THE RUFUS REID QUINTET AND SPECIAL GUESTS TO PERFORM OCTOBER 17 IN THE JAZZ ROOM AT WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY

Rufus Reid, a jazz bassist and former professor and director of the William Paterson University jazz studies program, will perform with his new quintet on Sunday, October 17 as part of the fall 2004 Jazz Room Series.

The concert will begin at 4 p.m. in the Shea Center for Performing Arts on campus in Wayne. Tickets are available in advance or on the day of the performance at $12 standard and $9 for senior citizens, non-William Paterson students and William Paterson faculty, staff and alumni. William Paterson students may attend free of charge.

The ensemble will perform Reid’s composition, “Linear Surroundings,” which generated from a Doris Duke Foundation grant. Reid’s quintet features tenor saxophonist Rick Perry, trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, pianist John Stetch and drummer Montez Coleman. Special guests include Dana Hanchard, vocals; Mark Taylor, French horn; Marty Ehrlich, bass clarinet; and Akua Dixon, cello. Prior to the concert, Reid will be the guest for “Sittin’ In,” an informal discussion about jazz, at 3 p.m. in room 101 of Shea Center. Admission is free to all Jazz Room ticketholders.

The title of Reid’s book, “The Evolving Bassist,” describes his career. Well known as a jazz educator and performing and recording artist, Reid has participated for the past three years in the BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop and he recently won the Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Award for “Skies over Emilia.” Reid travels throughout the world as guest artist performing his compositions with both small and large ensembles. The BBC Big Band in Great Britain has recorded three of Reid’s compositions, and three of his arrangements of standards.

Reid’s extensive jazz background and discography reads like a who's who in jazz. He has traveled, performed and recorded with many of the great jazz masters, including Gene Ammons, Philly Joe Jones, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Dexter Gordon, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Farmer.
Now in its 27th year of exciting performances, The Jazz Room 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.

For more information, call Shea Center for Performing Arts Box Office at 973-720-2371.

Note to reporters and editors: High-resolution, downloadable photographs are available at:
http://ww2.wpunj.edu/publicityphotos/Jazz

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For Further Information, contact:
Mary Beth Zeman, Director, Public Relations 973-720-2966