Jazz Collective

Under the direction of Uziel Colón, 10 student performers in the Jazz Collective will play straight-ahead jazz, Latin and funk. The repertoire will include songs that were made famous by Carl Jader, Jaco Pastorius, Spyro Gyra, Yellowjackets and others.

Playing strings and percussion are Lauren Hesterman on cello, Torrance Klein on bass, Nolan Monsibay on piano, Alex Avaneszadeh on piano, Grant Escandon on piano, Matthew Case on drums, and Cory Cranston on guitar. The horn section includes Luis Burgos on trumpet, Michael Martindale on trombone and Caleb Solberg on tenor sax. All 10 will be featured soloists.

Master percussionist and Grammy nominee Roberto Rosario will perform as a special guest. Rosario, also a composer, producer and arranger, has performed in the United States, Australia, Cuba, Japan, Ecuador and Spain. He was percussionist for the group La Clave Secreta whose album Frutero Moderno was a nominee for Best Tropical Latin Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009. In 2010-11, he toured as percussionist with the Tony Award–winning Broadway musical In the Heights. 

Colón is a pianist and composer whose repertoire ranges from piano improvisations in Latin jazz to commercial pop to salsa rhythms to gospel. The Studio City resident has performed at events including the Heineken JazzFest in Puerto Rico, the Beantown Jazz Fest in Boston, CJW in Beijing and the MadaJazzcar Festival in Madagascar. He works for The Latin Recording Academy and composes, arranges and produces music for television shows and independent artists.

Admission is free.