| From left to right; back row, Ken Walker, Mike Marlier, David DeMichelis, front row, Art Bouton, Malcolm Lynn Baker, David Hanson. Not pictured; Eric Gunnison, Alan Hood, Alan Joseph, Celeste Delgado, Jon Cullison, and David Genova |
The Jazz Studies and Commercial Music Program at the Lamont School of Music provides aspiring musicians with an environment in which to achieve their professional goals. Lamont faculty have adapted ideas from the most successful jazz and commercial music programs in the world and added our own unique insights to forge a new type of degree program-one that is diversified, rigorous, and fun. As a result, our graduates have the performance, composition, business, and musical skills, and the experience they need to work as professional musicians.
Training
We offer bachelor of music, master of music, and master of arts degrees
in jazz and commercial music studies. Students can specialize in performance,
composition, or technology.
Music Technology
The Jazz Studies and Commercial Music Program prepare students for
today's high-tech world of sound synthesis, MIDI, CD technology, digital
processing, and video production. Students learn the basics of electronic
equipment, studio and location recording techniques, and the theory of
modern sound reinforcement. Lamont School of Music classrooms incorporate
the latest technology and a music technology laboratory that allows students
to practice their skills.
Malcolm Lynn Baker, Associate Professor and Director of the Jazz Studies and Commercial Music Program. Mr. Baker has taught at Indiana University and Carleton College and is co-author of MiBAC Jazz Improvisation Software for Macintosh computers. Baker is the Artistic Director of the Creative Music Works Orchestra, a professional repertoire jazz ensemble, and has an active career as solo artists, composer, and clinician. He recently won a Co-Visions Grant from the Colorado Council on the Arts for his compositions combining improvisation with computer technology. Mr. Baker holds a bachelor's degree from Western Oregon State College and a master's degree in saxophone performance from the University of Oregon. Download a short sound file featuring Lynn Baker.
Art Bouton, Assistant Professor of Saxophone, is first-call saxophonist and woodwind doubler throughout the Rocky Mountain region. He has extensive performance experience on all saxophones, as well as flute, clarinet, bassoon, and the Akai Electronic Wind Instrument. Download a RealAudio file of Art's EWI playing. He has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Redlands Symphony, and the touring symphony of the Phantom of the Opera. His teachers have included Douglas Masek, Vince Gnojek, and Roger Greenburg. Mr. Bouton previously served on the faculty at the University of Redlands.
Celeste Delgado, Instructor of Jazz and Commercial Music Voice, graduated with a masters degree from the University of Northern Colorado. She has performed a wide variety of jazz and commercial music.
David Genova, Associate Professor of Piano and Director of the Community Program. He is the founder of the Lamont electronic music studio and teaches courses in electronic music, recording technology, and piano pedagogy. Mr. Genova received his bachelor of music and master of music degrees from the University of Colorado and has done post-graduate work at the University of Texas, Austin. He has studied standard piano repertoire performance practice with Leonard Shure and avant-garde repertoire with David Burge. Mr. Genova has authored a set of computer-based music training programs.
David DeMichelis, Instructor of Electric Guitar, graduated with a masters degree in composition from the University of Northern Colorado in 1986 and a bachelor's degree in jazz performance from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music in 1981. Mr. DeMichelis has studied jazz guitar with Joe Pass, Cal Collins, Martin Crum, and Steve Erquiaga. In addition to leading local bands, he has performed with diverse national acts including Bobby McFerrin, Cab Calloway, John Denver, the Canadian Brass, Natalie Cole, Sam & Dave, Bill Cosby, and Bob Hope. Mr. DeMichelis has also performed with the Cincinnati Pops and the Colorado Symphony Orchestras. Download a short sound file featuring David DeMichelis.
David Hanson, Instructor of Composition and Arranging, performs and publishes music for radio and television. He received the prestigious Duke Ellington Scholarship Award from the Eastman School of Music as well as a National Endowment for the Arts Grant in jazz composition. He recently wrote two arrangements for the a cappella group The Bobs, which performed the arrangements with Marvin Hamlisch and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He has also written music for the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Spring Pops Orchestra, and artists Gary Foster, Steve Houghton, and Paul Winter. Download a short sound file featuring Dave Hanson.
Ken Walker, Instructor of Jazz Bass, started playing upright bass when he was a student at Arkansas Tech University, where he received his bachelor of music education degree. He has performed as the regular bassist at El-Chapultepec, and with groups including the Art Porter Trio and the popular Artistry. As house bassist for jazz clubs, Walker has accompanied entertainers and international jazz recording artists such as Mose Allison, Eddie Harris, Jon Abercrombie, Clifford Jordan, Eddie Daniels. Download a short sound file featuring Ken Walker.
Mike Marlier, instructor of drum set percussion, has been playing drums since he the age of five. He has taught privately for 18 years. Mr. Marlier has performed and recorded with a number of professional artists including the GRP All-Stars, Mose Allison, Julian Lennon, Dave Valentin, Los Lobos, Images, Steve Haun, and Wake Up Call. His drumming can be heard on a host of local and national radio and television commercials. Offering a diverse and well-rounded approach to the drum set, he strives to share his knowledge with his students. Composer and keyboardist Dave Grusin calls Mr. Marlier "Denver's answer to all the superstar drummers. This guy is a great player." Download a short sound file featuring Mike Marlier.
Eric Gunnison, instructor of Jazz Piano, Eric Gunnison was raised in a musical family in Buffalo N.Y. and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating with a B.A. in Music Composition in1979. He lives in Denver where he has been a mainstay in the music scene for 19 years. Eric has toured and recorded with vocal jazz group Rare Silk, jazz vocalist Carmen McRae, saxophonist Nelson Rangell, and trumpeter Ron Miles. In addition, he has performed in concert with Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Phil Woods, Red Rodney, Bobby Shew , Jerry Bergonzi, John McNeil and Eddie Gomez.