East students selected to play at Albright
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

The Youngblood Jazz Quintet, an ensemble featuring the musical talents of Williamsville East students, will open the 2007 Hunt Real Estate Art of Jazz series on Saturday.

"These students are the jazz equivalent of the best athletes in Western New York, if not the entire state," said Bruce Eaton, series producer.

The billboard for the jazz series, held at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, features acclaimed jazz musicians from around the world. The East students will be listed alongside them.

Eaton said he invited the Williamsville East Small Jazz Ensemble for a clinic during last year's series and he was so impressed with their level of accomplishment and professionalism that he invited the Youngblood Jazz Quintet to open the 2007 series.

The ensemble is a student driven group who work with music directors Stephen Shewan and Wayne Moose at East. They also put in hours of practice each week.

The Youngblood Jazz Quintet is made up of four seniors, Dominic Missana, baritone/alto saxophone; Danny Ziemann, upright bass; Dave Rundell, drums; and Angelo DiLoreto, piano. Junior Griffith Kazmierczak, on trumpet, rounds out the group.

Several have experience playing at Albright Knox and say it's an amazing place to play.

"To perform in front of other people who understand what we do and are really supportive. Those who really appreciate jazz," Ziemann said when asked about playing at the art gallery.

Rundell said it's an honor to be asked to play at Albright, and to open for Carl Allen and Rodney Whitaker.

"They are such great jazz musicians and amazing performers, what we would like to become," he said.

The students had the opportunity to travel to Michigan State and take lessons from Whitaker, who plays bass. Ziemann said it was a great experience.

"He's probably one of the top bass players in the jazz realm," he said.

A bass player himself, Ziemann said studying with Whitaker gave him an extra push in the right direction; reinforcing his love for performing.

The members of the ensemble have all been selected for the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra and the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra. Between the five of them, they have several accreditations.

In May, students in East's Jazz Ensemble competed in the 12th annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival held at the Lincoln Center in New York City. Only a few groups from across the nation were selected to perform.

At the competition, Missana was named Most Outstanding Bari Soloist; Ziemann won Most Outstanding Bass Soloist; and Kazmierczak was named Most Outstanding Trumpet Soloist.

The students will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Albright Knox Art Gallery, at Elmwood Avenue and Rockwell Road, across from Buffalo State College. Tickets are $12.

This is the second time in the history of the series that an opening act has been booked.

"These are wonderful kids who are really into what they are doing. A number of them are going on to serious music schools. They have big things ahead of them," Eaton said.

Shewan said the students have been putting a lot of work into preparing for their performance. He added that himself and Moose are excited for the opportunities the students have had, including performing at different venues.

Missana gave a preview, saying the group will be performing "Look Out for Birk's Works," and popular ballads, "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "All of You."

"Look out for us ... we are going to be big," he said.

For more information, visit the Web site online at www. albrightknox. org/ Jazz/ ArtofJazz07.html