The Fairfield University Jazz Ensemble welcomes Ken Gioffre and his tenor saxophone to its spring concert Thursday, April 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the lower level of the Barone Campus Center. Director of Jazz and Popular Music at the University and renowned bassist Brian Torff leads the Ensemble. The event is part of the Arts & Minds season.

Gioffre has recorded for major labels such as Sony, Universal, Blue Note-Manhattan, MCA, Dennon and Sire, to name a few. He is no stranger to television and he has performed on every major network, ABC, NBC, CBS, A&E, HBO, ESPN and BET. He has contributed his talents to a long list of television shows including, "New York at Night," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," NBC's "Today Show," HBO's "The Sopranos," A&E's "Breakfast With The Arts" Fox News' "Fox and Friends," "Sinbad's Soul Music Festival" as well as the movie "Last Holiday" starring Queen Latifa.

The annual spring Jazz Ensemble concert always spotlights student talent and this year Ensemble guitarist Jamie Debicella '11 has arranged Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Riviera Paradise."  The program also includes Hank Mobley's "Roll Call," Larry Coryell's "Zimbabwe," Wes Montgomery's "Cariba," Nat Adderley's "Jive Samba," and two originals by Brian Torff, "Mail Strut" and "Beat Box Revenge."

And still he finds time to tour nationally and internationally and to record. The list of musicians with whom Gioffre has worked is illustrious: Nancy Wilson, B.B. King, Tito Puente, Mose Allison, Ruth Brown, The Temptations, Dianne Reeves, Cab Calloway, Dr. John, Michael Bolton, Queen Latifa, Lou Rawles, Martha Reeves, Donny Osmond, Jimmy Webb, Buddy Guy, Ben E. King, The Wynans, Kid Creole, Toots Thielmans, Dave Kozz, Eddie Money, KC and the Sunshine Band, John Pattitucci, Will Lee, Randy Brecker and many more. Gioffre currently tours as well as records as saxophonist for the legendary Smokey Robinson.

Posted On: 03-24-2010 10:03 AM

Volume: 42 Number: 247