The University of Akron (UA) School of Music Jazz Studies Department is pleased to announce JazzWeek 25: Abundance (Jazz Festival) April 7-11. The week-long festival takes place on and around the University of Akron campus, uniting students, faculty, musicians and community members.
The dynamic lineup features local artists Chris Coles, Theron Brown, Dan Wilson, SmokeFace, Floco Torres, Hubb's Groove and more, along with national jazz artists Bittle Jazz Artist-in-Residence Joshua Redman and Visiting Artist-in-Residence Sean Jones. Visitors can hear inspiring performances and attend educational workshops designed for musicians and jazz enthusiasts of all ages. These events honor the legacy of jazz in Northeast Ohio while fostering new talent and cultural expression, reminding everyone of its origins as a powerful form of artistic communication. Akron is Jazz!
The schedule includes:
- Monday April 7, 8 p.m. - Visiting Artist-in-Residence Sean Jones with SmokeFace, Floco Torres and special guests with opening act UA Birth of the Cool Ensemble at Blu Jazz, 47 E Market St, Akron. $15 at the door. Students FREE with ID and valid ZipcCard.
- Tuesday April 8, 7:30 p.m. - Joshua Redman Group with guests Sean Jones and the UA Jazz Ensemble at EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall 198 Hill St, Akron. Students FREE with ID and valid ZipcCard. General Admission $30 Buy Tickets Here.
- Wednesday April 9, 8 p.m. - UA Faculty and Jazz Trio with Sean Jones plays Miles Davis's Birth of the Cool at The University of Akron, Sandefur Theatre in Guzzetta Hall, 228 E Buchtel Ave. FREE (donations accepted)
- Thursday April 10, 8 p.m. - UA Jazz Ensemble and Birth of the Cool Ensemble at Musica, 51 E Market St. Akron. FREE (donations accepted)
- Friday April 11, 7 p.m.- Hubb's Groove Jazz Vespers at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1361 W Market St. Akron. FREE (donations accepted)
About Joshua Redman
Joshua Redman, Bittle Jazz artist in residence, is one of the most acclaimed jazz artists of our generation, with a career spanning more than thirty years. In 2023, he launched his debut album, "Where are we," on the esteemed Blue Note Records, a project that emerged from the exigencies of the pandemic and marked his first experience writing lyrics and collaborating with a vocalist. Through this album, Redman explores the significance of place and the collective human experience, reflecting on the beauty of shared physical spaces.
Initially set to pursue a legal career after graduating summa cum laude from Harvard and gaining admission to Yale Law School, Redman instead immersed himself in New York City's jazz scene, where he quickly made a name for himself, winning the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition. He has collaborated with jazz legends such as Jack DeJohnette and Charlie Haden, and his early band contained musicians like Brad Mehldau and Christian McBride, who are now influential artists in their own right. Beyond performing, Redman has contributed to jazz education as a visiting artist at Stanford University and as the artistic director of the Roots, Jazz and American Music program at the San Francisco Conservatory. He has also composed music for films, including Louis Malle’s "Vanya on 42nd Street."
Born in Berkeley, Calif., to saxophonist Dewey Redman and dancer Renee Shedroff, he boasts an impressive discography of nearly two dozen albums and has collaborated with a diverse array of artists across genres, underscoring his versatility and impact on music.
About Sean Jones
Sean Jones, visiting UAkron artist in residency, is a versatile trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and activist from Warren, Ohio. He began his musical journey in church choir before switching from drums to trumpet at age 10. Jones gained prominence as the lead trumpeter for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under Wynton Marsalis from 2004 to 2010 and became a member of the SFJAZZ Collective in 2015. He has released eight recordings with his group on Mack Avenue Records, with his latest being “Live from Jazz at the Bistro” in 2017.
Throughout his career, Jones has collaborated with renowned jazz musicians such as Illinois Jacquet, Nancy Wilson and Herbie Hancock. He has performed with major symphonies and contributed to various music festivals. As an educator, he serves as the president of the Jazz Education Network and holds a prestigious chair in Jazz Studies at the Peabody Institute at John Hopkins University’. He was previously chair of the Brass department at Berklee College of Music.
About Theron Brown, UA Jazz Studies chair
Theron Brown, hailing from Zanesville, Ohio, grew up in a musical family influenced by the rhythms of church. Starting with drums and later taking up piano and viola, his love for music flourished, particularly within jazz, inspired by Thelonious Monk during his studies at The University of Akron. Brown is known for his versatile performances alongside renowned artists, from The Cleveland Orchestra to Snarky Puppy, and has performed globally, including at the Kennedy Center and Tokyo Kokusai Forum Hall. His role as young Herbie Hancock in the film 'Miles Ahead' showcased both his musical and acting talents. Now based in Akron, he actively contributes to the local arts scene as the artist coordinator for I Promise School, a board member of various cultural organizations, and founder of the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival. He teaches at Firefly Music School and Kent State University, aiming to inspire students with his musical insights. With recordings like 'No Concepts' and the upcoming 'Spirit Fruit,' he continues to blend gospel and jazz, sharing messages of love worldwide.
About Chris Coles, UA Jazz Studies faculty and JazzWeek director
Christopher J. Coles, a graduate of Cleveland South High School, earned his bachelor's degree in saxophone performance from Youngstown State University in 2009 and his master's from The University of Akron in 2012. He studied with notable educators including Dr. James C. Umble and Dr. Kent Englehardt. Coles has performed with acclaimed jazz musicians such as Grammy Award winner Slide Hampton and Wessell Anderson. He participated in prestigious events like the North American Saxophone Alliance Regional Festival and the International Saxophone Symposium. In 2017, he received the Knight Arts Challenge award in Akron, leading to grant funding for his multimedia tribute "Nine Lives," which premiered in 2019. Now a Yamaha Performing Artist, Coles teaches at Oberlin Conservatory, The University of Akron and The Tri-C Creative Arts JazzFest Academy, dedicating himself to mentoring the next generation of jazz musicians
About UA student Ephraim Miller and his ensemble Birth of The Cool:
Ephraim Miller is a composer/arranger and multi-instrumentalist bringing his musical experience to The University of Akron, where he is currently pursuing a graduate degree in music composition. He earned a bachelor's degree in jazz studies from Kent State University in 2020 and previously studied jazz and saxophone at The University of Akron under Professor Emeritus Jack Schantz and Dr. Todd Gaffke. Miller also lends his arranging talents to the Rogues Hollow Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps and performs with numerous ensembles throughout Northeast Ohio.
Under the guidance of Professor Christopher Coles, Miller founded the Birth of the Cool Ensemble at UA to engage more students in the Jazz Studies program. In just two years, inspired by the seminal Miles Davis/Gil Evans album, the ensemble has grown to feature 20 musicians, boasting a unique and expanded instrumentation. Miller composes and arranges all of the ensemble's repertoire for this instrumentation, which includes five saxophones, three trumpets, three trombones, two French horns, euphonium, tuba, a full rhythm section and a vocalist.
About UA Jazz Ensemble:
The University of Akron's Jazz Ensemble is available to jazz studies majors/minors, non-jazz majors/minors and non-music majors alike. The goal of the Jazz Ensemble is to honor the historic master composers of big band and to push forward the big band genre by playing new and commissioned works.
Media contact:
Sarah Jones Saddleton (publicity and administration) slj6@uakron.edu; 330-972-7895
Chris Coles (Jazz Studies faculty, festival director) cjc72@uakron.edu