Mark Russo's 8pm performance ($10) will be followed by a FREE jam session at 10pm. Bring your instrument!

BIOGRAPHY: Mark A. Russo is a freelance jazz trumpet player and music educator in the greater Cleveland area. He is currently the director of bands at Constellation Schools: Purita Community Middle Schools and the former Director of the Garfield Heights High School “Music Express” Show Choir Combo.

Mr. Russo is currently promoting his latest project; his soon to be released debut album entitled New Affirmation, which features all original compositions and displays some of the extremely talented musicians on the Cleveland jazz scene.

Mr. Russo is one of the founding members of the Cleveland Jazz Revolution (CJR), an organization of improvising musicians whose goal is to create a stronger sense of community in Cleveland's jazz scene as well as a founding member of the JAZZ INITIATIVE which is an ensemble/group dedicated to the advocacy of jazz education in the Greater Cleveland area. In addition, he has been an adjudicator and Guest Artist for the Stow-Munroe Falls middle School Jazz Festival and the Green Local Jazz Festival.

As a performer, Mr. Russo has worked for Carnival Cruise Lines and has performed extensively with such local groups as Bobby Selvaggio's Hedectet Jazz Collective (HJC), The AVENUE from Jerry Bruno Productions, The Jerry Bruno Orchestra, Afterdark, The Tony Camarado Band, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, The DanJo big band, MOJO Generations Big Band, Transportation Boulevard, The Hermit Club Jazz Orchestra, The Swing City Big Band, Sophisticated Swing, Night Bridge and the Dan Zola Orchestra.

He has shared the stage with such artists as Ken Peplowski, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Carl Allen, Ingrid Jensen, John Bailey, Marvin Stamm, Allen Vizzutti, Randy Johnston, Wayne Bergeron, and Mike Lee. Mr. Russo has received recognition for his achievements in jazz winning Kent State University’s Walter Watson Jazz Achievement Award (2001, 2002) and the BGSU Jazz Achievement Award (1998). He has also studied trumpet and arranging with Todd Davidson, Brad Goode, Jeffery Halsey, Russell Schmidt, Chris Buzzelli, Jack Shantz, Michael Chunn, Dennis Reynolds, Chas Baker, and Paul Ferguson.

Mark Russo: Trumpet

Cory Todd: Bass

Dustin May: Drums

Theron Brown: Piano

http://markrussomusic.wix.com/jazz