Portrait Album - NSU Jazz

Tracks:

1. Mugshot - Russell Malone, arr. Arthur White
2. To Benny Golson - Russell Malone, arr. Arthur White
3. The Read Sea - Bob Mintzer, arr. Arthur White
4. The Love We Had Yesterday - Bobby Watson/Pamela Watson, arr. Arthur White
5. The Multitudes - Eric Person, arr. Arthur White
6. Portrait of Art Blakey - Arthur White
7. We've Found the Main Nerve - Daniel Thompson
8. Cats & Kittens - Peter Erskine, arr. Arthur White
9. Go East Young Man - Mulgrew Miller, arr. Arthur White
10. You Should Know Better - Russell Malone, arr. Arthur White

• Arthur White, director/saxophone solo on The Multitudes
• Russell Malone, guitar on all tracks

Saxophones:

• Alto 1: Soprano - Zach Eldridge, Verdigris, OK (solos on The Read Sea, Go East Young Man)
• Alto 1: Tracy Patterson, Tonkawa, OK (solo on To Benny Golson)
• Alto 2: Violin - Zirl Hopkins, Spavinaw, OK (solo on Portrait of Art Blakey)
• Tenor 1: Ross Loney, Tulsa, OK (solo on Portrait of Art Blakey)
• Tenor 1: Chris Beard, Claremore, OK (solo on Cats & Kittens)
• Baritone: Jonathan Rice, Checotah, OK (solo on Mugshot)

Trumpets:

• Kristen Layne, Wagoner, OK (lead on 1,4,6,7,9,10)
• Kyle Williams, Wilburton, OK (lead on 2,8)
• Michael Black, Sand Springs, OK (lead on 3,5)
• Timothy Moore, Grove, OK (solo on Mugshot)

Trombones:

• Aaron Hollon, lead, Verdigris, OK (solos on The Red Sea, To Benny Golson, Go East Young Man)
• Danielle Embrey, Coweta, OK (solo on You Should Know Better)
• Blake Peters, Tulsa, OK (first guitar solo on Cats & Kittens)
• Trevor Moore, bass, Tulsa, OK (solo on Cats & Kittens)

Rhythm:

• Daniel Thompson, piano, Tulsa, OK (solos on We've Found the Main Nerve, Go East Young Man)
• Greg Breeding, vibes, Heavener, OK (drums on Portrait of Art Blakey, Go East Young Man)
• Gerad Breeding, bass, Heavener, OK
• Tony Hankins, drums (all other tracks), Verdigris, OK

About the Artists

Russell Malone is one of the world's foremost guitarists and jazz musicians. A Georgia native, Russell began his career with the legendary organist Jimmy Smith, and had very successful and critically acclaimed stints with Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, and Benny Green. Russell has recorded as a solo artist for the Columbia, Verve, and MAXJazz labels, and his albums have been a commercial and critical success. He has performed and recorded with a veritable Who's Who in jazz, including Ron Carter, Mulgrew Miller, Ray Brown, Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove, Branford Marsalis, and others. Russell was also a featured performer in Robert Altman's 1996 feature film Kansas City.

Dr. Arthur White is emerging nationally as a saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He has recorded with jazz legends Dewey Redman, Fred Wesley, Chris Murrell, Scott Wendholt, Bobby Watson, Henry Johnson, Robin Eubanks, and now with the great Russell Malone. He has recently arranged music for notable jazz musicians such as Bob Sheppard, Andy Narell, Robin Eubanks, Mike Mainieri, and Mulgrew Miller, among others. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by college bands across the country. White was named the 20007 Oklahoma Jazz Educator of the year.

The NSU Jazz Ensemble is the flagship ensemble of the Jazz Studies Program at Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The band has recently performed with internationally recognized jazz musicians such as Peter Erskine, Robin Eubanks, bob Mintzer, Mulgrew Miller, Paul Hanson, Carl Saunders, the Four Freshman, Mike Mainieri, Kevin Mahogany, Bobby Watson, and Randy Brecker, among numerous others. NSU is the only higher education institution in Oklahoma to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies. The NSU Jazz Lab, a unique state-of-the-art performance and recoding facility, is the home for NSU Jazz Studies. NSU hosts the Green Country Jazz Festival, which is the longest-running jazz festival in the state. NSU Jazz has previously released four critically acclaimed CDs; Portrait is the band's fifth CD.

Recorded May 7-8, 2009, NSU Jazz Lab, Tahlequah, OK

• Producer - Arthur White
• Co-produced, engineered, and mastered - Shane Ohlson
• Production Consultation - Russell Malone
• Photography - Pete Henshaw and Aaron Moore

From Arthur White

I choose Portrait as the title for this recoding, my final one with this terrific band, for a few reasons. Of course, it's part of the title of my original composition. However, it means much more than that. This recording is representative of what we have accomplished. It portrays the concept of what we've established. It is a description of what this program is, and is also a glimpse into its future, one for which I am very excited.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have led this program, and would like to extend sincere thanks to the following:

• Dr. Don Betz, President of Northeastern State University
• Dr. Dalton Bigbee, Kim Cherry, Mark Kinders, Dr. Ed Huckeby, Dr. Paul Westbrook
• John Gyllin, Executive Director of the NSU Foundation
• The faculty of the Department of Performing Arts, Music
• Judy Dunkin, Phyllis Wilmon, Jennifer Ohlson
• Louise Holland and Vision Arts Management

In addition, I want to use this forum to thank some very special people:

• Russell Malone, for sharing your amazing gift with us, and giving us the experience of a lifetime
• Shane Ohlson, for keeping me in check and being the best right hand man anyone could ask for
• All of the artists who shared their music with us for this recording
• Megan White, for so many reasons

Finally, I want to thank the students who poured their souls into this recording. You gave everything you had to give, and have for so many years. You have my complete respect and gratitude.

I hope you enjoy this CD, and I hope you will continue to support this great school and program for years to come.

Cheers!
AW
5/23/09, 2:00 AM