about the Las Vegas us Jazz Orchestra is that is not Designed to be in competition with any high schools is designed to help support and and to help you know serve the community by furthering the student's education and granting them opportunities to not only work alongside professional world class mentors here in town, but to also expose them to real class artists that come through and provide masterclasses and, and clinics for us. Let's
Unknown Speaker 5:33
listen to some music from the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra. Eddie rich, what are we listening to today, we
Unknown Speaker 5:38
are listening to a tune called tall and lanky by Jeff Coffin. Very New Orleans second line beat kind of vibe. Jeff was a personal mentor of mine. I studied with him about 20 years ago. And you know, a big part of our work with the Las Vegas Jazz Orchestra is providing mentorship to the students. And so you know, I'm happy to be able to pass along this tune that I got from one of my mentors he gave this to the organization for free. We're happy to happy to have it that's
Unknown Speaker 6:15
great Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra in tall and lanky.
Unknown Speaker 7:05
Welcome back to jazz outreach initiatives the joy of jazz underwritten by the Augustine Hills Trattoria. This is your host, Donnie Thompson. And I'm joined again here by Joy co founder and vice president of education and programming. Gary Cordell Joy mentor, Eddie rich and Las Vegas youth jazz orchestra member Noah Kosinski we just heard tall and lanky from the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra, at rich Lake, all the members of the joy Jazz Orchestra, you're one of the finest musicians around but you also have a passion for paying it forward supporting jazz outreach initiatives, many youth centered programs, you're really known also in the band for doubling instruments you're on. I've seen on saxophone flute last night at rehearsal, I saw it on Piccolo, clarinet and other woodwinds? How important is it for young players to explore the full range of instruments when they're considering a professional career?
Unknown Speaker 7:56
Well, you know, I, I think the main part of that is, you know, it has to be driven by interest to some degree, you know, like I had a real interest in doubling from the time I was in high school, I knew that it would be kind of a requirement for a career, and I have, you know, a lot of my career career, I can pin down to my doubling, like, I've had a lot of opportunities I wouldn't have otherwise had, if I didn't do that.
Unknown Speaker 8:28
Eddie, how do you challenge young people with new music they may not have experienced before in a way that maybe makes them feel more comfortable?
Unknown Speaker 8:36
Well, you know, my hope is to that I can introduce concepts to the students. You know, because a lot of times we approach this music when we're young, and we're first learning. And it seems really overwhelming. You know, my goal was to introduce simple concepts that are accessible to the students. You know, even if it's something that takes a while to develop, at least they can kind of dip their toe in and get started down that path.
Unknown Speaker 9:07
Yeah, and, you know, I've noticed as I've watched you even thinking about both the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra in its combos, but also, especially maybe the free summer program, jammin with joy that you've been running, where we might get kids with less experience playing sitting next to kids would have maybe their protegees. So how do you how do you feel like those two complement each other in terms of, you know, what is jazz mean, to the community and to these kids that are learning it for maybe for the first time? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 9:35
I mean, you know, I think it's great for those younger students. You know, to see a student who's maybe a couple years older, you know, and they can kind of see that through work and time and experience, you know, they can see themselves there in a couple of years. So they're able to kind of see it forward. And you know, They also have that person sitting there next to them that can say like, Hey, I was in your shoes a couple years ago. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 10:05
Is there something that inspires you personally about working with these kids?
Unknown Speaker 10:11
Yeah, it's, it is really inspiring to see students experiencing this music for the first time. You know, I, in my own experience coming up, my high school didn't have a jazz band. And so, you know, a lot of my training, and my study came later on and continues to this day. So, you know, it is inspiring to see students, you know, have these experiences that I didn't have, when I was that age. You know, I feel like that is I'm happy to provide that service for them. And I feel like that's kind of my mission. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 11:01
I agree. And, you know, really cool, too, that the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra actually gets an opportunity to record an album, essentially twice a year, this fall semester, in the spring semester, you know, and that's an experience that these kids may never have outside of this program. So besides, you know, listening to the music of the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra, obviously, you know, Who who are you listening to like during your downtime at
Unknown Speaker 11:26
during my downtime? You know, I really listened to a lot of music focused toward my teaching. You know, so I have students who are preparing for auditions right now. And so I'm spending a lot of time listening to versions of the tunes that they have to play for the auditions.
Unknown Speaker 11:46
Yeah, that makes sense. So let's get back into some music, the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra off of obviously the album they just recorded. What are we going to be hearing today,
Unknown Speaker 11:55
we're going to be hearing a cut that I decided to point out when I when I curate the music that I want to do for the semester, a lot of factors play into it and this particular tune that we're going to hear from I decided to do some music from Henry Manzini this year because this is his 100th birthday. And this particular tune in this particular arrangement I wanted to do because I wanted to feature one of the young musicians in our orchestra, which you will hear from here in a minute, but right now let's listen to a Mark Taylor arrangement of Henry man Sienese dranesville
Unknown Speaker 16:00
Welcome back to jazz outreach initiatives, the joy of jazz underwritten by the augustinus Trattoria, this is your host, Donnie Thompson. And I'm joined again by Joy co founder and vice president of educational programming. Gary Cordell Joy mentor Eddie rich and Las Vegas youth jazz orchestra member Noah Kosinski. We just heard dreams Ville by Henry man Seanie arranged by Mark Taylor and Noah Kaczynski, I'm gonna throw it over to you because you actually were featured on the trombone solo in this piece, right? Yep, that's
Unknown Speaker 16:30
right. I got the song and I got to do a little feature on it.
Unknown Speaker 16:35
That's great. You started on trombone a little later than some of your friends. You started I believe in seventh grade. Is that correct?
Unknown Speaker 16:41
That is correct.
Unknown Speaker 16:42
What was it about the trombone that made you choose that instrument specifically?
Unknown Speaker 16:45
Well, you know, it was it wasn't a very like, informed choice. I went to Thurman Wait, a little late in my middle school, cooler career. And I had the choice to do whatever performing art I wanted. And I wanted to do band, and the band director, Dr. Weil, Dane's, he was like, well, we have like saxophones. We have trumpets or trombone. I was like, you know, trombone seems fun. It's slake. Sometimes a funny instrument and sometimes a very expressive instrument.
Unknown Speaker 17:21
Yeah. So you're currently a senior at Greenville? Haskell? Correct.
Unknown Speaker 17:27
I actually just graduated almost two months ago now. Oh, congratulations.
Unknown Speaker 17:31
So you know, in that band, that's an under the direction of Carol fraleigh. Is that correct? Carrefour? I like it. Yes. She's she's an outstanding local band director. You know, you guys have played with Jeff Hamilton, you performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, you've traveled to Europe, you've created some really outstanding experiences through that band program there at Greendale High School. For your musical journey. How does being a member of Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra and its combos supplement the great work your band director did?
Unknown Speaker 18:01
Well, you know, absolutely. Green Valley is an amazing program with an amazing director, even if their adult blows like having less staff or not having as much funding towards new instruments. Kara absolutely always picks up the program and make something absolutely amazing about whatever we have. But, you know, when I joined youth Jazz Orchestra, Gary, he asked me because he was one of my mentors. My freshman year, he was like, Hey, man, I have this youth jazz orchestra program. It's like a jazz outreach program for, you know, students in the Las Vegas like Henderson area. And I thought it was a great experience I could get with like playing people playing with people outside of my school, just meeting new people getting to play more jazz, because I just love jazz, and I've wanted to, like have more experience. And I think you know that I've gotten to meet a lot of new people not to say that I would have never met them otherwise, but I've gotten to know so many people just outside of my own circle and it's gotten so like expanded just by how I've gotten to meet people from like, the northern side of Las Vegas to like Boulder City to just every end of the city. And you get to you know, see these people that may like teach you things you would have never known had you not expanded outside your own circle, you know?
Unknown Speaker 19:43
Yeah. And of course, the pros sitting at this table are gonna say, you know, that networking experience the ability to build your your base of friends that you play with, can help lead the jobs later on because you know, that kid that you played with If that RBU high school, you know, he might be the contractor for the next gig when you grow up, right? So you just it's important to know all those people in that they know you. Gary Cordell know of Kaczynski received a special recognition at the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra spring concert at CSN a couple of months ago. Tell us a little bit about that and why Noah was selected for the award.
Unknown Speaker 20:21
Well, the award is named for mining and, and Kenyan mountains teacher, Walter Blanton is to Walter J. Blanton musical Excellence Award. And it's, it's an annual award that is given to an outstanding student in the Las Vegas youth jazz orchestra. And I have, I've had the pleasure of knowing Noah for a while now, I was on faculty at Green Valley when he came to school. And Noah always stood out amongst his other students that were there because not only because of his, his musical aptitude, but his his attitude and willingness to, to join and also to help others around him. And it's one of the reasons that I'm wanting to know and the program and this award is awarded to a senior every year, and there was no one that fit all the criteria for this award. There was no one else that Oh, no as Lovell, Noah has contributed so much to the organization. He is He is a mentor in his own right within the band. And he has grown into a fantastic trombone us and, and musician and very proud of him.
Unknown Speaker 21:51
Let's hear another tune from jazz outreach initiatives, Las Vegas youth jazz orchestra who wants to introduce us with and how about Gary Cordell? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 21:59
Donnie, I would actually like to go in a little bit different direction with this. The Las Vegas us Jazz Orchestra also offers combo instruction a combo is a group of you know, a smaller group of musicians. And the person that heads up our combos is mentor at rich and so Eddie, which of our combo tunes off the album are we going to be listening to we
Unknown Speaker 22:27
are going to be listening to Stanley turn teens sugar
Unknown Speaker 22:33
alright Stanley Turrentine sugar from the Las Vegas youth jazz orchestras Jazz Messengers combo.
Unknown Speaker 24:09
Welcome back to jazz outreach initiatives the joy of jazz underwritten by the augustinus Trattoria. This is your host, Donnie Thompson and I'm joined again by Joy co founder and vice president of education and programming Gary Cordell Joy mentor, edger Eddie rich and Las Vegas youth jazz orchestra member Noah Kaczynski, we just heard the Jazz Messengers combo part of the Las Vegas youth Jazz Orchestra, playing Stanley Turrentine sugar, again from the Las Vegas youth jazz orchestras spring album, Gary Cordell. For those who might have kids interested in joining the Las Vegas youth jazz orchestra or learning more about jazz outreach initiative in general, how can they find out more of that information and registration for fall semester?
Unknown Speaker 24:51
For more information about how to join that can be found on our website. Do As vegas.org, there will be a tab on there for about our education programs. You will find more in depth information about the orchestra. And you can also find days and times and requirements for the audition process.
Unknown Speaker 25:21
And there are YouTube videos correct of previous years of Las Vegas youth jazz orchestra. And I think we've decided we're going to, are we going to do a download session on the people can download music from this album as well on our website? Yes, we
Unknown Speaker 25:37
are. We are going to do that for the current album. And we're going to reach back into the three semesters that we have recorded and we will make those available also. And I believe the plan is to also post some of the YouTube videos and even some of the videos that we did while we were all confined online. During the pandemic. There were some very interesting sessions that we had with the orchestra that we had some very famous sessions from members of Jazz at Lincoln Center and other internationally known jazz luminaries.
Unknown Speaker 26:17
That's fantastic. All right, we're gonna play out a little tune here, off the air, pick it back up and listen to a little bit more of Jeff coffins tall and lanky. Thank you everyone for listening today. Thank you again to our friends at the augustinus Trattoria for underwriting the show. Thanks again to Gary Cordell at rich Noah Kaczynski. Wes on sound Jason monokey, Dr. Ridley and all the whole key when V team here in the office and if you've enjoyed this episode for more information about events, concerts, e newsletters, subscriptions, volunteer opportunities and more jazz vegas.org for jazz outreach initiative, this is Donnie Thompson and we'll be back again on Sunday August 18. At 9am Right here on K u and v 91.5. Jazz and more the KE u and v mobile app and wherever you get your podcasts until then, as always make it a joyful day for you and for someone else.
Unknown Speaker 28:03
For jazz outreach initiative, this is Donnie Thompson, thank you for listening. And as you head out the door today make it a joyful day for you and for someone
Transcribed by https://otter.ai