Ithaca College

Figueroa, Carlos

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Jacobs, Sara

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Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble

Titlebaum, Mike

Tarantino, Alexa

Ithaca College 
Digital Commons @ IC 
All Concert & Recital Programs Concert & Recital Programs 
2-29-2020 
Concert: Jazz Ensemble 
Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble 
Mike Titlebaum 
Alexa Tarantino 
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 Part of the Music Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble; Titlebaum, Mike; and Tarantino, Alexa, "Concert: Jazz Ensemble" (2020). 
All Concert & Recital Programs. 6310. 
https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/music_programs/6310 
This Program is brought to you for free and open access by the Concert & Recital Programs at Digital Commons @ 
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Jazz Ensemble
Mike Titlebaum, director
Featuring guest artist Alexa Tarantino, saxophone
Ford Hall
Saturday, February 29th, 2020
8:15 pm
Program
Sweet Georgia Brown Bernie/Pinkard/Casey
Strollin' Horace Silver
Let's Cool One Thelonious Monk
Sandu Clifford Brown
Corcovado Antonio Carlos Jobim
Driftin' Herbie Hancock
Bourbon Street Parade Paul Barbarin
Alexa Tarantino
Alexa Tarantino is an award-winning, vibrant, young jazz saxophonist,
woodwind doubler, composer, and educator. Alexa’s “lovely, ardent way of
improvising,” and “sharply plotted but gracefully unencumbered
straight-ahead jazz [compositions]” (Giovanni Russonello, The New York
Times) establish her individual voice which shines through as a dynamic
performer and educator. Tarantino was recently named one of the “Top 5 Alto
Saxophonists of 2019” by the JazzTimes Critics’ Poll. Her debut album, Winds
of Change, peaked at #15 on the JazzWeek Charts and landed at #79 for
JazzWeek’s Top 100 records of 2019. 
Tarantino’s performance highlights include prestigious venues such as Jazz in
Marciac Festival (with Wynton Marsalis and the Young Stars of Jazz), Umbria
Jazz Festival (with Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project), the Kennedy Center in
Washington, DC, the Hollywood Bowl (with Sherrie Maricle & the DIVA Jazz
Orchestra), the Rockport Jazz Festival (Alexa Tarantino Quintet), Rose Theater
at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (with
Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra), and the Xerox
Rochester International Jazz Festival (with LSAT, Earth, Wind & Fire and
others). She has performed regularly as a leader and sidewoman in a wide
variety of ensembles and genres including the Alexa Tarantino Quartet,
Cecile McLorin Salvant Quintet, Cecile McLorin Salvant’s OGRESSE Ensemble,
Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Generation Y, LSAT (quintet co-led with baritone
saxophonist Lauren Sevian), Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra,
and Sherrie Maricle & the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. 
Tarantino leads her own quartet, which was featured at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at
Lincoln Center, Birdland Jazz Theater, Jazz Standard, and Times Square.
Tarantino is an artist on the Posi-Tone Records label. Her debut quartet
record on Posi-Tone, Winds of Change, released late-May 2019 featuring
Christian Sands (piano), Joe Martin (bass), and Rudy Royston (drums), with
Nick Finzer (trombone). Her next quartet album will be released in May 2020.
Tarantino’s other recent projects include her quintet that she co-leads with
baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian called “LSAT.” LSAT was selected as the
winners of the Made in New York Jazz Competition, where they performed
with Randy Brecker, John Patitucci, and more. The two award-winning
saxophonists have fused with a dynamic rhythm section that propels their
music to new heights. LSAT presents original compositions highlighting the
unique combination of baritone and alto saxophone, as well as their own
interpretations of favorites from the jazz repertoire. LSAT recently headlined
at the Jazz Educators Network Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA. 
As a composer/arranger, Tarantino has written and/or recorded works for
Lauren Sevian’s Bliss for Posi- Tone Records, Sherrie Maricle & The DIVA Jazz
Orchestra’s 25th Anniversary, and Cécile McLorin Salvant’s Quintet. With
Posi-Tone Records, her work can be heard on Something Blue, Lioness, Works
for Me, and Winds of Change. 
In addition, Alexa has enjoyed opportunities as an instrumentalist in musical
theater, such as performing in The New Group’s Off-Broadway Production of
SWEET CHARITY starring Sutton Foster and directed by Leigh Silverman. Prior
to SWEET CHARITY, she spent a year with Maurice Hines and the DIVA Jazz
Orchestra as part of Hines’ production TAPPIN’ THRU LIFE for the show’s runs
in Delaware, Off- Broadway in New York City, and Philadelphia. 
Tarantino is currently on faculty for Jazz at Lincoln Center's Youth Education
Programs and directs one of their High School Jazz Academy big bands. She
has also taken on a larger role in JALC’s Jazz for Young People Program,
bringing music to New York City schools. Previously, she served as Jazz
Saxophone Instructor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Tarantino
continues to visit several colleges, high schools, and summer jazz programs
across the globe as a guest clinician, including the Rockport Jazz Workshop
(MA), of which she is Founder and Director. Rockport Jazz Workshop, currently
in its seventh year, expanded in just four years from a five-day program with
7 students to a two-week program with 120 students. 
She holds a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from The Juilliard School and
Bachelor’s degrees in Jazz Saxophone Performance and Music Education from
the Eastman School of Music. Tarantino is a graduate of Hall High School’s
award-winning music program in West Hartford, Connecticut and currently
resides in New York City. 
Alexa Tarantino is a Vandoren Artist and Yamaha Performing Artist.
Jazz Ensemble
Saxophones Trombones
David Florentin, alto Kurt Eide
Steven Foti, alto Kate Mori
Drew Martin, tenor Aaron Suttle
Ali DeRagon, tenor Alexander Felker, bass
Timothy Coene, bari
Rhythm
Trumpets Robert Irvin, piano
Dan Yapp August Bish, bass
Shaun Rimkunas Theo Curtin, guitar
Jennifer Rupert Eric Myers, drums
Jason Springer Anna Young, vibes/percussion
Upcoming Jazz at Ithaca College
Mar 22: Jazz Vocal Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble, 4PM Ford
Apr 16: Michelle Shaubi jazz vocal senior recital, 8:15PM Ford
Apr 19: Ben Monacelli jazz vocal senior recital, 3PM Ford
Apr 21: Jazz Repertory Ensemble, 8:15PM Ford
Apr 24: Jazz Vocal Ensembl,e 8:15PM Ford
Apr 25: Jazz Lab Band, 3PM Ford
Apr 27: Jazz Vocal Repertory Ensemble, 7PM Hockett
Apr 29: Jazz Ensemble with guest trumpet artist Vincent DiMartino,
8:15PM Ford


English

Concert: Jazz Ensemble

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