|
.::FEATURED ALUMNI Thank you for visiting the Featured Alumni Page. We intend to showcase alumni from different time periods in the history of the studio and recent notable achievements. New alumni features will be posted every couple of months, and previous features kept in the alumni archive. We would appreciate any alumni contacting Mr. Klock (lklock@music.umass.edu) so we can keep our database updated.
John is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts where he received a B.M. in African American Jazz Studies. He had the privilege of studying with Lynn Klock and Yusef Lateef. After graduating in 1988 he toured with two gospel groups; Spurrlows and Truth. He traveled to South America and Europe on the Crown Odyssey Royal Cruise Line. He also worked in the Walt Disney World Band and on the Delta Queen Steamboat. From there he went to Nashville to work at Nashville’s Opryland USA Theme Park performing in various shows. He then worked his way on to John has had the privilege of playing with Benny King and the Temptations, Brenda Lee, and the Sumner County Symphony Orchestra. With his band Final Mix, he fronted jazz artists Gerald Albright and Larry Carlton. He has had the opportunity to perform various musical’s which include Annie, Pirates of Penzanze, Gypsy, Once Upon a Mattress, The Sound of Music, Smokin’ Joe’s Cafe, and Fiddler on the Roof. Recordings include solos on Ben Tankard’s Keys To Life, Futrel’s Declararations, John England and the Western Swingers, Big Sofa and the Lazy Boys; Jump Rhythm Blues Big Band Revue and Al Fresco and various personal demos. John currently lives outside Nashville with his wife and 2 daughters. John Currey John Currey is the Director of Bands at Champaign Central High School. Mr. Currey received his training at the University of Massachusetts as a saxophone student of Lynn Klock and Yusef Lateef, and at the University of Illinois where he studied with Debra Richtmeyer and Ron Bridgewater. His influences include his private teachers, Malcom Rowell, David Sporny, George Parks, James F. Keene Gary Smith, and John Garvey among others.
At Central, Mr. Currey is responsible for a band program that is among the best in the state. He directs or oversees three concert bands (Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band and Concert Band), marching band, pep band, three jazz bands (Jazz Ensemble, Stage Band, and Lab Band), and two jazz combo’s. Virtually all of them are award winning. The Jazz Ensemble has had many highlights over the last couple of years. Most recently his Jazz Ensemble performed at the Midwest Clinic. And last year the band traveled to Monterrey as a finalist in the Next Generation Festival. The Jazz Ensemble was also selected as a finalist in the 2005 Essentially Ellington Festival held in NY City. The Wind Symphony has been an Illinois Superstate finalist 9 out of the 10 years that Mr. Currey has been at Central. The band program has recently released a three CD Set.
Mr. Currey’s education includes a M.S. in Music Education and Performance from the University of Massachusetts. Mr. Currey is active as a clinician, and guest conductor for district festivals and music camps. He also frequently serves as an adjudicator for various concert and jazz band festivals in the Midwest. He is a member of MENC, IMEA and IAJE and currently serves as the District 3 Jazz Chairman for IMEA as well as Chairman of the All State Jazz Band for IMEA for the last several years.
David Loy Song Born in Springfield, MA on November 12th, 1975, David Loy Song grew up in Westfield, MA and began playing the saxophone at age 10. He studied with saxophonist Ted Levine through most of his precollege years (from 5th grade until his high school graduation). He then entered the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1994 and completed his Bachelor of Music degree in 1999 graduating cum laude. It was there that Dave studied classical saxophone with Lynn Klock; jazz improvisation with Chris Merz, Adam Kolker, and Yusef Lateef; jazz composition and arranging with Jeff Holmes; and performed in big bands under the directions of Jeff Holmes, Chris Merz, and Dave Sporny. Directly following graduation, Dave left for Spain and began an eight month stint on a Rennaissance cruise ship that took him to Spain, Africa, and Portugal. He then did another tour with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra from February 1st, 2000 to March 19th. Another year of cruise ship work followed after that, including contracts with Princess and Holland America, which took him to such countries as Russia, Denmark, France, Iceland, Geenland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, England, Ireland, and Scotland, to name a few. He has recently concluded a 6 month tour of the US and Japan with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Some of David's other performances are those with Dick Oatts, Bob Berg, Yusef Lateef, John Fedchock, Greg Abate, Buddy Morrow, Walt Andrus, The Amherst Jazz Orchestra, the Rob Zappulla Big Band, Montenia, Kitty Katherine, James Argiro, and John Mastriani, to name a few (and also performances as a leader with his own quartet and quintet). David is the current lead tenor saxophonist with the Jazz Knights of the US Army located at West Point Military Academy in NY.
MORE COMING SOON
|
|||
John Balut is currently a musician on the General Jackson Showboat in Nashville, Tennessee. He has been performing there sixteen years. He is also teaching at the Allegro School of Music in Nashville. He offers private instruction on saxophone, flute, clarinet, guitar and piano.
