OCTOBER 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lexington, VA -- Trumpet great Marvin Stamm comes to Washington and Lee University for a concert of classic and new jazz on October 9th. This first concert of the Sonoklect season will present Stamm performing music from the Miles Davis recording known as The Birth of the Cool and a series of new compositions by WLU composer Terry Vosbein. The concert is at 8:00 in the Lenfest Center and is free and open to the public.

Marvin Stamm was discovered by Stan Kenton while attending North Texas State University. After graduation he joined Kenton’s orchestra as the jazz trumpet soloist, touring with him in 1961-1962 and recording five albums with the orchestra. In 1965-1966 he toured worldwide with Woody Herman. After a decade and a half as a first call studio musician, Stamm focused his attention on his first love, playing jazz. Currently Stamm’s activities include performing as a soloist, touring with his jazz quartet and in duo with pianist Bill Mays. He has recently embarked on a new and quite successful venture, that of performing with symphony orchestras throughout the country and abroad.

In the late 1940s a group of forward thinking musicians came together for a set of historic sides. Composers such as Gill Evans, Gerry Mulligan and John Lewis wrote experimental works for a nine piece band led by Miles Davis. The band featured a unique assortment of instruments: alto sax, baritone sax, trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba and a three piece rhythm section. The album made from these sessions was named The Birth of the Cool and has become a classic. The entire album will be presented on the Lenfest performance.

Vosbein has been fascinated by this instrumentation ever since he first heard those remarkable Miles Davis recordings. The second half of the concert will present eight new works for the nonet. Vosbein composed these pieces during the past year and orchestrated them for this concert during a 2004 summer stay in Paris.

In addition to Stamm the concert will feature Lexington’s own Tom Artwick on saxophone; Michael Vosbein, brother of the composer, on drums; and Tennessee trombonist Tom Lundberg, who is becoming a Lexington regular. Other performers include Don Aliquo on baritone sax, Calvin Smith on French horn, Marcus Arnold on tuba, Tony Nalker on piano and Rusty Holloway on bass.

For more information please contact Terry Vosbein at 540/458-8851.



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