Rodney Whitaker Quartet wsg Rockelle and Terell 2013

Rodney Whitaker photo provided by www.rodneywhitaker.com website.

Rodney Whitaker Quartet (2 sets)
with special guests
Friday, Aug 2, 2013 – Main Stage South
7:00 – 8:30 pm Rockelle Fortin
9:30 – 11:00 pm Terell Stafford

Internationally renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker, currently holds the titles of Professor of Jazz Bass and Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University (MSU) where he has built one of the leading jazz degree programs and performing faculty in the United States.  He is considered one of the leading performers and teachers of the jazz double bass in the United States.  Whitaker has performed and toured with over 100+ legendary performing jazz artists over the past 25+ years.  Featured on more than 100 recordings – from film to compact discs – Whitaker’s film scores, China and Malaria and Malawi, were released on PBS in 2002 and 2010.  Also, Whitaker has a DVD release featuring Michigan State University’s Jazz Department entitled, “Inside Jazz” and three new CDs, “Get Ready” and “Work To Do” on Mack Avenue Records and “Better Than Alright” by MSU College of Music.

Rodney Whitaker Website
(Bio and image provided by performer’s website.)

Rockelle Fortin photo cropped from flickr site.

7:00 – 8:30pm Main Stage South Friday, Aug 2
Rodney Whitaker Quartet with special guest Rockelle Fortin

For this performance, Rodney Whitaker Quartet will be backing the amazing vocals of Rockelle Fortin, whose Rockelle Whitaker Project has performed at East Lansing’s Summer Solstice Jazz Festival and other events.

Terell Stafford – Photo by Jimmy Ryan provided by performer website.

9:30 to 11:00pm
Main Stage South Friday, Aug 2
Rodney Whitaker Quartet with special guest Terell Stafford

Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Known for being a gifted and versatile player with a voice all his own, Stafford combines lyricism and a deep love of melody with a spirited, adventurous edge. This uniquely expressive, well-defined musical talent allows Stafford the ability to dance in and around the rich trumpet tradition of his predecessors while making his own inroads.

Since the mid-1990’s Stafford has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, the Kenny Barron Sextet, the Frank Wess Quintet, the Jimmy Heath Big Band, the Clayton Brothers Quintet, and the Jon Faddis Orchestra. Currently, he is a member of the GRAMMY award winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra as well as drummer Matt Wilson’s group, “Arts and Crafts,” and drummer Alvin Queen’s group, “Alvin Queen and the Organics.” Stafford has recorded six albums as a leader, including the critically acclaimed This Side of Strayhorn (MAXJAZZ 2011), and is heard on over 90 albums as a sideman.

Terell Stafford Website
(Bio and image provided by performer’s website.)