Arts and Entertainment

Penn State jazz bands to present 'Dimensions in Jazz' Oct. 16

Fall 2016 members of Centre Dimensions Jazz Ensemble Credit: Alexandra Bush. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State's three jazz bands take the stage for their first concert of the 2016-17 school year at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, in Esber Recital Hall at University Park. "Dimensions in Jazz" will feature performances by Outer Dimensions (conducted by graduate student Austin Oprean), Inner Dimensions (directed by School of Music faculty member Eric Bush), and Centre Dimensions, Penn State's premier 20-piece jazz ensemble. The occasion marks the first time that Centre Dimensions will be directed in concert by Marko Marcinko, new director of jazz studies.

Outer Dimensions will perform “Jelly Roll (My Jelly Roll Soul)” by Charles Mingus, “Skylark” by Hoagy Carmichael, and Henry Levy’s “Mucho Gusto.” The Inner Dimensions program features big band jazz standards recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra, the Pat Metheny Group, and the Buddy Rich Band. In addition, freshman jazz vocalist Rachel Neff will be featured in Sammy Cahn's "Teach Me Tonight." The Centre Dimensions program highlights great American and Canadian jazz big-band arrangers, including Rob McConnell, Bill Potts and Bill Hollman, all of whom have contributed incredible music to the jazz big-band library over the years.

Tickets are $4.99 general admission and $2 for students, and will go on sale 45 minutes prior to the concert in the lobby. Tickets are cash only and no advance purchase is available. This concert will also be livestreamed on the Penn State School of Music website.

Introducing Marko Marcinko

During his years in the music industry, Marko Marcinko has worked as a freelance musician playing drum set, percussion, piano/keyboards, bass guitar, and trombone. He has also served as a studio session player, arranger, musical director, and producer for numerous commercial jingles, indie-films and off-Broadway, club and theater engagements. 

Born in Archbald, Pennsylvania, Marcinko studied technique with drumming master Joe Morello and continued his training at the University of Miami (Florida) where he studied classical, jazz, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban styles under professors Fred Wickstrom, Steve Bagby, Steve Rucker, Harry Hawthorne, and Ney Resaro.

Marcinko toured and recorded with jazz legend Maynard Ferguson in the mid-90s and with NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman as a member of the Dave Liebman Group from 2000 to 2014. He currently works with the Grammy-nominated Dave Liebman Big Band and the Organik Vibe Trio featuring Joel Frahm, Ron Oswanski, and vibraphonist Dave Samuels, winner of multiple Grammy Awards.

He is founder and artistic director of the Pennsylvania Jazz Alliance and the Scranton Jazz Festival, and has served as a consultant, clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States, Canada, South America, eastern/western Europe, and Japan.

Over the past 25 years, he has performed with Joe Henderson, Phil Woods, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Jon Faddis, Slide Hampton, Bob Dorough, Red Rodney, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Mulgrew Miller, Mike Stern, Kurt Elling, Tierney Sutton, Janis Siegel, Terell Stafford, Joe Lovano, Anthony Jackson, Mike Stern, and Will Lee; and with popular musicians and entertainers including John Legend, Jon Secada, Joan Rivers, Jay Leno, Connie Francis, Joe Piscopo, Don Rickles, Melba Moore, Juan Gabriel, Clay Aiken, Bob Newhart, and Nicol Williamson.

 

Last Updated October 11, 2016