WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY’S SPRING JAZZ ROOM SERIES PRESENTS SAXOPHONIST JON GORDON AND PIANIST BILL CHARLAP ON FEBRUARY 16

William Paterson University’s spring 2003 Jazz Room Series continues with saxophonist Jon Gordon and pianist Bill Charlap on Sunday, February 16 at 4 p.m. in the Shea Center for Performing Arts on campus in Wayne.

Admission prices are $12 standard and $9 for senior citizens. Tickets include admission to "Sittin’ In," an informal discussion with the afternoon’s performers at 3 p.m. in Shea 101. The Jazz Room concert opens with a half-hour set by a student jazz ensemble.

Launched in 1978, the Jazz Room Series is one of the largest and most prestigious college-sponsored jazz events in the country. Performers include renowned professionals who encompass the complete spectrum of jazz, from practitioners of traditional jazz to avant-garde to bebop to swing to Afro-Latin jazz – as well as William Paterson’s own student ensembles. The series has won numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for its innovative programming.

Charlap and Gordon recorded a CD, "Contrasts," on the Double Time Jazz label. Charlap, an Orange resident, is a much-recorded mainstream jazz pianist known especially for his interpretation of standards. Son of Broadway songwriter "Moose" Charlap and singer Sandy Stewart, Charlap began piano at an early age and attended New York’s High School for the Performing Arts. In his early career, Charlap cut his chops by playing with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Benny Carter, and Clark Terry and accompanying Tony Bennett, Carol Sloane and Sheila Jordan. Charlap has appeared on over 50 CDs as a sideman as well as recorded several CDs as a leader.

Jon Gordon, a native New Yorker, began playing the saxophone at age ten, and attended Performing Arts High School and Manhattan School of Music. Gordon has worked professionally with Red Rodney, Roy Eldridge, Mel Lewis, Doc Cheatham, Maria Schneider, Clark Terry, Benny Carter, Phil Woods, T.S. Monk, and many others. Gordon also appears regularly as a member of the Jazz Nativity, whose other featured musicians have included Tito Puente, Ron Carter and Dave Brubeck. A winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, Gordon has performed at the Blue Note, Birdland, Visiones, Iridium, Smalls, the Jazz Standard, Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y, and the JVC Jazz Festival.
For information, call the Shea Center for Performing Arts Box Office at 973-720-2371.

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2/5/03
For Further Information, contact:

Mary Beth Zeman, Director, Public Relations 973-720-2966