The music of Ornette Coleman will be performed by the Tim Hagans Ensemble, arranged by Mark Masters. The group includes Tim Hagans on trumpet, Jerry Pinter on saxophone, Bob Summers on trumpet, Dave Woodley on Trombone, Stephanie O’Keefe on French Horn, Darek Oles on bass, and Mark Ferber on drums. 3 time grammy nominated trumpeter, arranger, and composer Tim Hagans was influenced by Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Woody Shaw, John Coltrane, and Thad Jones. Hagans has played with the Stan Kenton and Woody Herman Big Bands, with jazz greats in Europe and the US, and with over two dozen different jazz bands. Hagans has taught at the University of Cincinnati, the Berklee School of Music, and for the Norbotten Big Band Band in Sweden. Hagans has written music for jazz orchestras, festivals, big bands, films, dance ensembles, and has won the ASCAP composers’ award. Hagans has recorded 12 albums as a leader, and over the last 40+ years has appeared on over 80 recordings as a sideman.
Saxophonist Jerry Pinter has played on over 60 recordings with a wide range of jazz bands, that include the Woody Herman Big Band. Pinter attended North Texas State University and teaches at University of California, Irvine and Saddleback College.
Trumpeter Bob Summers has played with most of the best big bands in L. A. and has played on over 200 recordings in a 5+ decade career.
Trombonist Dave Woodley has played on nearly 35 recordings and with several jazz orchestras in his career.
French Horn player Stephanie O’Keefe has played in L. A. for the last 30 years with chamber and jazz orchestras, and with popular artists that include Johnny Mathis, Neil Diamond, Lady Gaga, and Glenn Frey. O’Keefe has played on video game soundtracks and several American Jazz Institute recordings, as well as being an AJI board member. O’Keefe contracts musicians for recordings for film, t.v., and live performances, teaches music at Occidental College, and has appeared on over 60 recordings in her career.
Bassist Darek Oles from Poland was awarded as one of his countries’ best young musicians and played with some of the best jazz groups in Europe. Oles came to L.A. on scholarship at the Cal Institute of the Arts, studying with jazz bass great, Charlie Haden. Oles has taught at the Cal Institute of the Arts for over 25 years, as well as at U.C. Irvine, and the USC Thornton School of Music. Oles has appeared on over 100 albums, and performed in 100’s of concerts in the US, Europe, and Asia. Oles was nominated for the best jazz musician in Poland, and was voted best jazz acoustic bassist in Europe. Oles is co-founder of the L.A. Jazz Quartet with guitarist Larry Koonse, and along with saxophonist Chuck Manning, the group is celebrating their 25th year anniversary. Oles cites Scott LaFaro, Bill Evans, Charlie Haden, and Gary Peacock as influences. Oles has recorded 13 albums as leader/co-leader and has appeared on over 30 albums.
Drummer Mark Ferber is a UCLA graduate and has performed and recorded with many jazz greats on both coasts. Ferber has studied with Mitchell Peters, Billy Higgins, and Joe LaBarbera, and teaches at Tavira Jazz Workshop in Portugal, at the Kansas University Jazz Workshop, at the Maine Jazz Camp, at CCNY, and the School of Improvisational Music in N.Y.. Ferber has appeared on over 130 recordings, and with over 15 different jazz groups.
The music of Ornette Coleman is steeped in the blues. Coleman was one of the most important and controversial innovators of Avant Garde Jazz. One of the founders of Free Jazz in the 1960’s, Coleman was a catalyst for change in contemporary music. This group will perform some of Coleman’s most well known compositions, creatively arranged by Mark Masters.
