SJS Artistic Faculty & Staff
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Todd Coolman
Artistic DirectorGrammy award-winning bassist Todd Coolman is among the more in-demand musicians on the New York music scene today. Since moving to New York in 1978, he has performed and/or recorded with a virtual “who’s who” of jazz artists including Horace Silver, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Tommy Flanagan, Ahmad Jamal, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, and numerous others. Today, Todd is actively performing with an impressive array of artists including James Moody, Renee Rosnes, and The Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra. Todd has recorded three CDs as a leader, most recently, Perfect Strangers (2009), an ArtistShare fan-funded project. In addition to his busy performing schedule, Todd Coolman is a jazz educator. He is a Professor of Music and Director of the Jazz Studies Program in the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College (SUNY). He was selected for the 2001-2003 Doris and Karl Kempner Distinguished Professorship at Purchase and has received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The author of two books, The Bass Tradition and The Bottom Line, Todd is also in demand as a clinician and lecturer at universities throughout the world, and is frequently sought after as a writing and research consultant for jazz history and CD liner-note projects. Todd received his Ph.D. in music from New York University.
The school has assembled a faculty of jazz greats including:
- Bill Cunliffe, Piano – DownBeat award-winner, composer, teacher, performer and recipient of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Award.
- Curtis Fuller, Trombone – Legendary jazz artist with Cannonball Adderely, Bud Powell, John Coltrane, Art Farmer-Benny Golson, Art Blakely, Dizzy Gillespie, and most of the great jazz musicians of the past 30 years.
- John LaBarbera, Trumpet/Composition – widely recognized composer/arranger, jazz editor, recipient of the NEA's Jazz Composition award, and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Louisville.
- Pat LaBarbera, Saxophone – noted tenor soloist
with Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, Woody Herman (and others), excellent teacher
and Professor of Music at Humber College.
- Dennis Mackrel, Drums - Internationally recognized drummer with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Count Basie Orchestra.
- Hal Miller, Jazz Historian – acknowledged expert in jazz history, producer, consultant, and percussionist.
- Bobby Shew, Trumpet – professional recording artist, active clinician and internationally known trumpet player who played with Tommy Dorsey, Buddy Rich, Horace Silver, Louie Bellson and Benny Goodman among others.
- George Muscatello, Guitar
- Robert Halek, Drums
- Gerald Zaffuts, Trombone
- Mark Beaubriand, Academic Coordinator
- Brian Carucci, Administrative Coordinator
- Donald McCormack, Program Director