Jacksonville Jazz Festival 2016 Program

MAY 26, 2016
The Finalists
The Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, presented by
Keyboard Connection, has been a staple in the annual
festival for over 20 years. Pianists from around the world
compete for a cash prize and chance to play on the
main festival stage. Held at the historic Florida Theatre,
the Piano Competition serves as the official opening
event of the 2016 Jazz Festival.
Bill Alexson currently resides in Nashville and
and is pianist, composer and music educator. He
was named the winner of the 2012 West Virginia
University Jazz Piano Competition and also received
the Belmont University’s Award of Outstanding
Achievement in Music in 2013. In 2015, he was the
featured soloist on George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody
in Blue”, which he performed with the Nashville
Collegiate Orchestra.
Zach Bartholomew, a Florida native, was born in
Tallahassee and graduated cum laude from Florida
State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music -
Jazz Studies. His trio has performed all around the
country and in Europe on Princess Cruise Lines.
He has recently been awarded a full tuition waiver
from the University of Miami Frost School of Music
to pursue the doctorate of musical arts in jazz
instrumental performance.
Masayoshi Ishikawa, originally from Fukushima,
Japan, came to the United States in 2003 for his
collegiate musical education where he discovered his
passion for jazz. As a pianist, Ishikawa has performed
at festivals and concerts throughout Italy, China
and the US. His composition, “Hotaru” (firefly), was
selected as the winner of the 2014 Downbeat Student
Music Awards in Graduate Original Composition for
Small Ensemble.
Takeshi Ohbayashi studied film scoring and
composition at Tokyo College of Music, where he
discovered his calling to jazz during his freshmen
year. Ohbayashi continued his education at the
Berklee College of Music in Boston and was selected
to be a part of the Berklee Global Institute, led
by Danillo Perez. Ohbayashi currently resides in
New York City, where he leads “New Century Jazz
Quintet”, co-founded with Ulysses Owens Jr.
Ben Rosenblum is a New York-based jazz pianist/
composer and currently attends the joint program
between Columbia University and Julliard School
of Music. His work has garnered numerous awards,
including the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers award
in 2010, the Downbeat Student Music Award for Best
Original Song in 2010 and the Downbeat Student
Music Award for Best Arrangement in 2011.
The Rhythm
The Judges
The Master
of Ceremony
Noel Freidline returns to
the Jacksonville Jazz Festival
as the Master of Ceremonies
for the Jacksonville Jazz
Piano Competition.
Dennis Marks has
performed with many of
the great musicians such
as Dizzy Gillespie, Dave
Liebman, Bob Mintzer, and
Pat Metheny. He appeared
on Sandoval’s GRAMMY ®
Award-Winning Hot-House.
Former U.S. Navy Commodores
drummer, Clyde Conner,
is a renowned drummer and
educator and has performed
at the notable Blues Alley jazz
club, the Big Apple Circus in
Reston, VA, as the “Pops”
drummer with the Baltimore
Symphony.
Lynne Arriale has performed
internationally for the past 25
years on festival and concert
stages throughout Europe, the
UK, Japan, China, Canada,
Australia and the US, has
recorded 13 highly acclaimed
CDs as a leader and is
Professor of Jazz Studies at UNF.
Oscar Perez, 1997 UNF
Alumni, is an in demand pianist,
composer and educator living in
the NY area. He placed second
in this competition in 2014.
Oscar has recorded critically
acclaimed CDs and is part of
the Saturday lineup performing
with Charenée Wade.
Naim Rashid, 2010 Jacksonville
Jazz Festival Hall of Fame
Inductee, is a retired Navy
Broadcast Journalist, Jazz
radio host, founder and former
president of the Jacksonville Jazz
Society. He is currently a volunteer
jazz announcer on Flagler College
Radio (WFCF-FM 88.5).
Whether you are a professional or a beginner.
All roads lead to Keyboard Connection
your official Yamaha Piano Dealer!
9912 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL
KeyboardConnectionJax.com • 880-0002
To purchase the piano of your dreams visit
Keyboard Connection today!
16 2016 Jacksonville Jazz Festival