2009 Jazz Heritage Series Radio Broadcasts Now Online!

Published March 25, 2009
By Master Sgt. Brian McCurdy
The USAF Band

Bolling AFB, Washington, DC -- Just in time for Jazz Appreciation Month, The United States Air Force Band is proud to announce the 2009 Jazz Heritage Series Radio Broadcasts are now available on demand from our website. This year's program features three world-class musicians: Kurt Elling, Allen Vizzutti and Rufus Reid. Each performance was recorded live from Gabriel Hall in Historic Hangar II--the home of The USAF Band--and was hosted by broadcast veteran Dick Golden. Through a partnership between the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army, the streaming broadcasts of the Jazz Heritage Series are provided by Soldiers Radio and Television.

Kurt Elling, featured on Program 1, is one of the preeminent young male jazz singers today. To date, he's received seven Grammy Award nominations, six consecutive years at the top of the Down Beat Critics and Jazz Times Readers' polls, three Jazz Journalists' Association Awards for Best Male Vocalist, and the Prix Billie Holiday from the Academie du Jazz in Paris. His repertoire ranges from his own compositions to modern interpretations of the standards. As composer and lyricist, Elling has written scores of his own compositions and set lyrics to the songs and improvised solos of many jazz masters. His quartet has toured the world, performing to critical acclaim in Europe, the Middle East, South America, Asia, Australia, and at jazz festivals and concert halls across North America.

Program 2 displays the amazing talents of Allen Vizzutti, trumpet. He was taught by his father, a self-taught musician and trumpet player, until he left home to attend the Eastman School of Music on full scholarship. There he earned the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees, a Performer's Certificate, a chair in the Eastman Brass Quintet faculty ensemble, and the only Artist's Diploma ever awarded a wind player in Eastman's 85-year history. Equally at home in a multitude of musical idioms, Allen Vizzutti has visited 40 countries and every state in the Union to perform with artists and ensembles including Chick Corea, Doc Severinsen, Chuck Mangione, and Woody Herman. His continued commitment to music education and the value of music in everyday life results in an extensive schedule of guest appearances at universities throughout North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia.

The third and final program on this year's Jazz Heritage Series features Air Force veteran Rufus Reid. He began his musical career as a trumpet player in the Air Force Band career field, where he became seriously interested in playing bass. Following his service, he went on to have a tremendous career as a both a professional bassist and jazz educator. Rufus Reid's major professional career began in Chicago and then moved in the mid-1970s to New York City. His extensive jazz background and discography reads like the Who's Who in jazz. He has traveled, performed, and recorded with many of the great jazz masters. He was privileged to share many musical moments with some that have passed on: Gene Ammons, Kenny Dorham, Eddie Harris, Sonny Stitt, Don Byas, Philly Joe Jones, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Dexter Gordon, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Farmer. Rufus Ried was on the faculty of William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., as Full Professor and Director of the Jazz Studies and Performance program for twenty years, completing his tenure in 1999.

Along with the 2009 Series, programs from 2007 and 2008 are also available in streaming audio. The program booklet, which provides information on everything from performer biographies to detailed track listings, is also available for download. Click to access the 2009 Jazz Heritage Series.

The Airmen of Note peform with jazz trumpter Allen Vizzutti