The Dakota Combo, Fourth Edition: Taking Jazz Seriously
© 2009, Andrea Canter
“The Dakota Combo wasn't just about teaching or playing jazz (which I learned as well) but learning about the subtleties, etiquette, and life lessons that go into being a musician.”
-- Carson King-Fournier, trombone, The Juilliard School (Dakota Combo 2008-09)
Saxophonist/jazz educator Tia Fuller talks about the importance of “nurturing the gift as well as the talent... there are lots of people with the gift, but because it is not nurtured, it becomes null and void.” When it comes to young jazz musicians, one way to nurture the gift is to provide opportunities beyond what is normally available through school and private lessons. This is the mission of the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education, and particularly its major project, the Dakota Combo. Now in its fourth year as a joint venture of the Foundation and MacPhail Center for Music, the 2009-2010 edition of the Dakota Combo was selected through open auditions in September, and has since been rehearsing under the direction of MacPhail’s new jazz coordinator, Adam Linz. They’re gearing up for their first public appearance of the year, a Saturday night gig at the famed Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis (December 5th), featuring Tia Fuller as guest artist. That’s just the first big event in a rigorous season of rehearsals, gigs, school visits, clinics and more.
The 2009-10 Dakota Combo (L-R): Quentin Tschofen, Caitlin Keliher, Danny Hupp, Zosha Warpeha, Cameron LeCrone, Anna Buchholz, John Cushing, director Adam Linz (Photo © Andrea Canter)
The Dakota Combo Project
Under the leadership of local trumpet virtuoso/composer/educator Kelly Rossum, then director of Jazz at MacPhail, The Dakota Combo held its first auditions in fall 2006. With guest artist, saxophonist Bobby Watson, the first Dakota Combo performed at the Dakota Jazz Club in December 2006, at the Dakota Foundation Benefit the following January, at the Nomad World Pub in May, and at the 2007 Twin Cities Jazz Festival in June. The following year, the second Combo performed at the Dakota with guest artist Delfeayo Marsalis, later appearing at the new MacPhail Center for Music, winter and summer jazz festivals, and at area schools. In its third year, the Dakota Combo performed at the Dakota with Irvin Mayfield, at the Minnesota Music Educators Convention, at MacPhail, the Twin Cities Jazz Festival and Sommerfest; they spent a day touring area schools, and made the first Dakota Combo recording.
In addition to performances, the student musicians rehearse at MacPhail biweekly throughout the school year, where the emphasis has been on professionalism as much as improvisation an composition. Noted Rossum, the Combo program “provides the loftiest goal and final challenge to the state’s top high school jazz musicians. Plus, it inspires all student jazz musicians to pursue their own goals in music.” Graduates of the first three seasons have gone on to pursue these goals at such prestigious college programs at the Brubeck Institute, Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, The Juilliard School, Lawrence Conservatory and more. Each Combo pianist has also won the Performance Prize at the annual Schubert Club/Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition.
Combo director and bassist Adam Linz minored in piano, which comes in handy during Combo rehearsals. L-R, Adam Linz, QuentinTschofen, Caitlin Keliher.
(Photo © Andrea Canter)
With Rossum’s move to New York in August, the jazz program at MacPhail and leadership of the Combo passed to renowned bassist Adam Linz. When open auditions were held in early September, he was pleased to find 20 students vying for the six or seven positions, and particularly pleased with the diversity of talent pool. “I was really impressed by the maturity of these young people,” he said. “This was the youngest group we've ever had audition. They were all very confident and respectful towards the tradition of the music. They all had great tone as well. That's something that is very hard to teach in a group setting like a combo. As long as they have great sound, filling in the gaps of theory and interplay is easy.”
Not only did a number of underclassmen audition, the selected septet includes one 9th grader and only two seniors. And three of the seven are young women, two more than any of the previous Combos. Linz is well aware of the challenges of leading such an ensemble. One of the challenges is “just getting them to not be over-anxious about playing in the group... Anxiety makes you play so much worse than you are capable.” Another challenge is the nature of playing in a septet rather than the smaller combo and big band experiences typical of most high school musicians. Linz notes that these students will need to learn about “the subtleties of blend, sound, and being a team player. I think all the students are already on their way to that.” And he has high expectations for himself and his students. “I want all these kids to be professional, playing musicians. I want to send the seniors to college knowing that they are ready for the challenges that lay before them.”
During a rehearsal break, Adam picks up the bass.
(Photo © Andrea Canter)
The instrumentation of the 2009-2010 Combo is also diverse, with a violin (played by 9th grader Zosha) among the instruments for the first time. Linz points out that “The violin has always had a role in jazz in the past. Stuff Smith, Ponty, Grapelli, Carter, Maneri. Most recently it has been brought to the forefront of jazz. Like any stringed instrument it has its challenges because of the complexity of the instrument itself. And our violinist is the youngest member of the ensemble. But I think it will all come down to the subtlety of placement and range. Violin and trombone sound very beautiful together.”
Rehearsals have only been underway for about six weeks, yet Linz is already very enthused with the development of the Combo. “These kids are so attentive and respectful. They are not only trying to become better at their instruments, but they are also responsible for the last 120 years of the history of this music. That is a lot to ask of young people! I also want them to be young adults as well and not feel pressured to give up any of their childhood innocence. They are going to need that as they develop as improvisors.”
Meet the Combo
The 2009-10 Dakota Combo features senior Anna Buchholz, alto saxophone (Stillwater High School); junior Danny Hupp, alto/tenor saxophone (Minneapolis Southwest High School); junior John Cushing, trombone (Minnetonka High School); freshman Zosha Warpeha, violin (Princeton High School); sophomore Quentin Tschofen, piano (Lighthouse Program, Spring Lake Park); junior Caitlin Kehliher, acoustic bass (Minneapolis Southwest High School); and returning senior Cameron LeCrone, drums (Minnetonka H.S.). Each has his or her own sources of inspiration and plans for the future.
Anna Buchholz, Stillwater High School (Photo © Andrea Canter)
Anna Buchholz (alto sax) grew up hearing her parents’ music, “particularly Diana Krall and Bruce Hornsby, so I have always been interested in music and a little bit of jazz.” As a fifth grader, she attended a high school jazz concert, “and after hearing them, I knew I wanted to play the saxophone and I wanted to sit on that stage and play jazz.” Her favorite jazz artists include a lot of saxophonists--Art Pepper, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Zoot Sims, and Joshua Redman, as well as Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Brian Blade, Bruce Hornsby, and Diana Krall. In addition to her own band, The Valley Catz, Anna has honed her jazz skills playing with the Concert Band, Concert Choir and Stillwater Jazz I at school, SUPERSAX, The Cody Peterson Quartet, Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, Shell Lake Jazz Camp, and All-State Jazz bands. For her, the Dakota Combo is a chance to “expand my opportunities to play and interact with other individuals who share the same passion for jazz as I do. By the end of the year I would like to play and act professionally in a combo setting.” And when graduation comes around next spring, Anna hopes to be off to college for a double major and in music (jazz) and journalism.
Danny Hupp, Minneapolis Southwest High School (Photo © Andrea Canter)
John Cushing, Minnetonka High School
(Photo © Andrea Canter)
Zosha Warpeha, Princeton High School (Photo © Andrea Canter)
Danny Hupp (alto/tenor sax) was introduced to jazz through his father’s vinyl recordings of Miles Davis, Stan Getz and Art Pepper. Particularly inspired by Getz, he notes that “I listen to his album with Oscar Peterson Trio all the time.” Danny’s been busy with a variety of music projects, including three years with the Southwest High School band, wind ensemble, multiple combos, Shell Lake Jazz Camp ensembles and an indie rock band, We Valedictorians. After graduation (spring 2011), he hopes to continue jazz studies as well as earn a degree in production.
John Cushing (trombone). John’s first instrument was piano, on which he began classical lessons in first grade. In middle school he picked up the trombone, recalling that “the first time I heard the middle school jazz band play was in fifth grade, and I thought it was the most amazing thing I had ever heard.” It was in the middle school band while living in Chicago that John was really turned on to jazz by band director Brian Jacobi, also a trombonist. When John moved to Minnetonka between his 9th and 10th grade years, he continued to play with the school bands, which last year included two members of the Dakota Combo. An alternate for the Combo last year, John has played with MacPhail ensembles, the Allstate Concert Band and Birch Creek Jazz Camp in Door County, and in addition to the Dakota Combo, currently plays with his school bands and the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band. Among his key sources of inspiration, John singles out Chicago trombonist Tom Garling: “I studied with him at camp, and through hearing his experiences playing with Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, and now as a maturing player, he inspires me to be as successful as him in the jazz world. It is impossible to set your goals at players like J.J. Johnson, and Bill Watrous, where wanting to be like Tom is more relative to the times, and I can see through his experiences what I want to do.” And what he wants to do as a member of the Dakota Combo is “to focus my talents this year, but more importantly learn how to play really well with the group this year...like I've been doing it all my life... I definitely want to study music after high school, in that I couldn't imagine life without it.”
Zosha Warpeha (violin). The youngest member of the Dakota Combo also has the longest drive to rehearsals. Like her Combo cohorts, her interest in music and jazz started at home when she “begged my parents for 3 years to let me learn violin-- they gave in at the age of 7. I got into jazz because I just loved the sound of it. I think my first love was a sax quartet CD that I ‘borrowed’ from my brother.” Not surprising, her “favorite musician is Stephane Grappelli--rather typical for a violinist, but he's the greatest. My favorite recordings of his include ‘Uptown Dance,’ ‘All God's Children Got Rhythm,’ ‘Moonlight in Vermont,’ ‘Honeysuckle Rose,’ and many, many more.” Although her first love is violin, Zosha also plays piano, bass and oboe in school bands; she plays violin in the Minnesota Youth Symphony and recently joined the St. Cloud Symphony. And “at the moment I'm in a band called the String Chickens. We play a mix of bluegrass, folk, rock, and jazz--all at the same time.” The Dakota Combo offered Zosha a chance to perform jazz on the violin. “I auditioned for the Combo in hopes of finding a place to play jazz on my instrument, but in a setting that doesn't put me on a C flute part. In other words, a ‘standard’ jazz band that accepts a violin as more than a cool effect and is willing to work with it, instead of blowing the violin off as a classical instrument. I really hope that I gain a broader understanding of jazz and improvisation from the Combo, and also gain a place in jazz.” College is a few years away, but Zosha notes “I'm positive that music will stay a major part of my life no matter what I go into.”
Quentin Tschofen, Lighthouse Program, Spring Lake Park (Photo © Andrea Canter)Quentin Tschofen (piano). Quentin, too, heard a lot of music at home, and “was drawn to jazz by by its rhythms and complexity. You can always be surprised listening to jazz.” He notes a long list of pianists from whom he takes inspiration, including Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett, Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Jaki Byard, Craig Taborn, Joe Zawinul, Danilo Perez, Tommy Flanagan, Ahmad Jamal, Kenny Barron, Paul Bley, Fred Hersch and more. “I have also been heavily influenced by my teachers, Bryan Nichols and Kelly Rossum.” In addition to piano studies with Nichols, Quentin has attended MacPhail’s summer jazz camps, participated in MacPhail combos, MITY, and Minnesota Youth Jazz Band. “I've been interested in the Dakota Combo since I heard them playing at MacPhail a couple of years ago,” says Quentin. “I'm looking for as many opportunities to play jazz as possible. Both Bryan Nichols and Kelly Rossum have told me that it is important to play a lot, and to play with people who push your abilities. I think this certainly will be the case with the Dakota Combo. I hope to increase my abilities as a jazz musician, composer and arranger.” Quentin plans to continue jazz studies after graduation in two years.
Caitlin Kehliher, Minneapolis Southwest High School (Photo © Andrea Canter)Caitlin Keliher (bass) remembers that there was always music playing at home, but it was an open house at the MacPhail Center for Music when she was six that introduced her to the bass. “I immediately decided that I wanted to play it.” After studying classical bass, she was introduced to jazz through the big band music of her 8th grade school band. Jazz lessons followed, along with a workshop at McNally Smith College. Caitlin’s experience now includes the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony, chamber, symphonic and jazz ensembles with the Southwest High School music program, Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, classical camps and the Birch Creek Jazz Camp. In addition to the Dakota Combo, she current plays with the Southwest orchestra and big band, GTCYS and MYJB. Among jazz bassists, she has been particularly inspired by Christian McBride, Ray Brown, Ron Carter and Paul Chambers, and notes that “More recently I have become interested in Stanley Clarke, Esperanza Spalding, and Ben Allison (in his work with Steven Bernstein's Millennial Orchestra).” An alternate for the Combo last year, Caitlin auditioned “because I wanted to challenge myself with something I am very ardent about. I hope to gain more knowledge about the jazz realm, including what it would be like to continue playing music professionally. I want to be in a tough environment where I can grow.” With high school graduation a year away, Caitlin is pondering her future, and plans to “continue playing music, no matter what I end up doing in the rest of my life.”
Cameron LeCrone, Minnetonka High School (Photo © Andrea CanterCameron LeCrone, the only student returning from the 2008-09 Combo, “started playing percussion in 5th grade, but my interest in music (and playing drums seriously) didn’t spark until 7th grade when I discovered rock music in earnest. I became interested in jazz through my older brother Geoff, who is an avid jazz guitarist [and alum of the Dakota Combo], and started pursuing it seriously at the beginning of my sophomore year in high school.” Among his sources of inspiration, he cites Brian Blade, Ari Hoenig, Jeff Ballard, Paul Motian and Tony Williams, “as well as the fantastic drummers from Minneapolis such as JT Bates, Dave King, Phil Hey, Jay Epstein and Kevin Washington.” Cameron first saw the Dakota Combo perform two years ago “and I got an even better perspective of it when my older brother was a member last year. Small group jazz is my favorite style to play... It's pretty cool when the drummer is treated as a member of the group rather than the guy in the back.” He wanted the opportunity for another year with the Combo, and was “excited about the idea of working with Adam, because I’ve only heard great things about him as an instructor through some of my friends.” With a busy senior year (he played with the MMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble this summer and, in addition to the Combo, plays with the Minnetonka High School Jazz Ensemble and Minnesota Youth Jazz Band), he’s looking to “pursue a Jazz Studies/Performance degree after I graduate and hopefully double major in something math or science related.”
The first public performance of the Dakota Combo will be December 5th at 8 pm at the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis (1010 Nicollet Mall) with special guest artist Tia Fuller. An open clinic for student jazz musicians will follow on December 6th at 1 pm at the MacPhail Center for Music (501 South Second Street, Minneapolis).
“This group is the reason I take jazz seriously...I have learned not only what it means to be a professional musician but it has also taught me what kind of person I want to be...These young men and women that I have played with have become not only my colleagues but also close friends and I would have to rank being in the Dakota Combo as one of the most important experiences in my musician career thus far.” – Jake Baldwin, trumpet, New England Conservatory of Music (Dakota Combo, 2007-08 and 2008-09,)
For further information about the Dakota Combo, visit www.dakotacombo.org. The Dakota Combo is funded through donations to the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education; please visit www.dfje.org for information about the Foundation and to make a donation. For reservations for the December 5th performance at the Dakota, visit www.dakotacooks.com