One of NE Ohio's favorite composers and trombonist, Sam Blakeslee, returns with his Large Group for a special presentation of his extended work, Flowers for Rubber City. The evening is presented in partnership with Tri-C JazzFest, and the Tri-C JazzFest Academy will open the evening with a performance by its students. Stick around late for our last Jazz Jam Session of 2024!

• Tri-C JazzFest Academy performance 7-7:30pm
• Sam Blakeslee Large Group performance 8-9:30pm
• Jam Session 10pm-1am

Tickets for tonight are $25 each. 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.

Featuring:

Sam Blakeslee - compositions/conductor

Woodwinds: Bobby Selvaggio, Nathan-Paul Davis, Chris Coles, Johnny Cochran, Brad Wagner
Trumpets: Scott McKee, Garrett Folger, Tommy Lehman, Jack Schantz
Trombones: Mark Mauldin, Zach Warren, Reggie Watkins, Amber Forrer
Guitar: Zakk Jones
Piano: Andru Dennis
Bass: Kip Reed
Drums: Zaire Darden

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About the Sam Blakeslee Large Group:

Founded in 2013, the Sam Blakeslee Large Group is an 18-piece jazz orchestra directed by award-winning, NYC-based trombonist and composer Sam Blakeslee. The Large Group has performed extensively across the Midwest and East Coast, including performances at Birdland, Tri-C JazzFest, and Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival, among others. Over the years, the Large Group has also featured guest artists and collaborations with GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist Nicole Zuraitis and drummer/composer Dan Pugach, GRAMMY Award-nominated Dan Wilson, as well as Dominick Farinacci, Bill Dobbins, and David Smith. As a composer, Sam has been commissioned by the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers, the University of Akron, The Bop Stop at the Music Settlement, Cuyahoga Community College, and was the recipient of the 2018 David Baker Prize in Composition from Ravinia Steans Music Institute. In May 2023, the Large Group recorded 2 albums of Blakeslee's original music in NYC. This batch of music was produced by GRAMMY-nominated trombonist/composer Alan Ferber and GRAMMY Award-winning recording engineer Brian Montgomery.
More recently, the Large Group has been performing music from Flowers For Rubber City, which is an 8-movement suite that was commissioned by the University of Akron in 2023 and is dedicated to Akron's past and present jazz luminaries, with more movements, dedications, and performances forthcoming. An additional movement was recently commissioned by The Bop Stop at The Music Settlement as part of their 10th Anniversary Big Band Celebration. The Large Group will also be performing this January at the 2025 Jazz Education Network Conference in Atlanta, GA.

Links:
https://www.samblakesleemusic.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sam_blakeslee/
https://www.facebook.com/samblakesleemusic/

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About Tri-C JazzFest Academy:

Led by internationally acclaimed musician Dominick Farinacci, the Tri-C JazzFest
Academy offers performance-based programs for students ages 8 to 18 at every stage of their musical development. The program provides access to the rich musical culture of jazz and improvisation. Academy graduates have continued their studies at prestigious music schools such as the Berklee College of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, among others. The Academy's ensembles have been featured on the Tri-C JazzFest Next Gen Stage at Playhouse Square, in New York City at Jazz at Lincoln Center and throughout the Cleveland area. Learn more at tri-cjazzfest.com.