Michael Dease wsg Doug Webb – 2016

Michael Dease wsg Doug Webb

Saturday, Aug 6, 2016 – 8:15 to 9:30
North Stage

Michael Dease was born in the countryside of Augusta, GA in the “Deep South,” and played the saxophone and trumpet before choosing the trombone at age 17. In 2001, Dease moved to New York City to become part of the historic first class of jazz students at The Juilliard School, earning both Bachelors and Masters degrees. Dease quickly established a reputation as a brilliant soloist and sideman, and began recording as a leader.

This year Dease takes a brave step forward and becomes a Father Figure on his third album for Posi-Tone and seventh overall. Acting as a musical mentor with an eye to the future, Dease has assembled a group that features several of the brightest new young players to work alongside a few established musicians like pianist Glenn Zaleski and vibraphonist Behn Gillece. These young players include Endea Owens on bass, Luther Allison on drums, Markus Howell on alto sax, and Immanuel Wilkins on alto sax.

Dease is a sought-after and two-time Grammy award winning lead, section and bass trombonist with today’s leading jazz orchestras. His experiences include bands led by Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Charles Tolliver, Rufus Reid, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. However, it is on the frontline of quintets and sextets led by master musicians like The Heath Brothers, Winard Harper, Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap, Claudio Roditi, and Lewis Nash, where Dease has revitalized the trombone’s image. Not content to simply improvise, Dease arranges and composes for many different bands and constantly adjusts his tone and timbre to add just the right flavor to the music.

Dease’s unique blend of curiosity, hard work and optimism has helped him earn worldwide recognition, including awards from ASCAP, The International Trombone Association, Yamaha, Eastern Trombone Workshop, New York Youth Symphony, among others. Dease was recently profiled in Cicily Janus’ book, The New Face of Jazz: An Intimate Look at Today’s Living Legends (Random House).

Dease’s singular talent has made him an effective and prolific teacher, resulting in invitations, master classes and residencies at University of North Texas, Scranton University, University of Iowa, Florida State College, Broward College, and many institutions abroad. He currently teaches jazz trombone at the renowned Michigan State University jazz program, and has also been on faculty at Queens College – CUNY, The New School and Northeastern University. Many of Dease’s current and former students are enjoying successful careers in the music world.

Always an informed, but forward-thinking musician, Dease learned the craft from trombone legends Wycliffe Gordon and Joseph Alessi. His associations have run the entire spectrum of musical experience:

Alicia Keys, Paul Simon, Paul Schaffer and the CBS Orchestra, Elton John, Neal Diamond, Illinois Jacquet, Slide Hampton & The World Of Trombones, Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, WDR Big Band, George Gruntz, Billy Harper, and numerous others.

Performer Website