jazz | CAS in the Media | Washington State University

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WSU jazz studies earns honors at Hampton jazz festival

March 5, 2014

The WSU jazz studies program in the School of Music was recognized at the recent 2014 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho.

WSU saxophonist Michado Mijiga was selected from soloists on the festival’s College Day to perform at Hamp’s Club that evening. He also competed and was chosen as a featured soloist with the Lionel Hampton Youth Jazz Orchestra in the final evening’s concert.

The WSU Jazz Big Band, under the direction of Greg Yasinitsky, professor and director of the school, was selected to present an invited performance during the evening Young Artists Concert.

New recording features WSU jazz faculty

May 16, 2013

“9:00 am,” a recording featuring Washington State University jazz faculty members Brian Ward, piano, and Dave Hagelganz, tenor saxophone, was recently released on the peer-reviewed WSU Recordings label.

It is available on iTunes, Amazon mp3, Amazon On Demand, Spotify, Rhapsody and other websites. Compact discs are available from the WSU School of Music.

The recording features duo performances of beloved songs from the “Great American Songbook,” including Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark,” Jimmy Van Huesen and Johnny Burke’s “It Could Happen To You” and jazz standards like Woody Shaw’s “Theme for Maxine” and Sam Rivers’ “Beatrice.” The recording is entitled “9:00 am” because that is the time the duo rehearsed.

Sax student, composer showcased in Jazziz magazine

October 15, 2012

Washington State University saxophonist and composer Matt Lanka is showcased in a recent issue of Jazziz magazine, one of the top jazz publications in the world. A recording of Lanka’s composition “Howl,” performed by the WSU Jazz Big Band, is included on the CD “Fall Into Jazz,” distributed internationally in the fall 2012 issue of the magazine.

The CD also features recordings from new releases by top jazz figures David Sanborn, Al Jarreau, Béla Fleck, Marcus Miller, the Bad Plus, and Bob Mintzer.

“Lanka is an excellent saxophonist and gifted composer with a bright future,” said Greg Yasinitsky, director of the WSU School of Music. “This is the 10th year in a row that WSU students have been featured in Jazziz, and it is gratifying to see our School of Music honored in this way.”

Lanka is an M.A. candidate and teaching assistant in the School of Music. He studies saxophone with Dave Hagelganz and composition with Yasinitsky and performs in the WSU Jazz Big Band under Yasinitsky’s direction. The recording was made last spring in the WSU Recording Studio with Dave Bjur, engineer.