Brubeck Jazz Summit Faculty 2023
Roxy Coss, Artistic Director & Saxophone
Roxy Coss
Musician, Composer, Bandleader, Educator and Activist Roxy Coss received the 2022 Downbeat Critics’ Poll “Rising Star” award on Soprano Saxophone, is a recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, the Hothouse Magazine & Jazzmobile “Tenor Saxophone” Award, and is a Jazziz Magazine “Artist to Watch”. She has performed around the world, headlining at the Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, NYC Winter JazzFest, BRIC JazzFest, Earshot Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Summerfest, Jazz Standard, and Jazz Showcase. Coss has performed as a side musician with Jazz greats and luminaries including Clark Terry, Billy Kaye, Maurice Hines, Rufus Reid, Louis Hayes, Gene Perla, Houston Person, Claudio Roditi, Bill Charlap, Geoffrey Keezer, Willie Jones III, Jeremy Pelt, Darcy James Argue, the DIVA Jazz Orchestra.
Roxy has six albums out under her own name, including her latest release, Disparate Parts (Outside in Music), which was met with critical acclaim. Her fifth album Quintet (Outside in Music), received a 4-Star review from Downbeat. The Roxy Coss Quintet, featuring some of the world’s finest young musicians, is the first-ever recipient of the Emerging Artist Project, a four-year grant from the Local 802 Musicians Union. They largely perform Coss’ original compositions. Her composition work can also be found on Jeremy Pelt’s recording, Face Forward, Jeremy (High Note).
Coss grew up in Seattle, WA where she attended the acclaimed Garfield High School Jazz Ensemble, and graduated from William Paterson University in 2008 with a BM in Jazz Studies/Performance. She has been living in the New York area since 2004. Roxy currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Jazz Education Network (JEN), is Jazz Faculty at The Juilliard School, and is the President & Founder of Women In Jazz Organization (WIJO). She is also an endorsing Artist for P. Mauriat, Vandoren, and Key Leaves products.
Lucas Pino, Artistic Director & Saxophone
Lucas Pino
Tenor Saxophonist Lucas Pino works frequently as a sideman for artists including Gideon van Gelder, Richard Boukas, David Lopato, Bryan Carter, Rafal Sarnecki, Nick Finzer, and Jeremy Siskind. His past performance experience also includes Dave Brubeck, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Christian McBride, Carl Allen, Benny Green and David Sanborn. Lucas has traveled to play in Australia, Poland, Spain, Britain, The Netherlands, Brazil, Costa Rica, as well as throughout the United States and Canada. He has appeared at venues such as the Blue Note, Dizzy’s, The Jazz Standard, Yoshi’s, The Jazz Kitchen, The Rex, and Chicago Symphony Hall. As a leader, he has maintained a monthly residency at Smalls with the No Net Nonet since March 2013.
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Lucas grew up singing hymns in church, and in the choir at school. He started playing saxophone at age 10, and the first music he ever listened to was jazz. As a high school junior, Lucas won the Downbeat award for Best Instrumental Soloist in 2004. He attended the Brubeck Institute from 2005-2007, where he studied closely with Dave Brubeck. Lucas finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Jazz Performance at The New School in 2009. He attended Juilliard from 2009-2011, where he received a Master of Music.
Lucas’ major influences on the saxophone include Stan Getz, Lucky Thompson, John Coltrane, Michael Brecker, and Chris Cheek. Compositionally, he is heavily influenced by the sound of big band, and composers including Wayne Shorter, Maria Schneider, Walt Weiskopf, Thad Jones.
“Sound is like a rainbow, you hear every color. On the saxophone, the entire tonal and color palate should be available. I like to draw on a wide range of influences even within one solo, going from a very bright to dark sound, using straight tone or subtone. Music should be operatic, dramatic, and full of gesture. It should tell a story and sing a song simultaneously. Music should be a stimulus that activates the listener’s imagination and transports them to another place, where anything is possible.” – Lucas Pino
Rachel Eckroth, Vocals & Piano
Rachel Eckroth
Polymath (noun): a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.
Music needs a term for this. What do you call one person who is a pianist, vocalist, keyboardist, composer, producer, arranger, band leader, sideman and more? Music may not have a term, but it does have a name: Rachel Eckroth.
Eckroth can lead with a bold vision or accompany with the subtle skills necessary to make another musician shine. Her combination of jazz experimentation and pop feeling form the engine behind her own work as a leader/co-leader on almost 20 albums, most recently The Garden on Rainy Days Records (2021) and an upcoming solo piano album titled ‘One”. That same crossover talent is why she’s been featured on voice and keyboards in the bands of Rufus Wainwright, St. Vincent, KT Tunstall, and Chris Botti.
Eckroth has been a busy recording artist throughout her career, and the pace has only increased in recent years. In 2020, Eckroth appeared on the single “Circling” by Donny McCaslin, the acclaimed saxophonist from David Bowie’s final band. That same year, she released three singles of her own. In 2021 she and her husband, bassist Tim Lefebvre (David Bowie, Tedeschi Trucks Band) put out a duet album called The Blackbird Sessions. She also released the single “Moot Points” featuring Alassane, as well as an eponymous EP featuring her own songs.
Her work as a composer and arranger started in Las Vegas, arranging for horn and string sections with local artists. While working on a degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Rachel penned numerous compositions for Jazz Ensemble and her own experimental nonet. In 2002, she joined the BMI Jazz Composer’s workshop in New York led by Jim McNeely, and further worked in this idiom. Since earning a Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from Rutgers University, Rachel has traveled the world as an artist, composer, and singer, involved in different projects with Universities, and cowriting and/or arranging with Tia Fuller, Donny McCaslin, Hues, and others.
Rachel’s most well known project, The Garden, complete with a Grammy Nomination in 2021, features 8 tracks written or co-written by Eckroth. The band includes Lefebvre and McCaslin along with drummer Christian Euman, guitarist Nir Felder.
Bryan Carter, Vocals & Drums
Bryan Carter
Michael Rodriguez, Trumpet
Michael Rodriguez
Grammy Award winning Trumpeter/Composer, Michael Rodriguez, was born July 14, 1979 in Queens, New York. Inspired to pursue music as a career by his father, drummer Roberto Rodriguez, he initially studied at The New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida and continued his studies at The University of Miami. After completing two years there, he transferred to The New School University in New York City, where he received his B.A.
Michael has toured and performed with such jazz icons as Clark Terry, Bobby Watson, Quincy Jones, Joe Lovano, Toshiko Akiyoshi Orchestra, Jessica Simpson, Chico O’Farrill Orchestra, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, Jon Faddis and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, The Carla Bley Band and Quintet, The Clayton Brothers, Kenny Barron Quintet, Conrad Herwig’s “Latin Side” Projects, Clayton Brothers Quintet, Harry Connick, Jr., Bob Mintzer, Yosvany Terry Quintet, Eddie Palmieri Septet, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and the Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra, among
others.
In December 2003, Michael Rodriguez recorded on Charlie Haden’s Grammy Award winning album, Land of the Sun, featuring Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Joe Lovano, and also recorded on two Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra albums, Not in Our Name (2005) and Time/Life (2016). In 2008, Michael became a member of the Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quintet, with whom he recorded Avatar under the Blue Note label. In 2019, he joined Chick Corea’s Spanish Heart Band, which won a Best Latin Jazz Album Grammy for Antidote in 2020.
The trumpeter and his brother, pianist Robert Rodriguez, have recorded four albums together on their own label, RodBrosMusic: Introducing the Rodriguez Brothers (2002), Conversations (2007), Mood Swing (2010) and Impromptu (2015), nominated for a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2015. Also within that time frame, Michael released 2 albums as a leader, Reverence (Criss Cross – 2013), and Pathways (RodBrosMusic – 2021).
He is currently a faculty member of New York University (NYU), an Adjunct Professor of Trumpet at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), and an internationally sought-after clinician.
Gerald Cannon, Bass
Gerald Cannon
Musician, composer, and painter, a renaissance man with the goal to preserve jazz as an American art form: enter GERALD CANNON.
Born in Racine, Wisconsin, Gerald’s initial inspiration was his father Benjamin, a guitarist, who bought him his first electric bass at the ripe young age of 10. He began playing bass in his father’s group ‘The Gospel Expressions’ and he never looked back. Gerald attended The University of Wisconsin at La Crosse where he met jazz great Milt Hinton. This meeting not only changed Gerald’s major in college from physical education to music, it also changed the rest of his life.
Gerald transferred to the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee, where he spent the next four years studying jazz bass, classical bass and piano. He also studied art at Marquette University, which nurtured a natural talent and love of painting. Outside of school, Gerald began working as musical director with singer and mentor Penny Goodwin. This experience led to the creation of his own quintet ‘Gerald Cannon’s Jazz Elements,’ which laid the foundation for a solid reputation as a leader and composer in his own right.
At age 28, Gerald arrived in New York City. He immediately began earning his living playing bass in the subway and jamming at the Blue Note with renowned musicians Russell Malone, Winard & Philip Harper and Justin Robinson. From there, prestigious gigs arose with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Dexter Gordon, Cedar Walton Trio with Billy Higgins, Jimmy Smith, Little Jimmy Scott, James Williams, Hamiett Bluiett, Ed Thigpen, Frank Foster, John Bunch, Eddie Harris, Stanley Turrentine and Bunky Green.
After a short stint back home, Gerald returned to New York to work with Buddy Montgomery and Andy Bey. Good fortune followed when acclaimed trumpeter Roy Hargrove came to a club where Gerald was working. For the next seven years, Gerald performed as a member of Roy’s band at major jazz festivals all over the world, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Cape Town Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. He also was a part of the award winning Crisol tour where Gerald played with great Cuban musicians like master percussionist Jose Luis “Chanquito” Quintana, Miguel “Anga” Diaz, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Chucho Valdes and studied with excellent bassist Orlando “Cachahito” Lopez and pianist Ruben Gonzalez.
Gerald carries the knowledge passed on to him by legendary bassists Ray Brown, Sam Jones, Ron Carter and Buster Williams and continues the legacy by conducting master classes throughout the U.S. and Europe. He taught at the Oberlin Conservatory in 2014, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee, the New School in New York and at Long Island University. He also gave a number of master classes at the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater and Eau Clair, at Emery University in Atlanta, Georgia and at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Gerald was also a faculty member of the prestigious Conservatory of Maastricht, Holland.
Gerald is Jazz Bass Instructor at JUILLIARD School (New York), and Visiting Associate Professor of Jazz Bass at OBERLIN College & Conservatory (Ohio).
After leaving Roy Hargrove, Gerald held the bass chair for legendary drummer Elvin Jones until his passing in 2004. Gerald considers his time spent with Mr. Jones a profound period of spiritual and creative growth. Since then, Gerald has worked with jazz heavy-weights Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Pat Martino, Louis Hayes and The Cannonball Legacy, Ernestine Anderson, Carmen Lundy, Abbey Lincoln, Gary Bartz, Joe Lovano, Cyrus Chestnut, Larry Willis, Dr. Eddie Henderson, Steve Turre, Eric Reed, the Dexter Gordon Legacy Ensemble and many other all-star combinations, as well as with his own quartet. He continues to conduct Master Classes around the world and remains the Musical Director for the McCoy Tyner Trio.
Gerald debuted as producer with the CD ‘Mad about the Boy’ featuring jazz vocalist Jeanne Gies. This recording includes the vocal rendition of Gerald’s original composition ‘Peri.’
The consummate sideman, Gerald has now stepped out front as a leader with the debut of his self-titled recording “GERALD CANNON” (Woodneck Records – 2003) and “COMBINATIONS” (Woodneck Records – 2017)
Gerald’s creativity and passion is expressed not only in his music, but also in his painting. He recently had his first art showing in New York City and hosts exclusive viewings for interested art enthusiasts. A US tour of his paintings paired with musical selections will begin in 2016 and his highly anticipated sophomore album is underway with plans to release later next year.
Like the masters before him, Gerald Cannon has established a fearless, solid groove that distinguishes him as a principal figure in jazz. He will go down in history as a signature jazz bassist and composer of this century.
Summit Guest Artists
Chris Brubeck, Trombone
Chris Brubeck
“A Grammy-nominated composer, Chris Brubeck has distinguished himself as a multi-faceted performer and creative force, creating an impressive body of symphonic work while maintaining a demanding touring and recording schedule with two groups: The Brubeck Brothers, and Triple Play, an acoustic trio featuring Chris on piano, bass and trombone, guitarist Joel Brown and harmonica player Peter Madcat Ruth. Chris also performs as a soloist playing his trombone concertos with orchestras, and is an in-demand composer. He has served as Artist in Residence with orchestras and colleges in America, coaching, lecturing, and performing with students and faculty. Chris (along with his siblings), is a founding director of “Brubeck Living Legacy” a non-profit founded by the Brubeck family to honor and continue the legacy of Dave and Iola Brubeck.
In addition to creating an impressive body of work, including several band pieces, chamber pieces, 3 concertos for trombone, a trombone quartet, and several concertos for stringed instruments and other ensembles, Chris maintains a demanding touring and recording schedule playing bass and trombone with his two groups: the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, with brother Dan on drums, Chuck Lamb on piano and Mike DeMicco on guitar (www.brubeckbrothers.com); and Triple Play, an acoustic jazz-funk-blues-Americana trio with Joel Brown on guitar and Peter Madcat Ruth on harmonica and Chris on bass, trombone and piano (www.chrisbrubeckstripleplay.com.)
Additionally, Chris performs as a soloist playing his trombone concertos with orchestras and has served as Artist in Residence with orchestras and colleges in America, coaching, lecturing, and performing with students and faculty. Once a year he tours England with the group Brubecks Play Brubeck along with brothers Darius (on piano) and Dan as well as British saxophonist Dave O’Higgins. Chris had been a long-standing member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, writing arrangements and touring and recording with his father’s group for over 20 years. Dave and Chris co-wrote the orchestral piece “Ansel Adams: America” which has received dozens of performances and in 2013 was a Grammy finalist for Best Instrumental Composition. brubecklivinglegacy.com
Dan Brubeck, Drums
Dan Brubeck
Born in Oakland on May 4, 1955, Dan Brubeck was a highly energetic child who found his calling at the trap set. Mentored by two consummate polyrhythmic masters, Joe Morello and Alan Dawson (at the Berklee College of Music), he was working professionally before he finished his teens.
Over the years Dan was featured on nearly a dozen albums with his father, and toured widely with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, including many appearances with the world’s leading orchestras. He’s been an integral part of the various Brubeck bands, including the Darius Brubeck Ensemble, Two Generations of Brubeck, and the New Brubeck Quartet. He’s toured internationally and recorded three widely played albums with his electric jazz group, The Dolphins, and co-led the Brubeck LaVerne Trio with his brother Chris and pianist Andy LaVerne. A stylistically versatile musician, he’s toured with acts ranging from The Band and David Benoit to Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond. He’s recorded with jazz guitar legend Larry Coryell, singer~songwriter Livingston Taylor, jazz~pop singer Michael Franks, and pioneering blues guitarist Roy Buchanan.
Dan’s drumming style is both mesmerizing and unparalleled, and his distinctive, and astonishingly textured drum solos have received standing ovations all over the world! His uncanny sense of timing and use of odd time signatures, combining melodic phrases with polyrhythms that often stretch far beyond the bar line, has earned the respect of many jazz critics worldwide. His mastery of complex rhythms has led to his reputation as one of the most talented and creative drummers in jazz!
Dan continues to perform and record with his siblings—Chris Brubeck, (bassist, trombonist, and noted composer), Darius Brubeck (pianist/composer) and Matt Brubeck (cellist).
Dan also tours with his own Vancouver-based groups, the Dan Brubeck Quartet and Dan Brubeck Trio. In 2015, the Dan Brubeck Quartet, featuring vocal powerhouse Adam Thomas, released the recording Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave and Iola Brubeck, which showcases his father’s music and little-known lyrics of his mother.
