Jazz drummer Adam Nussbaum featured at Fairfield University's winter Jazz Ensemble concert December 5 | Press Releases

Fairfield University's Jazz Ensemble features jazz drummer extraordinaire Adam Nussbaum, Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Wien Experimental Theatre in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Director of Jazz and Popular Music at the University and renowned bassist Brian Torff leads the Ensemble for two shows at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 general, $5 students. The concert is a part of the University's 2009-2010 Arts & Minds series of events.

Nussbaum, a native of Norwalk, has played drums with jazz greats Sonny Rollins, the Gil Evans Orchestra, Stan Getz, the Eliane Elias/Randy Brecker Quartet, Gary Burton and Toots Thielemans. In 1987 he began touring with the Michael Brecker Quintet and the next year recorded the Grammy-winning "Don't Try This At Home" with the quintet. During 1992, he was part of the Carla Bley Big Band and that same year John Abercrombie hired him to complete his organ trio with Dan Wall.

The Jazz Ensemble and its special guest star play a set that includes the spiritual, "Wade in the Water," Stanley Turentine's "Sugar" and "In the Wee Small Hours" inspired by the Frank Sinatra recording. The concert also includes an original composition, "Our Bossa," by six student Ensemble members and a new arrangement of the famous James Brown tune, "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" by student Jamie Debicella.

Nussbaum continues to keep active in a wide variety of groups, among them, a recently formed quartet, 'B A N N,' with Seamus Blake, Jay Anderson and Oz Noy and a co-op quartet 'NUTTREE' with Abercrombie, Jerry Bergonzi and Gary Versace. 'NUTTREE' awaits the release of its new CD on the Kind of Blue label. Nussbaum made up a third of 'We Three' with Dave Liebman and Steve Swallow and has played with the Eliane Elias Trio and The James Moody Quartet. In addition, he maintains an active freelance schedule and has taught as an adjunct professor at New York University, the New School and State University of New York at Purchase. He still manages to do clinics and give master classes around the world.

Tickets are available online at quickcenter.com or by calling the Box Office at (203) 254-4010. The toll free number is 877-ARTS-396. Special offers and discounts are available through the Quick Center's e-mail list. Join, by contacting boxoffice@quickcenter.com. And become a fan of the Quick Center for the Arts on Facebook! Keep up-to-date with the latest performance news, plus special offers and discounts! Find the Quick Center at www.facebook.com/FairfieldQuickCenter.