Jazz Season

Welcome to the Jazz Season page.

Our four jazz ensembles perform twice each semester. SSU Jazz ensembles include:

• SSU Jazz Orchestra – the flagship 18-piece ensemble performing Big Band standards and modern jazz ensemble repertoire
• Concert Jazz Combos – two ensembles each semester rotating on a particular jazz sub-genre or era
• Latin Band – devoted to the styles, rhythms, and concepts found in music from the Caribbean, Brazil, and Haiti 

Jazz Forums are now on Mondays from 1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

Green Music Center, room 1029 

Adam Moezinia

February 2, 2026

Guitarist Adam Moezinia is a native of Los Angeles, where he studied at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) under the mentorship of Jason Goldman, Walter Smith III, and Kenny Dennis. Within his first year at LACHSA, Adam was selected as a representative for the Thelonius Monk Institute’s nationwide peer-to-peer tours. There he performed and co-taught on four tours with established jazz musicians: Bobby Watson, Antonio Hart, and Lisa Henry. In 2008, he performed at the former Kodak Theatre (now Dolby Theatre) for the Thelonius Monk Saxophone Competition w/ the “Thelonious Monk High School All-Star Jazz Septet” featuring Antonio Hart. In 2010, he moved to New York City to study at The Juilliard School under a full tuition scholarship. Since then, he’s worked with many greats such as Freddy Cole, Mike LeDonne, Cecile Mclorin Salvant, George Coleman and Kenny Washington at venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, Birdland, Smoke, Scullers and Bird’s Basement. Adam has also been performing regularly with his band the “Folk Element” trio since 2017. The trio is rooted in the jazz tradition but is influenced by folk music from all over the world including West Africa, South Africa, the Caribbean, the UK and Appalachia. As of April 2021, they officially released their debut album “Folk Element Trio” available in the “store” section! Moving forward, they will continue to explore the unique relationship between jazz and folk music, sharing those discoveries with audiences across the globe.

Clarence Corbeil
February 9, 2026 - Forum will be held via Zoom

Known for his playing (musical and sometimes complex), his versatility, his mastery of Latin percussion and drumset, as well as his creativity, Clarence Corbeil is a talented musician, who stands out by his understanding of Caribbean musics, and his ability to play jazz and pop music. He was able to play with various Canadian and Québécois artists, and as well as on various scenes and festivals, throughout Canada.
He studied with some of the greatest musicians of Québec, notably the percussionists Luc Boivin and Alain Labrosse, and the drummers Paul Brochu and Gilbert Fradette. He is currently completing a PhD in jazz interpretation at Université de Montréal, focusing on the drumset playing in Afro-Cuban music, and developing a method to play this style musically on drums. He also plays with various talented artists from the Montréal area, and teaches drums privately and in a local music school, as well as creating music content for social media.

John Stowell
February 16, 2026

John Stowell began his successful career in the early 1970's with private study with guitarist Linc Chamberland and pianist John Mehegan. Both men were valuable mentors to John, allowing him to play with them as he progressed in his development. Several years later he met bassist David Friesen in New York City, and they formed a duo that recorded and toured prolifically for seven years, with performances in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.
In 1983, John and David joined flutist Paul Horn and Paul's son Robin Horn (on drums) for a historic tour of the Soviet Union. This was the first time in forty years that an American jazz group had been invited to play public performances in Russia. In 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2012 John returned to Russia, playing in numerous cities. His two sold-out performances in Kursk may have been the first appearances there by an American jazz musician.
John continues to tour, record and teach internationally. He has been Artist-In-Residence at schools in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, and in the United States and Canada. He served as assistant director and performer in Oregon Public Broadcasting's PDX Jazz Summit in 1991, and since 1995 has been a contributing columnist for a number of magazines, including "Downbeat", "Guitar Player", "Canadian Musician", "Soundcheck" (Germany), and "Guitar Club" (Italy).
With bassist David Friesen, featured of the soundtracks of two Academy Award Nominated short films (Will Vinton Studios, Portland, OR, and Bosustow Studios, Los Angeles, CA)
"Through the Listening Glass" with David Friesen chosen of the "Ten Best Jazz Albums of the Decade" by the Los Angeles Examiner
Chosen "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" by Downbeat's International Critic's Poll, 1978 and 1979
Featured in Japan's "Swing Journal", "The Jazz Guitar" (Ashely Mark Publishing, England), and the Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz (Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler).
Appearances on BET Jazz Discovery and Guitar Series television shows.
Recording/Performance Credits: Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer, Conte Condoli, Herb Ellis, Bill Watrous, Mundell Lowe, George Cables, Billy Higgins, Billy Hart, Richie Cole, Paul Horn, Tom Harrrell, Don Thompson, Dave Liebman, and many others.

Spike Sikes
February 23, 2026

Spike grew up in El Paso, TX, studied jazz at The University of North Texas, started The Spike Band in 2004, recorded three albums with them, joined the Coast Guard in 2008, continued playing music wherever he was stationed (Maine, NorCal, and New Orleans), and formed Awesome Hotcakes in 2014. 

He is a husband, a Dad, a part-time elementary school band director, a songwriter/performer and he tries to write poetry. Some of  his  biggest influences include Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Van Morrison, Cleanhead Vinson, Gatemouth Brown, Lightnin Hopkins and Albert Ayler. Spike likes his coffee cold, black, and made with chicory.

SSU Faculty Jazz Forum 
March 9, 2026

Isaac Schwartz 
March 16, 2026

I'm an Oakland, CA native and have been playing the drumset for 20 years.  I'm incredibly passionate about it and love what I do. Currently I'm part of numerous original music projects as well as freelancing and teaching. I've toured the U.S. and internationally playing Jazz, Rock, and tons of orignal music.  I was one of the recipients of the Jazz Search West award in 2011 and have also been recognized by the Reno Jazz Festival for outstanding musicianship.