The Union County College will be host to the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Quartet on November 9, 2011 at the College’s Cranford campus. Performances will be held at 12:00pm and 5:00pm in the Victor M. Richel Student Commons. The quartet will perform “Monk & More” which is the music of Thelonious Monk. The concert will feature trumpeter Phil Dizack, saxophonist Lucas Pino, bassist Dylan Shamat, and drummer Kevin McDonald. The group will concentrate on communicative, motivic improvisation based on a grounded, jump-style beat typical of Monk’s
quartet in compositions such as “Hackensack,” “Bright Mississippi,” and “Rhythm-A-Ning.”
Named by DownBeat Magazine as one of twenty-five “Trumpet Players for the Future,” Philip Dizack is constantly pushing musical exploration and expression to new levels. In 2007, Dizack competed as the youngest semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition. Two years prior, he became the youngest winner, ever, of the Carmine Caruso international Jazz Trumpet Competition in 2005. Around the same time, Dizack released his debut recording as a leader, entitled, "Beyond a Dream" (Fresh Sound Records). He later took that band on a tour of Spain and recorded the DVD, "Live in Barcelona - Featuring Greg Tardy." Since the release of "Beyond a Dream," Dizack has been a regular member of Bobby Watson's Sextet "Live and Learn," 8-time Grammy Winning Pianist, Eddie Palmieri's Salsa and Latin Jazz bands, as well as Tim Warfield's Quintet. Dizack regularly performs with his own quartet, as well as Eddie Palmieri, Bobby Watson, Wycliffe Gordon and Nicholas Payton's bands.
Lucas Pino started his life in music at the age of 10, selecting the alto saxophone as his instrument. He was Immediately inspired by the music of John Coltrane and spent the formative years relentlessly listening to records. He switched to tenor at age 12. After being selected for numerous honors during high school, including a Downbeat award as “Best Instrumental soloist” (2005), Lucas attended the Brubeck Institute as one of five fellows. This ensemble regularly performed in venues across the United States and abroad, studied with jazz masters and spent time learning and performing with Dave Brubeck. In 2007, Pino moved to New York City to complete his Undergraduate degree at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. During his time at the New School, he studied privately with Chris Cheek, graduating with “Academic Honors”. In 2009, Pino attended the Juilliard School and was awarded the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship. He studied saxophone with Ron Blake during his tenure at the Juilliard School and completed his Masters in Music in 2011.
Dylan Shamat is a bassist and composer based in New York. He was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota where he began his musical studies on the violin at the age of 4. He moved to New York City in 2005 where he completed his Bachelors degree at Manhattan School of Music. Dylan has experience playing a variety of styles in countless venues across the United States and Europe. Some of his teachers have included James Clute, David Grossman, Jay
Anderson, and Larry Ridley.
Manhattan-based drummer Kevin McDonald has performed with Robin Eubanks, Antonio Hart, Walt Weiskopf, Michael Davis, Harold Danko, and Lee Konitz in illustrious venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, and Carnegie Hall’s Professional Training Workshops with Brad Mehldau, Steinway Hall, Smoke, Iridium, Cleopatra’s Needle, the Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival, and the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. McDonald has studied and performed internationally. He has performed in collaborative concerts, including an upcoming 2012 performance for jazz trio with the Amherst Symphony Orchestra.
An avid proponent of jazz education, McDonald is on percussion faculty at the Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege Jazz Arts Program, the Harrison School of Music, and holds the title of Musician in Residence for Greensboro Day School, a preparatory school in Greensboro, North Carolina. McDonald holds a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Performance and a Certificate in World Music from the Eastman School of Music, where he was recipient of the Howard Hanson Scholarship. He also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the University of Rochester, where he was honored as a University of Rochester Provost Scholar in 2009. At the Manhattan School of Music, McDonald has performed as drummer for the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) Jazz Orchestra, MSM Chamber Jazz Ensemble, MSM Concert Jazz Band, and MSM Jazz.
Union County College’s Cranford campus is located at 1033 Springfield Avenue. This event is free and open to the public. For directions or more information about the College, go to www.ucc.edu.
