Tom Bockhold

Tom Bockhold has been a working professional bassist in the bay area and beyond for the last thirty years. He studied music at San Jose State University as well as the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and FoothillCollege. Tom has 25 years teaching experience and presently teaches bass, piano and guitar at West Valley Music in Mt. View. He is also the current bass instructor for the Kuumbwa Jazz Center Jazz camp in Sant Cruz. Tom has played and/or recorded with many of the top musicians in the bay area such as Wally Schnalle, John Worly, Smith Dobson, Kat Para, Murray Lowe, Weber Iago, Wally’s Swing world. Tom has also performed with such international perfomers such as Kenny Rankin, Laurindo Almeida, Ritchie Cole, Ernie Watts, Alex Acuna, and Dinah Shore.

Dave Gregoric

Dave Gregoric is the Director of Jazz and Contemporary Studies at Valley Christian Schools in San Jose. He has taught at VCS for 12 years and has over 25 years teaching experience. Dave studied at Cal Sate Long Beach, the L.A. Jazz workshop, and graduated from William Jessup University with a B.S. Dave has recorded with Pete Escovedo, Andy Narrel, Buddy Montgomery, Cab Calloway, Della Reese, Smith Dobson, Ray Brown, and Dave Eshelman. He has served as an adjudicator at the following jazz festivals: Santa Cruz Jazz, CMEA, Folsom, ASCI, Cuesta College, and Cal State Hayward. He has also taught at the Graded Jazz Festival (Brazil) and Osaka Jazz Festival (Japan).  

Jason Lewis

Jason Lewis graduated from the classical percussion program at San Jose State University, under the direction of Tony Cirone of the San Francisco Symphony, with a B.A. in music. Mr.Lewis has taught privately in the bay area, coached at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and has performed clinics at schools throughout the San Jose area.
He has played with a variety of talented musicians including; John Stowell, Gary Burton, Gil Goldstein, James Moody, Mark Murphy, Bob Sheppard, Steve Rodby, Paul McCandles, Norma Winstone, Larry Coryell, Darol Anger, Regina Carter, Johnny Frigo, James Carter, John Handy, Anton Schwartz , Mark Levine, Peter Apfelbaum, Paul Nagel, and Kurt Elling. Mr.Lewis has also performed with the San Jose Symphony and the San Jose Civic Light Opera.
Besides performing throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with many groups, often with bassist John Shifflett , Mr. Lewis has toured and recorded with Boz Scaggs, Michael Brook, Djivan Gasparyan,  Ann Dyer and Taylor Eigsti. He can be heard on numerous recordings as well as TV (Spark on PBS) and Movie Soundtracks (Affliction, Albino Alligator, Ratatouille).

website

Jeff Lewis

Jeff Lewis is a San Francisco based freelance trumpet player, clinician, and educator.  He received his B.A. in jazz performance from San Jose State University in 1987 and have studied with Claude Gordon, Dave Burkhart, and Mark Inouye.  He is also Professor of Jazz Trumpet Studies at San Jose State University. 

Recently, he has been performing in a variety of musical settings including: salsa, R&B, Jazz, classical, mariachi, funk, soul, and classical.  He has also toured with Pop/R&B artists Huey Lewis and the News. 

He has performed with Ray Charles and the California Symphony and has also recorded with B.B. King on his Grammy winning “Duets” album. He has also played with Boz Skaggs, Kenny Loggins, The Sons of Champlin, Robben Ford, Pete Escovedo, Maria Muldaur, Conjunto Cespedes , Mary Wilson, Jon Faddis, The Coasters, Cedar Walton, SteveTurre, The Temptations, Red Holloway, The Four Tops, Peaches and Herb, Tim Hagans, The O’ Jays, GQ, The Drifters, Joe Louis Walker, Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers , Martha Reeves, The Shirelles, The Delfonics, and Kevin Mahogany.  The last two years has also given him the opportunity to play in the orchestra for the Broadway musical “White Christmas” and “The Drowsy Chaperone” in San Francisco.

Jeff Massanari

Jeff began teaching guitar when he was still in High School and has continued  sharing his love of Music and his years of experience as one of the first call guitarists in the Bay Area ever since.

Jeff has taught at The Jazz school, U.C Berkeley, Blue Bear Music School, Bruce Forman’s Jazzmaster workshop series, Jazz Camp, San Jose Jazz society’s “Get Jazzed” program, Redwood High school, countless clinics, and maintains a roster of loyal students in many styles of music.

Jeff plays with the finest musicians in the area and has traveled both nationally and internationally with numerous groups and has recorded 4 of his own CDs under his jazzdog record label. His CDs are available at CD baby.

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John Shifflett

While studying for an M.A. in music at the University of Iowa, he taught Theory, Jazz Studies and directed big bands; currently teaching bass and small ensembles at San Jose State University;  member of the faculty and Artist In Residence at the Jazzschool Institute (Berkeley, CA). He has done countless studio sessions; played in many pit orchestras; toured with Dave Liebman, Boz Scaggs, Taylor Eigsti, Madeline Peyroux, Scott Amendola Band; also performed with Red Holloway, John Zorn, Bobby Hutcherson, Norma Winstone, John Stowell, Ann Dyer, Ernie Watts, Smith Dobson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Harold Land, Kurt Elling, many others.

Wally Schnalle

Wally Schnalle has been playing drums well over 40 years. For the past 20 years he has been sharing his knowledge and experience with many students as a teacher but remains active as both a bandleader and as a sideman to many great Bay Area musicians. His musical engagements find him in many genres including Latin, funk, rock and blues, but the bulk of his performances are in jazz and fusion settings. His band leading experiences have resulted in the release of six CDs of original compositions. He has also been a sideman on numerous other recordings. He has been the recipient of a compositional commission from the Santa Clara University School of Music and Dance, which premiered in Santa Clara and San Francisco. Additionally for over 15 years he has been involved with DRUM! Magazine as both Music Editor and a columnist. He also serves as a clinician for the San Jose Jazz Society and has done so for many years. That association takes him to many schools in the San Jose School District to both perform and talk about Jazz. He has also been the recipient of a Artist in Residence Grants from the California Arts Council to work with drummers at ArtsMagnet School, Lincoln High School. Wally received Bachelor of Arts Degree in Jazz Performance from San Jose State University and Wally’s artist endorsements include Zildjian Cymbals, Pearl Drums and Vic Firth Sticks.

For more info visit his website

Scott Sorkin

A graduate of the music performance program at San Jose State University, Scott has taught clinics across the U.S. and Canada, and has been a clinician/teacher for the Stanford Jazz Workshop, San Jose State University Jazz Program, San Jose Youth Festival, and the Community School of Music and Art in Mt. View, CA. Scott is currently a clinician for San Jose Jazz, is a faculty member of the San Jose Jazz Summer Jazz Camp, and teaches privately.
Scott has been touring and playing professionally since 1983. He’s currently a featured performer with Brazilian-jazz artist Ed Johnson & Novo Tempo, the Kristen Strom Quintet, and is touring with international jazz group “Crossing Borders” featuring Jennifer Scott & Kristen Strom. Additionally he’s an in-house guitarist at Open Path Studios in San Jose, CA.
Scott is a producer/engineer at Open Path Music in San Jose, CA where he’s worked a wide range of artists including Duke Robillard, poet Paul Zarzyski, Jerry Miller (Moby Grape), John Stowell, Sista Monica, Dayna Stephens, Sony Holland, Cowboy Celtic, Mike Zilber, Gloria Coleman, Lonnie Gasperini, Calvin Keyes, Rushad Eggleston, Natalie Haas, and many others.
He has composed for film and television, including co-writing and co-producing the score for the feature film “Fat Rose & Squeaky” featuring Cicely Tyson and Louise Fletcher.
website

Kristen Strom

Kristen Strom is an Education Consultant for San Jose Jazz, a presenter in the Get Jazzed In-School programs, and Co-Director of the San Jose Jazz Summer Jazz Camp.

Kristen owns a B.A in Jazz Performance from San Jose State University. She has taught in a variety of settings for 25 years, including band in elementary and secondary school, clinics in saxophone and jazz improvisation throughout the U.S and abroad, and maintains a private studio. Kristen is presently on the faculty of the Stanford Jazz Workshop and is the saxophone instructor at Santa Clara University.

Kristen balances her teaching career with her life as a professional musician. Not only does she perform widely with her own ensemble, the Kristen Strom Quintet, but she is an integral part of some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading bands and has performed with many top artists in the worlds of jazz and pop.

In addition to her acclaimed solo album, “Intention”, she has recorded on more than 25 CDs.  Her touring schedule has included performances across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia with the Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra and others. Her multi-faceted style forges a strong connection with audiences worldwide.

website

 Naoki Taniguchi

Naoki Taniguchi is a saxophonist, composer, and music educator originally from San Jose, CA.  Mr. Taniguchi has Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Theory and Composition, and Saxophone Performance from UCLA.  Mr. Taniguchi also has a Master’s Degree in Saxophone Performance from UCLA where he studied with Gary Foster and Gary Gray.  While obtaining his Master’s Degree, Mr. Taniguchi served as a Teaching Assistant for the Jazz Studies Department working closely with legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell and big band leader Gerald Wilson. Mr. Taniguchi has toured and performed all over the world with jazz bands and rock groups. He has performed with David Berger of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Jerome Richardson, and Pete Christlieb, and collaborated with musicians from Green Day, Jane’s Addiction, and Garbage.

John Worley

JOHN L. WORLEY JR. trumpet/flugelhorn artist and leader of WorlView has been a member in many of the Bay Areas creative music ensembles for last 20+ years. Being adept at a multitude of styles, John has played with many national and international artists in Canada, Europe, Central and North America. WorlView, made its debut performance at the 2004 San Jose Jazz Festival and recently played at the 2007 San Jose Jazz Festival's Smith Dobson's Tribute Stage, 2007 Pacific Northwest tour and the Monterey Jazz Festival in 2006. His recording and performance credits include: Bari Bari at the 2008 jazz at the Improv presented by San Jose Jazz, "Re-Birth of The Cool" project co-leading with Wayne Wallace at the Stanford Jazz Festival in 2006, Carla Bley/Steve Swallow Big Band and The Jon Jang Seven at the 2005 Monterey Jazz Festival, West Coast tours with Ed Johnson and Novo Tempo in 2003, 2004 and 2005, Maria Schneider and Ingrid Jensen at the San Francisco Jazz Festivals Women In Jazz concert series, Don Byron at the Monterey Jazz Festival 2002, Stanley Clarke at Yoshi's, Mel Martin Big Band, Sam Rivers Big Band at the 2001 Stanford Jazz Workshop, Wayne Shorter Sextet and the Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra at the 2000 Monterey Jazz Festival.

John's debut CD WorlView was released in 2003 on his label, Dancing Sumo Records. John also produced Sebastien Lansons debut recording "In Transition", also on Dancing Sumo Records in 2004.

John is a clinician/endorsing artist for Conn/Selmer Inc and plays Bach Stradivarius Trumpets. John is also a member of the music faculty at Stanford University and Hope St. Studios in Mountain View, CA.