Joining Ms. Caviani will be two out of town guests: Kansas City’s Bob Bowman on bass, and UM–Winona Professor Rich MacDonald on drums. The workshop will focus on the challenges and joys of playing in a jazz rhythm section, and will be an interactive experience for all attendees. Come prepared to ask questions and possibly to play with members of the trio! Suggested free will offering: $20 at the door. Reservations recommended; please contact us.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact Laura: click here to send an email.
Check out a 2009 performance by the Laura Caviani Trio (featuring Gordy Johnson on bass and Dave Schmalenberger on drums) at the Artists’ Quarter in St. Paul, MN:
[youtube]https://youtu.be/HW6jTZRm0YI[/youtube]
Laura Caviani (Piano) was born and raised in Minnesota, where she currently freelances and teaches at St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges. Her 2006 CD release Going There enjoyed a long run on the JazzWeek national radio charts. Music critic Bob Protzman described it as “piano trio jazz of the highest order.” Other releases have received such praise as “stunningly fresh” from JazzTimes and “in a word, outstanding” from Minneapolis Star’s Tom Surowicz.
In 2010, Caviani was one of five finalists for the International Jazz Piano Competition in Jacksonville, FL. She has performed with many luminaries including Karrin Allyson, Toots Thielemans, Stan Getz, Diane Schuur, Bob Mintzer and Dave Liebman. In the Twin Cities, her numerous projects include the Pete Whitman X-tet, whose CD Where’s When? received a 4-star review from Downbeat magazine. She holds degrees from both Lawrence University (BM–Theory/Composition) and The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. (MM–Improvisation) Please visit www.lauracaviani.com to learn more.
Bob Bowman (Bass) is a native of Topeka, Kansas and came from a musical family. At age seven he began playing piano and took up the clarinet at age 10. After hearing a bass solo on a Pete Fountain album, Bob realized his true instrument was the bass.While a freshman in high school Bob won the Topeka Jazz Workshop Scholarship and attended the Stan Kenton Jazz Clinic in Redlands, CA. Bob later attended North Texas State University. In 1976 was invited to join the prestigious Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. He toured with them and recorded several albums including the Grammy Award winning, “Live At Munich.” In 1979 Bob moved to Los Angeles and joined the highly innovative Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabakin Big Band and recorded many albums, both big band and smaller groups, several of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. In 1981 Bob toured South America and Japan with Carmen McRae. He then freelanced in Los Angeles with such names as Bud Shank and Freddie Hubbard.
Most recently Bob has toured extensively with Concord recording artist Karrin Allyson and is featured on many of her numerous recordings. Bob currently resides in Kansas City and teaches at the University of Missouri/Kansas City Conservatory of Music’s School of Jazz Studies. In addition, he leads the critically acclaimed group, Interstring which includes guitarists Danny Embrey and Rod Fleeman, and drummer Todd Strait.
Rich MacDonald (Drums) is a native of Port Huron, Michigan, and was heavily influenced by Motown and rock music in the 1960’s. While attending college at the University of North Texas in the late 1970’s, MacDonald was introduced to the classic jazz of Parker, Gillespie, Davis and Coltrane; modern groups led by Corea, Jarrett and Metheny; and a wide range of big band music. These influences continue to inform his playing today, as a drummer and vibraphonist, performing at jazz venues in the tri-state region of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. He is also principal percussionist with the La Crosse (Wisconsin) Symphony Orchestra.
As a drumset and percussion specialist, Dr. MacDonald has presented clinics throughout the U.S. and Canada. He is an endorsee of Sabian cymbals and Vic Firth sticks and mallets, serving on their respective education teams. Some of MacDonald’s performance credits include: Milt Hinton, Slide Hampton, Arturo Sandoval, George Benson, Eddie Daniels, and three years touring experience with Ice Capades.
