THE MUSIC OF THAD
JONES AND MEL LEWIS
ASU CONCERT JAll BAND
DIRECTED BY
MICHAEL KOCOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
DICK OATTS, ALTO SAX
AND JOEL SPENCER, DRUMS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2007 • 7:30 PM
N ERT HALL

MUSIC
fierberger College
of the

Arts

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

Program
Don't Git Sassy

Thad Jones

Three and One

Thad Jones

Tip Toe

Thad Jones

Gumbo G

Dick Oatts
arr. Mike Abene

61st and Rich-it

Thad Jones

Ahunk Ahunk

Thad Jones

Make Me Smile

Bob Brookmeyer

ASU Concert Jazz Band
Alto Saxophone: Keith Kelly, Javier Ocampo
Tenor Saxophone: Jeff Gutierrez, Woody Chenoweth
Baritone Saxophone: Bryan Geraci
Trumpet: Steve Limpert, Kyle Anderson, Jonathan Rodriquez,
Joe Kim, Ken Johnston
Trombone: Mike Wilkinson, Seth Gory, Pat Lawrence, Gabriel Sears
Rhythm Section: Todd Martino–piano, Jacob Lauxman–guitar,
John Sims–bass, Shaun Lowecki–drums, Matt Coleman-drums

********* * ********************
Out of respect for the performers and those audience members around you,
please turn all beepers, cell phones and watches to their silent mode. Thank you.

Born and raised in the state of Iowa, Dick Oatts was brought up in a
musical family. He was introduced to the saxophone by his father Jack
Oatts, a respected jazz educator and saxophonist. After high school, Dick
attended Drake University and in 1972 he began his professional career
in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
It was 1977 when Oatts decided to move to New York City. He then
became a member if the Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Orchestra. Since then
he has recorded and toured with small groups such as Red Rodney, Eddie
Gomez, Vic Juric, Bob Brookmeyer, Mel Lewis, Dom Salvador, Jerry
Bergonzi, Flim & the BB's, Fred Hersch, Dave Berkman, Terell Stafford,
Jon Faddis, Lalo Schiffrin, and Ray Mantilla.
His big band and larger group experience include performances with
the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Mel Lewis, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band,
Lester Bowie, Joe Lovano, Sam Jones-Tom Harrell, Paquito D'Rivera,
Jim McNeely, Tito Puente, Kenny Wheeler, and Gunther Schuller. Oatts
has also been featured with the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Danish Radio
Big Band, Norboton Jazz Orchestra, and the UMO Big Band in Helsinki.
He has accompanied such vocalists as Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughn, Ella
Fitzgerald, Neene Freelon, Mel Torme, and Milton Nascimento. He has
recorded solos for pop artists Luther Vandross, James Taylor, and Everything But the Girl.
Oatts is now a Steeplechase recording artist and has five Cd's released
as a leader. (All of Three, Standard Issue, Simone's Dance, Standard Issue vol. 2, South Paw). He also has a new CD out on the RED label with
bassist Dave Santoro entitled Meru. Dick has 3 Cd's as a leader on the
DMP label with pianist and a co-leader Garry Dial.
For 30 years, Mr. Oatts has appeared at college jazz festivals as a soloist and clinician throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada,
South America, and the Middle East. Oatts has been on the Manhattan
School of Music Faculty since 1989 and an artist-in-residence at the Amsterdam Conservatory since 1997.
Joel Spencer has been a Professional Musician and Music Educator for

the past 25 years. Joel has performed with a number of internationally
known jazz artists in Chicago and throughout the world. These appearances have included such artists as Weather Report alumnus Wayne
Shorter, David Liebman, Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, Barney Kessel,
Clark Terry, Michael Feinstein, Cissy Houston, the Red Rodney Quintet,
Joe Williams, Scott Hamilton, John Campbell, Dorothy Donegan, the
Count Basie Band, Chet Baker, Sonny Stitt, Junior Mance, Phil Woods,
Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, and pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In 2004 Spencer became
a full-time faculty member in the Northwestern University School of
Music. At the rank of Lecturer, Spencer serves as Coordinator of the Jazz
Combo Program and instructor of Jazz History, Graduate Studies in Jazz
Pedagogy, Jazz Perspectives, and Studio Percussion.

Performance Events Staff Supervisor
Paul W. Estes

Event Mangers:

•

Kyle Anderson, Iftekhar Anwar, Laura Boone, Edwin Brown
Brady Cullum, Mirel DeLaTorre, Anthony Garcia, Leeh Humphrey
Kevan Nymeyer, Megan Smith, Aaron VanderYachet

I

EVENTS INFORMATION 480.965.TUNE (480.965.8863)
herbergercollege.asu.edu/calendar

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