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Jazz On CampusSchool NotesMintzer TakesCharge of USC’sJazz DepartmentSaxophonist Bob Mintzer has long wornmultiple hats, as a leader of his ownrespected big band, a member of TheYellowjackets, in-demand sideman andsession player, and an educator with a longhistory of residencies and 20 years as anadjunct professor at Manhattan School ofMusic. This fall, Mintzer added anotherhat to the collection—he’s an official universityfaculty member, taking the positionof an endowed chair at University ofSouthern California’s Thornton School ofMusic in Los Angeles.“I was comfortable and set up in NewYork,” Mintzer said. “I lived there mywhole life and had friends and family, andwas close to Europe. It took a lot of thinkingand meditating to come to this decisionto make the move. But so far, every indicationis that I’ve done the right thing.”Pianist Shelly Berg, who had held theUSC chair funded by jazz supportersBowen “Buzz” McCoy and HelenMcCoy, became dean of the University ofMiami School of Music. Drummer PeterErskine, also on the USC faculty, said thatthe “position begged for a jazz musicianpossessing great stature as well as composingand arranging abilities. He or she would need tobe a proven educator. You put all of those ingredientsinto the mix, and Bob Mintzer’s namewill come up every time. So, we invited Bob tovisit the school, and he liked what he saw andheard.”Erskine, who has known Mintzer since bothattended Michigan’s Interlochen ArtsAcademy as high schoolers, gave his colleaguehigh marks.“Bob’s writing is a joy to experience as botha player and listener,” Erskine said. “His musicianshipis first-class, and he has been aroundlong enough to know the best way to communicatemusical ideas.”Mintzer’s new position is flexible enough toallow him to continue with his musical life—touring and recording (his latest album ishis new big band project, Swing Out, onManchester Craftsmen’s Guild). He alsorecently published the instructional bookPlaying Jazz Piano (Alfred), the most recent inan ongoing series. But the USC job finds himanchored in a solid institutional setting, aunique situation for him.“For the first time in my career, I’m involvedon a level where I can affect the things that happen,”Mintzer said. “I’m in the inner sanctum.BRANDON MCCHESNEYBob MintzerI’m going to faculty meetings. I’m expected toplay an active role in decision-making in theprogram.”USC’s jazz program has been growing, andits faculty includes Erskine, Vince Mendoza,Alan Pasqua, John Clayton, Ndugu Chancler,Alphonso Johnson, Russ Ferrante and BobSheppard. As a veteran educator, Mintzer hasseen the exponential growth of jazz programs atthe university level in America in the lastdecade. One of his missions is to look beyondthe musical pedagogy and encourage students tolearn survival skills in the jazz business.“What we have to be sure to do is to provideplaying and working situations for students, sothat they get to apply the knowledge they’re takingin, in practical situations,” Mintzer said.“Prior to all these university jazz programsbeing around, the way I learned how to play jazzwas by playing in bands.“When I went to college, I was a classicalclarinetist,” he continued. “I didn’t study jazz incollege at all. But it’s a good thing to have jazzprograms in schools, and organize the teachingof this music. In conjunction with that, we haveto make sure that students know how to be instigatorsof playing situations, know how to putbands together and encouraged to do so, and goout and play.”—Josef WoodardNew Trier Changes: Jim Warrick,director of the jazz ensembles at NewTrier High School in Winnetka, Ill., hasannounced that he will retire following the2008–’09 school year. Warrick is keepingbusy during his final year at the school, ashe’ll run the 26th annual Frank MantoothJazz Festival on Feb. 7, 2009, with guestappearances from the Count BasieOrchestra and a Jamey Aebersold masterclass on improvisation. Details: ntjazz.comJupiter Announces Competition:Austin, Texas-based Jupiter Band Instruments’XO Series has announced its thirdjazz solo competition. The contest is opento all high school students who play saxophone,B♭ trumpet or trombone. Entriesare due on March 20, 2009.Details: jupiterxo.comKutztown Honors Rat Pack: TheKutztown University Jazz Ensemble I, ofKutztown, Pa., under the direction of KevinKjos, has released its tribute to the musicof the Rat Pack era, The Best Is Yet ToCome (Sea Breeze). Vocalists KristinGrassi and Jim Cargill are featured performers.Details: seabreezejazz.comMSU Commissions Marsalis: MichiganState University commissioned WyntonMarsalis to compose a new piece to celebrateMichigan. The trumpeter premieredthe new work with the MSU Symphonyand Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra onSept. 24 at the university’s Cobb GreatHall at the Wharton Center. Details: msu.eduLyons Winner: Berklee College of Musichas awarded trumpeter Aaron Bahr ofLafayette, Calif., its Jimmy LyonsScholarship this year.Details: berklee.eduScottish Jazz Boost: The Royal ScottishAcademy of Music and Drama in Glasgow,Scotland, will add its first full-timejazz courses for the 2009–’10 school year.Saxophonist Tommy Smith will serve asartistic director of the university’s jazzprogram. Details: rsamd.ac.ukCOURTESY OF NEW TRIER HIGH SCHOOL94 DOWNBEAT November 2008