The Denison University Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Pete Mills, adjunct faculty member and saxophonist, will present their fall concert at 8 p.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 16) in Burke Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

Though performing from a diverse repertoire, this concert focuses on the swing era of jazz music. The ensemble will feature songs by Sammy Nestico, composer for the Count Basie Orchestra between 1970 and 1984. Nestico started his music career as a staff arranger for ABC radio station, WCAE, Pittsburgh, Pa., served a 15-year tenure with the United States Air Force Band in Washington, and served as chief arranger and director of the White House orchestra while a member of the United States Marine Band in Washington. With Basie, Nestico directed the recording of 10 albums of original music, four of which won Grammy awards.

The band features soloists junior Matt Hoffman (Westerville) on tenor saxophone, junior David Ottum (Upper Arlington) on trumpet, senior Andrew Keller (Worthington) on trombone, and the rhythm section -- pianist junior Max Marshall (Chicago), bassists junior Brett Ferguson (Manlius, N.Y.) and senior Ethan McGory (Westerville), guitarist first-year Stephen Murphy (Dayton), and drummer sophomore Matt Chvatal (Canton). "The band has a lot of new faces," says Mills of the large group of first-year students joining the ensemble for this concert.

A native of Toronto, Mills has received jazz performance grants from the Canada Council and was a recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Jazz Composer's Fellowship. He holds degrees from Eastman School of Music and the University of North Texas. In 2004, Mills had a debut release on Summit Records with his album "Art and Architecture." He performs regularly with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and was a featured guest artist with the Tony Monaco trio at the 2005 Toronto International Jazz Festival.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville -- The Denison University Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Pete Mills presents its fall concert at 8 p.m., Wednesday (Nov. 16), Burke Recital Hall (240 W. Broadway). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-6220 to confirm information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

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Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

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(740) 587-8575