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 

Latin Band with Special Guest Brian Rice 
September 15, 2025

Brian Rice is a freelance percussionist with a B.M. in Percussion Performance and Ethnomusicology from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. A well-rounded musician, Brian is a highly acclaimed performer, educator and recording artist adept at numerous musical styles ranging from classical and jazz, to Latin, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian, to contemporary and experimental music.

While at Oberlin Brian studied percussion with Michael Rosen and played with the Oberlin Orchestra, Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, Oberlin Contemporary Ensemble, and Oberlin Percussion Group. In addition, Brian played with the Oberlin "Can Consortium" Steel Band, the Mandinka Ensemble and the Oberlin Gamelan. In the summers of 1987 and '88 Brian had an opportunity to study tabla with Pandit Sharda Sahai and Bob Becker. After Oberlin Brian moved to Oregon where he began doing freelance work in 1989. There he played with numerous salsa, reggae, and world beat bands, notably Balafon Marimba Ensemble a Zimbabwean marimba group, and Tiempo Caribe a folkloric drum and dance troupe specializing it the music and dances from South America and the Caribbean. In 1994 Brian moved to Seattle to join Bochinche, performing for about 120 schools across Washington each year in the acclaimed production, "A Musical Tour of the Americas". While in Seattle, Brian founded and directed Samba Seattle, a parade-ready samba percussion and dance troupe. He also created and directed the Afro-Cuban Folkloric Collective, a drum and dance troupe specializing in Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions. Brian taught about 90 classes each year at the famous music store, John's Music and regularly brought guest teachers from Cuba and the U.S. to teach workshops and perform with the Afro-Cuban Folkloric Collective.

Since moving to the Bay Area in 1997, Brian has branched out into a multitude of styles including Spanish flamenco, klezmer, jazz, folk, Broadway musicals, Celtic, Balkan music, and the occasional Chinese funeral. Brian's classical music background and expertise on a vast array of hand drums came into play in 2004 when he performed in over seventy shows of The Lion King. Since 2007 Brian has performed on several occasions with the Santa Rosa Symphony, including a performance of Martin Matalon's score to the 1929 film Metropolis, and more recently to back up singer/actor Kevin Spacey. In 2012 and 2015 Brian was invited to perform John Luther Adams' "Inuksuit". Though Brian enjoys such a wide variety of work, he specializes in Brazilian and Cuban music.

Today Brian directs the Samba Bateria and Afro-Cuban Ensemble at UC Davis and teaches Brazilian music at UC Berkeley and the California Jazz Conservatory.

Brian's study of the pandeiro began in 1986 when the Sao Paulo State University percussion ensemble visited Oberlin and percussionist/composer Carlos Stasi, then a student at SPSU, gave Brian a quick pandeiro lesson after the concert. Since then Brian's obsession with the pandeiro has led him to study with Guello, Marcos Suzano, Airto, Sregio Krakowski, Claudio Bueno and Clarice Magalhaes, and his prowess on the instrument has led him to perform with numerous Brazilian artists including, Rogerio Souza, Jovino Santos Neto, Paulo Sergio Santos, Danilo Brito, Dudu Maia, Almir Cortes, Hamilton de Holanda, Edinho Gerber, Ze Barbero, and Jorge Alabe. In 2017 Brian was invited to tour with the Danilo Brito Quintet performing at the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and Savannah Music Festival and for NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts.

It was studies with Marcos Suzano that inspired Brian to expand his use of the pandeiro outside the Brazilian music world and apply it to Balkan, Celtic, Middle Eastern, Spanish, and Cuban music with great effect. ​

With Jane Lenoir of the Berkeley Choro Ensemble, Brian founded the Berkeley Festival of Choro, now in its 8th year.  The festival presents high quality choro music in the Bay Area including Choro Das 3, Trio Brasileiro with Anat Cohen, Amilton Godoy/Lea Freire Duo,, Duo Violao Brasil, Grupo Falso Baiano, Ian Coury, Francois de Lima, Gileno Santana/Henrique Neto Duo and many other artists.

The Berkeley Choro Ensemble released its first CD "The View From Here' in the fall of 2017 thanks to a generous grant from SF Intermusic. The recording presents choros by modern composers including several original compositions.

Brian teaches privately and conducts workshops in the Bay Area and has taught at many schools and camps. Since its inception in 1997 Brian has been on the scene at the California Brazil Camp as a dance accompanist and instructor. Brian taught Choro pandeiro at the Centrum Center for the Arts in 2007, 2009 and 2010 with Mike Marshall and Choro Famoso, and members of Trio Brasileiro.  Brian has guest lectured at Stanford University, Oberlin Conservatory, Southern Oregon university, University of Tennessee Martin, Cantareira College in Sao Paulo, Brazil, UNICAMP in Campinas, Brazil, Queens College and the University of Washington. Brian was the percussion instructor at California Coast Music Camp from 2005 - 2007, 2016, 2017 and at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop in 2008 and Family Camp 2008-2018. From 1998 to 2004 Brian was the drum instructor for the Oaktown Jazz Workshop a non-profit jazz education program for youth. Brian's students from OJW have attended prestigious music schools across the country and Brian appears on two OJW recordings.

In 2019 Brian formed the choro trio, Tres Baias with Almir Cortes and Nando Duarte.  In January 2019 Tres Baias recorded its first self titled CD, released in July 2019 at the Sound Room in Oakland. Guest Artists include Siverio Pontes, Mike Marshall, Daniela Speilmann, Marcelo Caldi, and Nicolas Krassik.

Brian currently performs with Tres Baias, Cascada de Flores, Danilo Brito, Mike Marshall and Choro Famoso, Wake the Dead, The Berkeley Choro Ensemble, Samba Rio, Mariah Parker Indo-Latin Ensemble and Orchestrating Excellence (performing organizational development workshops for businesses).

Alon Nechustan
September 22, 2025

Alon Nechushtan is a fearless explorer of sound, weaving jazz, classical, and global influences into music that defies boundaries. A pianist, composer, and bandleader, his work spans from orchestral commissions to electrifying jazz ensembles, reflecting a deep curiosity and a bold, improvisational spirit.

Alon has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and The Blue Note Jazz Club. His compositions have been commissioned by ensembles across the globe, from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra to The Tel Aviv Soloist Orchestra, and he has collaborated with jazz greats such as Donny McCaslin, William Parker, Dave Liebman, and Frank London.

With 10 internationally released albums on labels like Tzadik, ESP, and Enja, Alon’s recordings showcase his eclectic vision—whether reinterpreting Thelonious Monk, fusing jazz with Middle Eastern grooves, or leading his critically acclaimed piano trio.
http://musicalon.com/

Mads Tolling
September 29, 2025

MADS TOLLING is an internationally renowned violinist and composer originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, now living in San Francisco. As a former nine-year member of both bassist Stanley Clarke’s band and the celebrated Turtle Island Quartet, Mads won two Grammy Awards, and he was nominated for a third Grammy in 2015. He was the 2016 winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Violin Award. Mads has performed with Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron, Paquito D’Rivera, Leo Kottke and Sergio & Odair Assad. Mads is a current member of Bob Weir’s Wolf Bros & Wolf Pack Band.

After graduating Berklee College of Music in 2003, he was recommended by Jean-Luc Ponty to join Stanley Clarke’s band. He has since been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, and his recordings have received rave reviews in Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Strings Magazine and DownBeat Magazine. Mads has performed for Danish royalty – Prince Frederik & Princess Mary – at the celebration of The Danish Embassy’s 50-year Anniversary. Since 2021, Mads has been a member of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros project as part of the Wolf Pack with tours across the US, including at Red Rocks, The Greek Theatre and Radio City Music Hall. He is featured on Weir’s album Live in Colorado. Mads has written several arrangements of Grateful Dead tunes for the band, some of which are now also part of the Mads Men repertoire.

Mads has twice been commissioned to write violin concertos – for Oakland Symphony and Pacific Chamber Orchestra. He has performed his symphonic works and soloed with orchestras around the US and Japan.

Mads now leads his own groups – Mads Tolling Quartet and Mads Tolling & The Mads Men. His release, Playing the 60s, is a reimagination of classic songs from 1960s film, TV and radio, such as “A Taste of Honey,” “Hawaii 5-0” and “Mission: Impossible.” The album features vocalists Kenny Washington, Kalil Wilson and Spencer Day, and it spent two months on US jazz radio’s top 30.

With his groups, Mads has performed over a thousand concerts around the world, including at The Hollywood Bowl, Library of Congress and at the Bay Area’s Paramount and Herbst Theatres. As a featured Yamaha Artist, Mads leads clinics and masterclasses in the US and internationally.

Dmitry Matheny
October 20, 2025

Celebrated for his warm tone, soaring lyricism and masterful technique, American musician Dmitri Matheny has been lauded as “one of the most emotionally expressive improvisers of his generation” (International Review of Music).

First introduced to jazz audiences in the 1990s as the protégé of Art Farmer, Matheny has matured into “one of the jazz world's most talented horn players” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Born on Christmas Day, 1965 in Nashville,Tennessee, Dmitri was raised in Georgia and Arizona. Attracted to his father’s collection of jazz and classical LP records, Dmitri began piano lessons at age 5, switched to the trumpet at age 9, and took up the flugelhorn at 18.

Matheny attended the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, then the Berklee College of Music, Boston, graduating magna cum laude in 1989.

After private studies with Carmine Caruso in New York City, Matheny became the protégé of the legendary Art Farmer, a formative relationship that lasted over a decade.

Farmer, “the bebop master who defined the sound of the flugelhorn in modern jazz” (All Music Guide), was Matheny’s public champion and private mentor. Generously sharing his wisdom, experience and influence, it was Farmer who encouraged Dmitri to devote himself exclusively to the “Big Horn.”

Under Farmer’s tutelage Matheny emerged as a promising new voice in jazz.“Art Farmer’s role in the early success of Dmitri Matheny cannot be overstated,” observed writer and historian Phil Elwood. “Without Art, there could be no Dmitri.”

At 29, after launching a busy recording career on the West Coast, Matheny made his New York debut at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, then began touring internationally.

The soulful sound of Dmitri's horn garnered praise from critics and audiences alike, drawing frequent comparisons to Miles Davis, Chet Baker and—not surprisingly—to Art Farmer. Upon Farmer’s passing in 1999, Matheny acquired his mentor’s copper-bell flugelhorn.

Today, Dmitri leads the Dmitri Matheny Group, “an all-star jazz band featuring some of the most accomplished musicians in the western United States” (All About Jazz).

Matheny has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He has traveled to 21 countries and has performed with many Motown and popular music acts including the Temptations, Martha Reeves, Fabian, the Four Tops, Bobby Vinton, Sandy Patty, Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon and the O'Jays.

Matheny has had the privilege of appearing in concert with such jazz luminaries as Larry Coryell, Nathan Davis, Amina Figarova, Tommy Flanagan, Wycliffe Gordon, Darrell Grant, Larry Grenadier, John Handy, Tom Harrell, Billy Higgins, Red Holloway, Denise Jannah, Joe Lovano, James Moody, Jean Louis Rassinfosse, Tony Reedus, Sam Rivers, Max Roach, the Rosenberg Trio, Bud Shank, Sonny Simmons, Mary Stallings, Akira Tana, Billy Taylor, Bobby Watson and Paula West. 

Matheny’s discography lists over 120 albums on which he appears as a composer, arranger, producer, annotator or flugelhorn soloist. He has released twelve critically-acclaimed albums as a leader: Red Reflections (1995), Penumbra (1996), Starlight Café (1998), Santa’s Got a Brand New Bag (2000), Nocturne (2005), The SnowCat (2006), Spiritu Sancto (2007), Best of Dmitri Matheny (2008), Grant & Matheny (2010), Sagebrush Rebellion (2014), Jazz Noir (2016), and Cascadia (2022).

Dmitri Matheny has received several prestigious music awards, including “NW Instrumentalist of the Year” in the 2016 Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards and “Best New Artist” (with Brad Mehldau, Stefon Harris and Ravi Coltrane) in the 1999 JazzTimes Readers Poll.

Dmitri Matheny is also a prolific composer and lyricist whose published compositions span the jazz, pop, symphonic, choral, chamber and world music genres. He has received premieres and commissions from Meet the Composer, St. Domenic’s Church, the Manhattan New Music Project, the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the Jazz Composers Orchestra and 20th Century Forum.

Matheny’s film scoring and soundtrack credits include the PBS documentary Mary, Paradox & Grace (1996), the short film Greenhorn Creek (1997), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art production Voices & Images of California Art (1997), and the RKO Pictures feature film Shade (2003) starring Gabriel Byrne, Jamie Foxx, Melanie Griffith, Thandie Newton, Sylvester Stallone and Stewart Townsend. Matheny also contributed original music for the horror anthology Trapped Ashes (2006) and the supernatural thriller Fire City (2014).

Matheny's most ambitious composition to date is Spiritu Sancto, the New Millennium Mass, a monumental sacred work scored for chorus, organ, percussion, brass quintet, jazz ensemble and gospel soloist, Spiritu Sancto received its world premiere on the dawn of the new millennium at St. Domenic's Cathedral in San Francisco.

Throughout his professional career as a concert and recording artist, Dmitri Matheny has distinguished himself as a dedicated educator, community leader and advocate for jazz and the arts.

Matheny presents clinics, lectures, master classes and workshops at leading universities and conservatories, and is gratified to have staged more than 500 free, curriculum-based concerts for kids, introducing over 50,000 school children to jazz.

Matheny has held teaching faculty and management positions with the Boston Center for the Arts, California Jazz Conservatory, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Chabot Space and Science Center, Monarch Records and the Stanford Jazz Workshop. He has served as Director of Education, Director of Development and Director of Corporate Sponsorships for SFJAZZ, the largest nonprofit jazz presenter on the west coast, as Assistant Education Director for the Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Colony at Jazz Aspen Snowmass, and as Artist-In-Residence at several universities and conservatories.

Matheny is past president of the Berklee College of Music Alumni Association, a former governor of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and a former trustee of the San Francisco Jazz Organization. His volunteer service to the field includes frequent participation in music industry conferences, symposia and grant-making initiatives. Past and current affiliations include the International Association for Jazz Education, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Western Arts Alliance, California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Chamber Music America and National Jazz Service Organization.

Jazz Combos with Guest TBA
October 27, 2025

Steve Dyer
November 10, 2025

Steve Dyer believes that no single culture owns the monopoly on human wisdom.  Every human life born into whatever culture, ethnicity or spiritual belief system has the same value.

Steve was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in 1960.  His parents listened consistently to music of the Western classical masters. He also remembers maskandi musicians walking the streets as they played their guitars, and the Soul Brothers and “kwela” playing on the radio. He began composing music at the age of 10.

Steve completed a B Mus degree in performance at the University of Natal in 1981, majoring in saxophone and flute. Refusing military conscription into the SADF he left South Africa and lived in Botswana for 5 years. Here he came into contact with the exile sounds blowing through the horns of Hugh Masekela and Jonas Gwangwa. He helped form “Shakawe” led by Jonas Gwangwa and played in the band for 3 years, where he immersed himself in the mbaqanga music tradition. At this time Steve also listened to saxophonists such as John Coltrane and Winston Mankunku.

In 1988 after a stint in the U.K. he settled in Zimbabwe where he formed the group Southern Freeway. Two albums were produced Southern Freeway (1989) and Indlela yenkululeko (1992). Steve came into contact here with the more introspective and often rhythmically complex mbira based Shona music, as well as reliving some Nguni based music playing with musicians that had Ndebele cultural roots.

In 1990 he joined the Amandla cultural ensemble of the A.N.C on a 7 week tour of Japan.

With democracy on the horizon in 1993 Steve returned to South Africa. After studying briefly at the University of Natal, he relocated to Johannesburg and directed the Soweto String quartet live performance that toured Europe and Australia/New Zealand.

He conceptualised, directed and performed with the first ever substantive Southern African music collaboration “Mahube” in 1997. Mahube toured Southern Africa and Europe and recorded recorded 2 albums: Music from Southern Africa 1998 (SAMA nomination), Qhubeka 2003 (Kora award)). Steve went on to produce 6 Oliver Mtukudzi albums between 1998 and 2002 including the seminal “Tuku music”.

He has released 7 solo albums since his return to S.A: Down South in Africa – 2000, Son of the Soil – 2004, Lifecycle 2006 (SAMA nomination) Native Art 2007 (SAMA nomination), IAP (U.S.A.) finalist), Ubuntu music 2012 (SAMA nomination), Confluence 2014 and Genesis of a Different World – 2019. Steve has also composed and performed for feature film and TV soundtrack, as well as for modern dance companies Moving into Dance and Tumbuka, as well as conceptualising and directing numerous shows and collaborations, and conducting improvising/music workshops.

In 2010 he composed and performed Rebirth, a first African concerto for soprano saxophone, orchestra with saxophones, African percussion and marimbas. Rebirth premiered in Johannesburg on 1st May 2010 with an 118-piece Miagi youth orchestra.

In April 2014 Steve was musical director for the opening show at HIFA (Harare international festival of the arts).

He conceptualised, directed and performed in a groundbreaking multimedia work called “Colour Me Human” – a new world musical” that premiered at Soweto theatre in May. The production also did a run at the Jo’burg theatre from 12th to 30th November. Colour Me Human was nominated for 5 Naledi theatre awards: Best ensemble, music score, music director, choroeographer, animation/AV.

Steve composed a Jazz suite commemoration June 14 1985 victims of the SADF Gaborone raid. This was performed at the Orbit jazz club on June 14  and featuring poetry by the late poet laureate Keorapetse Kgositsile, and featured guest musician Jonas Gwangwa.

Steve has recently performed in and directed numerous shows, working with artists Oliver Mtukudzi, Vusi Mahlasela, Ringo Madlingozi, Msaki, Ami Faku, Selmor Mtukudzi, Zamajobe, Ammara Brown, Tamy Moyo, Sijava, Bokani Dyer, Sisonke Xonti, Thandi Ntuli, Siya Makuzeni, Hope Masike, Siphokazi, Judith Sephuma, Mbuso Khoza and many other fine musicians.

In 2017 he conceptualised a show called “Mantswe a Marabi” paying tribute to the Marabi musical tradition.

In May 2017 Steve directed a new look Mahube for the Harare international festival of the Arts, as well as at Jo’burg theatre for the Africa week celebrations. Mahube performed on the main National Arts festival in Makhanda to a standing ovation in July 2018.

Steve completed producing a record for Dorothy Masuka “Nginje” (Gallo records) released in late 2018.

In December 2018 Mahube released an album “Zenzele” across all digital platforms. Physical C.D copies have also been released. Mahube performed at the Cape Town international Jazz festival end March, and the Bushfire festival in Swaziland end May 2019.

“Genesis of a different world” live project performance launch took place at the Jo’burg theatre on the 2nd and 3rd August 2019. The album is available on CD Baby, iTunes and other digital platforms.

In April-May 2023 Steve toured the east and west coasts of the U.S.A. in a series of duo performances with Bokani Dyer called “Dyer-logue”. He also performed the Genesis of a different world repertoire at Dizzy’s Jazz club, Lincoln centre with a sextet to great acclaim.

In January 2024 Steve was a featured artist in the New York Lincoln centre’s UNITY festival on the  Atrium stage.

Steve released his 10th solo album called “Enhlizweni – song stories from my Heartland”. on April 5th 2024 via a joint collaboration between U.S. label Ropeadope/AfricArise. This received a SAMA (South African Music Awards) for best Jazz album. He conceptualised and performed the show “Visions of Ubuntu” at Damrosch Park, Lincoln centre NYC in June 2024 that included a 32 strong Young Peoples chorus of NYC.

Lab Rats

December 1, 2025

LabRats is a dynamic quartet of multi-instrumentalists specializing in many forms of popular American music. A year after the band’s formation, the band has proven itself to be an integral part of their hometown music scene. LabRats, performing all over Sacramento and the Bay Area, has their growing fanbase clamoring for more of their smooth yet psychedelic sounds. In addition to their many gigs and recording sessions, you can find LabRats at the Torch Club every Sunday night where they curate the “Sunday Sessions,” a free, inclusive and safe environment for musicians and other creatives to meet and perform with one another fulfilling the trio’s personal mission of giving back to the community that has shaped them.

LabRats have worked/performed with:

- Kamasi Washington

- Tower of Power

- Talib Kweli

- GZA (of Wu Tang Clan)

- Rebirth Brass Band

and more