 2015 John Moawad Jazz Festival
Vocal Jazz Day
Friday, May 15, 2015 Jazz Band Day
Saturday, May 16, 2015
The John Moawad invitational Jazz Festival is open to all high school and middle school jazz bands and choirs. For all the details, please check our Festival Information page. Register Online 2015 Guest Artists
 Friday May 15th 2015
Greta Matassa is one of the most talented singers working in jazz today. She has been voted "Northwest Vocalist of the Year" by Earshot Jazz seven times in 15 years!. Greta has been a mainstay on Seattle's Jazz stages for many years and with her recent successful dates at New York's Dizzy's Club at Lincoln Center, tours of Russia, Singapore and Hawaii and Japan, Greta's sound is now reaching new audiences. Greta has released seven CD's on the respected jazz label Origin Records and a DVD live concert with guitarist Mimi Fox. Her latest cd "I Wanna be Loved" Resonance Records was critically acclaimed. Greta is also a respected and generous teacher. She has been on faculty at Jazz Camp West, Drayton Harbor Jazz Festival and The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. She has a thriving private teaching practice and is releasing an instuctional e-book in 2014 and new CD is coming in 2015. - "Boppish, Snappy and conversational"- Downbeat
- "Worldly, gentle, bold, dynamic, Favorites From a Long Walk is a gift for the heart. Greta Matassa is one of America's finest singers, and stands firmly among the best in today's jazz." —Jazz Review
- "Matassa is a Seattle treasure." Seattle Times
- "Her scatting is as confident, nimble an energetic as Ella's and her phrasing is hip like Nancy Wilson's" -Earshot Jazz
 Saturday, May 16th
Dick Oatts was raised in a musical family in Iowa. He was introduced to the saxophone by his father Jack Oatts, a respected jazz educator and saxophonist. After high school, Dick attended Drake University and in 1972 he began his professional career in Minneapolis/St. Paul. It was 1977 when Oatts decided to move to New York City. He then became a member if the Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Orchestra. Since then he has recorded and toured with small groups such as Red Rodney, Eddie Gomez, Vic Juric, Bob Brookmeyer, Mel Lewis, Dom Salvador, Jerry Bergonzi, Flim & the BB`s, Fred Hersch, Dave Berkman, Terell Stafford, Jon Faddis, Lalo Schiffrin and Ray Mantilla. His big band and larger group experience include performances with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Mel Lewis, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Lester Bowie, Joe Lovano, Sam Jones-Tom Harrell, Paquito D`Rivera, Jim McNeely, Tito Puente, Kenny Wheeler, and Gunther Schuller. Oatts has also been featured with the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Danish Radio Big Band, Norboton Jazz Orchestra, and the UMO Big Band in Helsinki. He has accompanied such vocalists as Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Neene Freelon, Mel Torme, and Milton Nascimento. He has recorded solos for pop artists Luther Vandross, James Taylor, and Everything But the Girl. Oatts is a Steeplechase recording artist and has released 6 cd’s as a leader. He has also released 3 cd’s as a leader on the DMP label with pianist and co-leader, Garry Dial. For 30 years, Mr. Oatts has appeared at college jazz festivals as a soloist and clinician throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, South America, and the Middle East. Prior to his appointment at Boyer College of Music and Dance, Professor Oatts was a member of the Manhattan School of Music Faculty since 1989 and has been artist-in-residence at the Amsterdam Conservatory since 1997. |
