Driftless Jazz Festival 2007

The festival was a smashing success! Great music, great weather, great people, great times!! Click a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8620796@N07/sets/72157600296168409/show/" target="flikrWin">here for a slideshow of photos from the festival. Check back often - we'll be updating photos over the next few months. We're also planning to post some video snippets as well.

Tom Gullion Quartet

Tom Gullion will be leading an all-star group featuring pianist Tom Bourcier (professor at Luther College), Geoff Lowe (bassist from Chicago) and drummer Rich MacDonald (professor at Winona State University). This power-house quartet will be exciting to hear in our community!.

Creative musician, saxophonist and composer Tom Gullion is a very strong, emotional and melodic player. His music is profoundly emotional and beautifully lyrical. Growing up in the Indianapolis area, he first studied with master teachers Larry Kirkman and Harry Miedema.

He went on to study with David N. Baker at Indiana University. It was there he shared experiences with fellow students Bob Hurst, Shawn Pelton, Chris Botti, Scott Wendholt, Jack Wilkins, Eric Alexander and many others. Studying and performing with David Baker provided an incredible foundation of Bebop and modern jazz traditions.

When jazz trombone legend J.J. Johnson put together a new quintet in 1988, Gullion, then a mere 22 years old, joined the group along with Cedar Walton, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis. After several successful tours within the United States, Gullion decided to delay his professional career and finish his studies with David Baker at I.U.

Gullion then toured the world a bit: a brief stint in New York followed by a much longer period in Spain. While there, he toured Europe and performed extensively with the Spanish jazz group Clunia. They recorded a very successful CD, "Carpe Diem."

Apart from his busy schedule with Clunia, Gullion also worked and recorded with the Baldo Martinez Quartet, a piano-less avant garde ensemble, and the Tom Gullion Trio. As Gullion puts it: "The beauty of this piano-less format is that the harmonic and rhythmic possibilities of the music are opened up. But, at the same time, you have to shoulder more responsibility for everything you play. You really note the fine line between art and chaos!"

After moving to Chicago in 1995, Gullion quickly established himself in the jazz scene there. He recorded two CDs, "Cat's Cradle" and "Greens and Blues," for Naim Audio (London) which included some of the best players in the Chicago scene: John Moulder (guitar), Rob Amster (bass), Steve Gillis (drums) and Paul Wertico (drums).

Gullion also immersed himself into the creative music scene on several other fronts. He performed and recorded with singer/songwriter Nicholas Barron, keyboardist Eric Levy (now touring with Garaj Mahal) as well as many players in the avant garde tradition (such as Kahil El Zabar, Hamid Drake and Harrison Bankhead).

He now hails from a farm in rural Wisconsin which affords him the luxury of space and the beauty of the surrounding landscape. From this new locale, he's been collaborating with pianist/composer William Neil on Project Fourth Stream - a highly inventive duo which has performed a steady stream of concerts including several midwestern university music festivals and a collaboration with Madison flutist Hanah Jon Taylor.

Recently, Gullion has begun collaborating with percussionist Ernie Adams in the Chicago area and Tim Whalen in Madison. Look for upcoming events featuring the results of these efforts.

A signature trait of Gullion's performances, as noted by many jazz critics, is his communication with the ensemble and the audience. Intuition reigns supreme. To him, it's all about connection - between the musicians and with the audience.

Tom Bourcier

Tom Bourcier is an instrumentalist and composer who takes great curiosity in the endless possibilities regarding musical creation. This eclecticism is apparent in his work both as a performer and composer. Tom is equally skilled performing in jazz, classical, rock, folk and blues, avant-garde, and improvisational genres. As a professional musician Tom has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Geoffrey Lowe

Geoffrey Lowe is an eclectic modern bassist who spent his formative years in Colorado playing Violin, Guitar, Piano and Basses. He relocated to Chicago in order to play a wide variety of music with a wide variety of players & composers. Currently playing and/or writing Jazz, R&B, Smooth Jazz, Blues, Rock, Brazilian and Classical as the schedule allows. He has toured Europe with both Jazz and Classical groups. Recorded CDs with Jazz and New Age artists. Has performed live with Monty Alexander, David Fathead Newman, Frank Wess, Clark Terry, James Moody, Ernie Andrews, Freddie Cole, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Everett Greene, Robert Irving III, Barbara Morrison, Barrett Deems (Jazz-Great Drummer), Ben E. King, The Shirelles, The Platters, The Coasters, Ron Hawking, Bob McGrath (Sesame Street), Annie Dennison. On CD tracks with David Sanborn, Fareed Haque. Paul Wertico, Buddy DeFranco, Steve Cole, Lisa Lauren. Has Performed at: The Chicago Jazz Festival, The North Sea Jazz Festival (The Hague, Holland), Montreaux Jazz Festival (Montreaux, Switzerland), Park Tower Blues Festival (Tokyo, Japan), Spoletto Music Festival (Spoletto, Italy).

Rich MacDonald

Rich MacDonald joined the music faculty at Winona State University in the fall of 1996. He holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education degrees from the University of North Texas, and the Doctor of Arts degree in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado. Dr. MacDonald has taught extensively in Texas, serving on the faculties of the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Arlington and Eastfield College. Some of his performance credits include: Milt Hinton, Slide Hampton, Arturo Sandoval, George Benson, Eddie Daniels, and three years touring experience with Ice Capades.

Christie Knapp

Christie Knapp always brings lush beauty to the great American songbook. She often brings songs made famous by crooners such as Rosemary Clooney, Keely Smith, June Cristy and Blossom Dearie.

Project Fourth Stream

Project FourthStream is a talented duo lead by composer Bill Neil. In this group, the structure of compositions meld seamlessly with the flow of improvisations. Indeed, it is impossible to tell where one stops and the other begins. The result is engaging and thought-provoking music.

Mike Snustead

Mike Snustead previously toured with jazz legend Stan Kenton. He will be bringing a combo of local jazz musicians playing tunes made famous during the Big Band Era as well as other choice material.

Jfar Coretet

Jfar Coretet is bassist Frank Wildingway, saxophonist Jeff Miller, clarinetist Robert Perry and percussionist Arwyn Wildingway. This combo produces some of the more adventurous music you're likely to find. Based deeply within the tradition set forth by Charles Mingus, this group produces original tunes, some with poetry and lyrics, which are marvelous.

Driftless Jazz Collective

Built as a collective of local musicians joining together to further jazz music, Driftless Jazz will round out the evening bringing energetic, accessible jazz music. Featuring Micah Robinson (formerly with Burning Spear) on trombone, Dave Ware on guitar, Jon Passi on flute and Jason Smith on drums. This group will host the final set and jam session for the festival!

Old Oak Inn

The festival will be held at the Old Oak Inn in Soldiers Grove, WI. This beautiful setting is perfect for the festival. Contact them for directions or reservations at the Inn.
They'll be serving brats, burgers and libations during the festival so come and enjoy!
Old Oak Inn
500 Church Street
Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin 54655
(608) 624-5217