Thom Mason featured in article about Jelly Roll Morton
Thom Mason, professor and founder of the Jazz Studies department at USC Thornton, was featured in an article by LA Downtown News. He spoke about the legacy of jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton. “[Morton] deserves more recognition than we tend to give him today,” Mason said in the article, which profiles a recent theatrical piece… Continue reading Thom Mason featured in article about Jelly Roll Morton
Ron McCurdy composes jazz soundtrack for new stage play
Music composed by USC Thornton Jazz Studies professor Ron McCurdy served as a backdrop for Dreaming of Harlem Under a Southern Sky, a new play by Gabrielle Pina that premiered at USC’s Bovard Auditorium on March 28th. The play, which tells the story of three women from New Orleans who travel to Harlem during the… Continue reading Ron McCurdy composes jazz soundtrack for new stage play
Student jazz quartet featured at short film screening
A quartet of USC Thornton students performed a concert of live jazz in conjunction with a screening of the USC alumni-produced short film, David’s Reverie. Paul Cornish (BM ’17, keyboard), Henry Solomon (BM ’17, saxophone), Stephen Davis (BM ’17, trumpet) and Celeste Butler (BM ’17, popular music) complimented the screening with interpretations of jazz standards,… Continue reading Student jazz quartet featured at short film screening
Thornton faculty and student performers featured at 2015 USC Trustee Conference
The USC Thornton Latin Jazz Ensemble and USC Thornton Chamber Orchestra were featured as part of the university’s 2015 Trustee Conference, which was held in La Quinta, California, during the last weekend of March. The Thornton Latin Jazz Ensemble presented an evening of Brazilian bossa nova under the guidance of Jazz Studies lecturer Aaron Serfaty ,… Continue reading Thornton faculty and student performers featured at 2015 USC Trustee Conference
Alan Chan leads his ensemble in performance at El Camino College
USC Thornton alumni Alan Chan (DMA ’08), founder of the Alan Chan Jazz Orchestra, led the group in a performance at the El Camino College Center for Performing Arts on March 6. The band’s debut album Shrimp Tale received rave reviews from several critics. “Quick, clever, and well-executed shifts in mood, meter, and musical language… Continue reading Alan Chan leads his ensemble in performance at El Camino College
Edwin Livingston
Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Edwin Livingston has been involved in music from a young age. His many musical pursuits have led him to record and tour extensively with the following artists: Elvin Jones; Ellis, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis; The Headhunters; Los Hombres Calientes (Grammy-nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album); Bill Summers; Munyungo Jackson; Donald Harrison,… Continue reading Edwin Livingston
Peter Erskine interviewed in KCET’s Artbound about film “Whiplash”
Acclaimed drummer and Jazz Studies faculty Peter Erskine was interviewed in KCET’s Artbound about the recent film Whiplash that depicts the relationship between a young drummer (Miles Teller) and an intense band leader (J.K. Simmons). Erskine said: “…the big band chart titled Whiplash which serves as inspiration and background to the movie — is a… Continue reading Peter Erskine interviewed in KCET’s Artbound about film “Whiplash”
Darek Oles
Darek Oles (Oleszkiewicz) was born on February 20, 1963 in Wroclaw, Poland. At the age of five Oles began his music education at the State Music School in Wroclaw. Piano was his first instrument, but later he played guitar, electric bass and finally at eighteen years old, he switched to accoustic bass. While in his… Continue reading Darek Oles
Sophisticated Lady Jazz Quartet, featuring Jazz Studies alumni, release debut album
Sophisticated Lady Jazz Quartet – which features USC Thornton alumni Andrew Boyle (BM ’12, MM ’14), Misha Adair Bigos (MM, ’14), JJ Kirkpatrick (MM, ’14), and Gary Wicks (MM, ’13) – released their debut album in September 2014 via Yarlung Records. The self-titled album was recorded on campus at USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute in Camilleri Hall and was praised by The… Continue reading Sophisticated Lady Jazz Quartet, featuring Jazz Studies alumni, release debut album
Play scored by Jazz Studies faculty Ron McCurdy to have East Coast debut
Letters from Zora, the play featuring music by Jazz Studies faculty Ron McCurdy, will have its East Coast debut run beginning October 9 at the Crossroads Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The play, which received a nomination for a 2014 NAACP Image Award, was written by McCurdy’s wife, Gabrielle Pena, who teachers in USC’s… Continue reading Play scored by Jazz Studies faculty Ron McCurdy to have East Coast debut