Jazz has been an integral part of the State University of New York at Fredonia since the 1930s.
In 1934, an extracurricular student association named the Fredonia Jazz Workshop (FJW) was formed as a way to provide a dance band for social events. Because jazz was by far the most popular musical style throughout the 1930s and ‘40s, the FJW’s flagship ensemble was a busy, constantly-gigging band.
By the 1950s, as the swing era gradually gave way to rock ‘n’ roll, jazz increasingly became a listener’s music, and for some, a musician’s music. Adventurous new styles (Latin, bebop, cool, free, etc.) earned new followers. As jazz became more serious, so did the Fredonia Jazz Workshop.
During the 1970s and ‘80s, the FJW attracted many students to Fredonia that specifically wanted to be part of the organization. They were fine players who wanted a chance to compose new music, arrange charts, and compete. The student bands often won top honors at internationally-renowned jazz festivals such as the Notre Dame Jazz Festival, the All-American Jazz Festival, the Mobile Jazz Festival, the Jazz on the Orda Festival, and the Canadian Stage Band Festival. Many of these students went on to significant careers as teachers, composers and performers, having benefitted from the mentorship of one another and from the first-rate artists from whom they were able to learn. In recent years, the alumni from the 1970s and ‘80s have regularly returned to campus, embracing the opportunity to work with the younger students.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, jazz gradually became more common within the School of Music, and courses within the subject increased in popularity. Professors Harry Jacobson and Linda Phillips, skilled with jazz themselves, advocated for such opportunities. By the late 1990s, new faculty – including John Bacon, a Buffalo jazz percussionist, and Bruce Johnstone, a baritone saxophonist well known for playing in the Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman big bands – gave all students opportunities in jazz, no matter their background or instrument. Curricular big bands, small ensembles of varying instrumentation, a vocal jazz ensemble, and a jazz string orchestra all thrived, making jazz more popular within the School of Music.
Finally, in 2014, the faculty agreed to make jazz an official track as a major, enabling the hiring of new jazz faculty such as Kieran Hanlon, Alec Dube, and the current head of the Jazz Area, Dr. Nick Weiser. The B.A. in Jazz Studies major was officially launched in 2017, and has steadily grown in popularity since its inception.
About the Jazz Area and the B.A. in Jazz Studies degree
The Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies degree is designed to encourage the pursuit of jazz through performance, historical context, and theoretical background. Class instruction is offered in jazz history, theory and improvisation, with additional private study for individual players. In addition, students majoring in the B.A. in Jazz Studies will give a jazz-oriented solo recital in their final year.
The skills gained from these courses are channeled into Fredonia’s jazz ensembles and combos. These include two flagship large jazz ensembles, the Fredonia Jazz Orchestra and the Fredonia New Jazz Ensemble, as well as two small groups, the Fredonia Instrumental Jazz Combo and the Fredonia Vocal Jazz Combo. These ensembles perform for the general public twice a year, and often provide opportunities for student vocalists and instrumentalists outside of the jazz area to participate as needed.
Participation in the jazz ensembles is not limited to jazz majors. Students pursuing degrees in other fields who are also jazz instrumentalists are welcome to join these ensembles. A successful placement audition is required at the beginning of each semester.
Participants are also encouraged to become involved in the student-run Fredonia Jazz Workshop, which operates the Fredonia Jazz Ensemble and several combos. While involvement in these student-run groups does not carry class credit, it provides a platform on which to utilize skills gained in the jazz curriculum.
Since the inception of the jazz program, many graduates have gone on to study for advanced degrees in jazz performance at major graduate schools. Fredonia stands behind these graduates in the role of mentor as they launch their careers.
Our Faculty
Nick Weiser, Head of Jazz Area, piano
John Bacon, Jr., drums
Alec Dube, vibraphone
Kieran Hanlon, bass
The jazz faculty at SUNY Fredonia are among the most respected jazz performers of their generation. They often perform together as part of the Fredonia Jazz Faculty Collective, with both on- and off-campus performances and frequent guest artist appearances.
In 2018, the Jazz Faculty Collective began performing at the inaugural Jazz at Domus Fare series, started by the Fredonia Jazz Society to promote the Village of Fredonia’s rich jazz tradition within the community at-large.
Notable Alumni of Fredonia’s Jazz Programs
Tony Caramia, piano, Eastman School of Music faculty
John Coggiola, trumpet, Syracuse University faculty
Calabria Foti, violin, voice
Marcus Goldhaber, vocalist, producer
Joe Gransden, trumpet, voice, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Onaje Alan Gumbs, piano
Bill Heller, piano, The Rippingtons
Joe Magnarelli, trumpet, Lionel Hampton Orchestra
Bob McChesney, trombone
Don Menza, saxophone, Buddy Rich Big Band
Emilio Palame, piano, writer, producer
Howie Shear, trumpet, Woody Herman Orchestra
