Join us for a new project led by Cleveland trumpeter Mark Russo. The Mark Russo Group features:

• Mark Russo - trumpet and FX
• Chris Vollstadt - EWI
• AJ Kluth - Tenor Sax
• Tim Mirth - Guitar
• Tumaini Sango - piano
• Kevin Martinez- bass
• Jeremy McCabe - drums

Tickets for this show are $15 in advance, $20 on the day of the show. This event will also be livestreamed on BOP STOP's Youtube Channel at showtime. Accessing the stream is free but donations are encouraged and directly support the band.

Mark A. Russo is a freelance jazz trumpet player and music educator in the greater Cleveland area. He currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance in Jazz Studies from Bowling Green State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education (Magna cum laude) from Kent State University.

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 by creating a platform to showcase new & original Jazz music that combines tradition, innovation and creative awareness of the explorations of Northeast Ohio's modern jazz musicians as well as a founding member of the Garfield Heights Alumni Jazz Ensemble (GHAJE) which is an ensemble/group dedicated to the advocacy of Jazz Education in the Garfield Heights City Schools. He has been an adjudicator and Guest Artist for the Stow-Munroe Falls middle School Jazz Festival and the Green Local Jazz Festival. In addition, he has held private studio teaching positions for over 12 years at venues such as Educator’s Music, Brecksville Music, The Aurora School of Music, Garfield Heights High School, The Music Workshop and The Beck Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Russo is also the founder of the Jazz Initiative which is a small performance group dedicated to the advocacy of Jazz Education and Jazz outreach for the community.

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, Sophisticated Swing, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Transportation Boulevard, The Hermit Club Jazz Orchestra, The Swing City Big Band, Night Bridge and the Dan Zola Orchestra and is currently promoting his latest project, "Buhaina's Delight: The Music of Art Blakey", which is dedicated to continual awareness of the music of the Jazz Messengers. 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 W. Davidson, Brad Goode, Jeffery O. Halsey, Russell Schmidt, Chris Buzzelli, Jack Shantz, Michael W. Chunn, Dennis Reynolds, Chas Baker, and Paul Ferguson. Mr. Russo is also an active member of the Jazz Education Network (JEN), Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA), and the International Trumpet Guild (ITG). Mr. Russo is available for lessons at his home or via Skype video chat. Please check his website contact page for more information.

www.markrussomusic.com