Litchfield Jazz Camp Alumni

Litchfield Jazz Camp Teaching Assistants l Alumni Litchfield Jazz Camp is proud to invite the following talented musicians to join the Jazz Camp as Assistants to our Teaching Artists. All but one of these talented young people began as students at the Litchfield Jazz Camp as teenagers. They all went on to prestigious jazz studies programs, many on scholarship. They return now to a program that inspired them and encouraged their talent to give back to the current student body.

		Adam Christgau, Drums Greenwich, CT Adam Christgau, a Litchfield, CT native, began at Litchfield Jazz Camp as a student in the very first year (1997). Adam graduated from the Hartford Academy of Performing Arts. He then received his Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies at SUNY Purchase where he studied privately with John Riley. While at Purchase Adam played drums for the Purchase Latin Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Ray Vega, with whom he later played for a year and a half outside of school. Currently Adam has been touring the country with various musical groups to such music festivals as South By Southwest in Austin, TX. He has also been writing music for short films and internet commercials, and has made appearances on MSNBC as well as a spot on the soundtrack for the Showtime TV show “Weeds.” www.myspace.com/adamchristgau.

		Richie Barshay, Drums New York, NY Percussionist Richie Barshay, most noted as a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet since 2003, has established himself as a prominent musical voice of his generation. Regarded as a "player to watch" by JazzTimes magazine, he maintains a busy international touring schedule with some of today's top artists including Herbie Hancock, George Garzone, Dominique Eade, the Klezmatics and many others. In September of 2004 he was named an American Musical Envoy by the U.S. State Department, along with the renowned Latin-Jazz ensemble Insight. A presence on the Boston music scene since 2001, Richie began playing Jazz and Latin-American music during his youth and has expanded his focus to Indian rhythmic concepts and tabla, inspiring his 2005 recording debut "Homework" and the launching of his new band, The Richie Barshay Project. Richie is a recent graduate from New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. Most recently Richie has been playing with the Kenny Werner Trio. www.richiebarshay.com

		Luques Curtis, Bass New York, NY While still in elementary school, bassist Luques Curtis performed with the great Chucho Valdes on baby bass in a Manhattan club. Now, after graduation from Berklee College of Music, he is developing a reputation as one of the most versatile and in-demand bass players on the scene. His most recent honor was a 2007 Grammy Award for his contribution to the Bryan Lynch/Eddie Palmeri album "Simpatico." He performs with his brother pianist Zaccai Curtis as a member of the bands Insight (appearing on the 2007 Litchfield Jazz Festival) and Rhythmic Prophesy. He tours internationally with the Donald Harrison Quintet, The Ralph Peterson Sextet, the Gary Burton Quintet, the Christian Scott group, Sean Jones, the Fort Apache Band, and many others. He has studied with Dave Santoro, Andy Gonzalez, Carlos Del Puerto, John Lockwood, Ron Mahdee, Mickey Bass and Volkan Orhan. Luques began at Litchfield Jazz Camp as a 13-year-old student. www.curtisbrothersmusic.com

		Zaccai Curtis, Piano New York, NY Zaccai Curtis has been performing since the age of five. As a high school student, he was recognized by Down Beat Magazine as a top young performer and chosen as the pianist for the National Grammy Band Small Combo. Zaccai now focuses on his quartet and on his seven-piece band "Insight." In the seven years that "Insight" has been together, they have traveled across the U.S. and to Cuba on two separate occasions to perform in the Havana Jazz Festival. They will perform this year at the Litchfield Jazz Festival. Zaccai also performs with the Ralph Peterson Septet and Trio, with Bill Saxton, Christian Scott, Sean Jones, Jimmy Greene, Papo Vasquez, Kendrick Oliver’s New Life Orchestra, and many others. In 2001 he was commissioned to arrange Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol" to be played by "Insight" with the Hartford Symphony Chamber Orchestra. He won the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer's Competition 2003 through 2006. In 2006, Zaccai and three of Insight’s rhythm section members performed abroad for the U.S. Department of State’s Jazz Ambassadors Program. The quartet performed in Bangladesh, Calcutta, Bangalore, Mumbai, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In 2007, Zaccai was awarded the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism’s Artist Fellowship for original composition. www.curtisbrothersmusic.com

		Caroline Davis, Alto Sax Chicago, IL Caroline Davis finds her creative voice as a musician in the Chicago area as well as a Ph.D candidate in Music Cognition at Northwestern University. She holds undergraduate degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington in Psychology and Jazz Studies. Her dissertation project aims to understand how creative musical collaboration associates with how one finds meaning in music. In 2005, Caroline received the Distinguished Graduate Student Award for her presentation on jazz communication at the Performance Matters conference in Portugal. She was also selected as one of five young female jazz musicians to form the 2006 Sisters in Jazz, a group devoted to the mentorship of women in jazz. She has also been a teaching assistant at the UTA Summer Music, Birch Creek Jazz Camp and Litchfield Jazz Camp. Caroline continues to balance her academic interests with performances in collaborative ensembles, including Zing!, Tomorrow Music Orchestra, James Davis Quintet, Never Enough Hope, Ear to the Ground Quartet, and Pedway. Photo by Jos L. Knaepen. www.myspace.com/carolinedavisjazz

		James Davis, Trumpet Chicago, IL James Davis began playing the trumpet at age 11. Born and raised in Waxahachie, Texas, he holds a Master of Music degree in trumpet performance from the University of North Texas where he also toured and recorded with the Grammy-nominated One O'clock Lab Band. Now residing in Chicago, James leads his own quintet and co-directs the ensemble Zing! and performs regularly with a number of jazz and creative music ensembles. He is a faculty member at Triton College in River Grove, IL, and on staff at local high schools in the Chicago area as a private instructor. James was a 2007 finalist in the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition and a 2004 finalist in the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Improvisation Competition. In 2005, he was a touring member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, in which he was a featured soloist. James has performed and/or recorded with the Tomorrow Music Orchestra, Chuchito Valdes Latin Jazz Quintet, Rob Parton's Jazztech Big Band, and other jazz, classical and Latin music groups. Recordings of the James Davis Quintet and Zing! are available from ears&eyes Records. James joined the Litchfield Jazz Camp as a student beginning in 2003. www.jcdavis.org

		Andrew Hadro, Baritone Sax New York, NY Andrew Hadro was born in Mexico City and spent his childhood in São Paulo, moving to the Chicago area in 1991. There, Hadro began his studies on the flute and took on the baritone saxophone soon thereafter. He has performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and, extensively, with Chico Hamilton. In 2006, Hamilton released four albums on which Andrew is featured. Hadro is a recent graduate of New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City and is active on the New York jazz scene. He is involved in several projects, including performances with his own band. "Andrew Hadro floats over the subtle ebb and flows with a dry, wispy clarinet clarinet sound." - John McDonough Downbeat Magazine. www.andrewhadro.com

		Andrew Lipow, Guitar New York, NY Originally from New Rochelle, New York, Andrew Lipow began studying music formally during high school when he was introduced to the music of Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery from a friend. Soon after, Andrew became a scholarship student at the Litchfield Jazz Camp and was continuously inspired by the atmosphere, faculty and student body of the camp. After graduating high school, Andrew enrolled at Vassar College as a Music Performance major in classical guitar. While in college, Andrew began forming his own groups in a multitude of genres. Upon seeing one of Andrew’s performances, Kate Taylor (sister of James) hired Andrew to tour during his breaks from college. In this context, Andrew was given the opportunity to perform alongside Carly Simon, Arlen Roth, Felicia Collins, Mark Pender and Levon Helm. Now a rising star in the modern jazz and folk scene, Andrew has been called on to accompany songwriting greats such as Dar Williams, Devon Sproule and has recorded with jazz great Ralph Peterson.http://www.myspace.com/andrewlipow

		Andrei Matorin, Violin New York, NY A native of Brazil, Andrei Matorin began studying violin at age 6 while living in Boston. By the age of 10, he had already enrolled in the Conservatoire de Geneve in Switzerland. Eventually, after moving back to the US, he became fascinated by jazz and joined the Jazz Program at New England Conservatory's Prep School where he was the sole recipient of the Jazz Department Award. Andrei then enrolled at Berklee College of Music on a scholarship. Currently, Andrei Matorin is in his last year of study at Berklee where he is pursuing a dual major of Jazz Composition and Performance. He has been the recipient of Berklee's String Department Award and had his composition featured in the yearly "Best of Jazz Composition Concert." More recently he was selected to participate in Betty Carter's 2008 Jazz Ahead Residency Program, a program which "identifies outstanding, emerging jazz artists in their mid-teens and twenties." Andrei has performed with renowned musicians such as Bob Moses, Tiger Okoshi, Rosa Passos, Christian Scott, Oscar Stagnaro, among many others and performs regularly with the Andrei Matorin Quartet. Andrei is a Litchfield Jazz Camp alumnus. Photo Credit: Antonio Montiero. www.andreimatorin.com "After my junior year of High School, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to pursue music as a career. The two weeks I spent at Litchfield Jazz Camp that summer made the decision really easy!!" – Andrei Matorin

		Albert Rivera, Tenor Sax New York, NY Albert Rivera got his introduction to jazz at LaGuardia H.S for Performing Arts. He continued his studies with a degree from New School University Jazz and Contemporary Music Program in 2005. Since then he has played at venues like New York’s Sweet Rhythm, Zinc Bar, Cleopatra’s Needle, The River Room, 55 Bar, and Dizzy’s Club Coco. His love of working with vocalists has paired him with Sheila Jordan, Rene Marie and Jay Clayton. In 2005, he joined his mentor and teacher at New School, pianist Junior Mance, for a guest appearance at The Litchfield Jazz Festival. He has toured Canada, New England and Southern States. He appears often in Connecticut with his own quartet and as a member of the Dana Lauren Quartet at venues like Firehouse 12 in New Haven, The Mezzanine, Szechuan Tokyo and La Paloma in Hartford. www.albertriverajazz.com.

		Nick Roseboro, Trumpet New York, NY Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Nick Roseboro was exposed to jazz by his friends at the age of 13. Recognizing his talent, his middle school teacher “coerced” Nick into playing in the jazz band, which led to musical travels in Europe. Completely committed by the end of high school, Nick moved to New York City to attend New School University where he studied with Reggie Workman, Billy Harper, Junior Mance, Eddie Henderson and Rachel Z and graduated in 2005. He appears as a guest artist with Rachel Z and has performed with Joe Chambers, Rene Marie, Kenny Barron, and Ralph Peterson. He performs regularly with his own group, the Nick Roseboro Quartet. www.nickroseboro.com

		Julian Shore, Piano Boston, MA Born in Rhode Island, pianist Julian Shore will be a senior in the fall at Berklee College of Music. He has performed with artists such as Chris Cheek, Marcus Strickland, Ferenc Nemeth, Hal Crook, Jerome Sabbagh, Francisco Pais and many other prominent musicians around New England. During his time at Berklee he has studied piano under Danilo Perez, Frank Calberg and Vardan Ovsepian and has rehearsed and performed in ensembles lead by Hal Crook, Dave Santoro, and Dave Samuels. Julian was a student at the Litchfield Jazz Camp for a number of summers before he joined us as a teaching assistant. www.julianshore.com, www.myspace.com/julianshore

		Nicole Zuraitis, Vocalist Litchfield, CT Nicole Zuraitis, a native of Litchfield, CT, began attending the Litchfield Jazz Camp at age 12. A recent graduate from New York University, Nicole begun pursuing her jazz career around the tri-state area. While she studied mainly classical voice at NYU, Nicole took advantage of everything New York City had to offer by attending all kinds of live performances which strongly influenced her unique ear and sensibility for jazz. Nicole has performed from NYC to Italy and in 2006 she won 1st place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing University Competition in New York City. As vocal teaching assistant at the Litchfield Jazz Camp she has been blessed to perform and learn from Dena Derose, Don Braden, Mario Pavone, Karrin Allyson and Bill Henderson. A self proclaimed perfectionist, Nicole's voice is as pure and melodious as they come and is setting the bar for the industries upcoming jazz vocalists. On the heels of her debut CD, Nicole will be appearing on the Litchfield Jazz Festival on August 2, 2008. Nicole has been a Teaching Assistant at the Litchfield Jazz Camp since 2005. www.nicolezuraitis.com

Litchfield Jazz Camp Alumni The following young musicians attended the Litchfield Jazz Camp in the past and have gone on to study and work in the industry. We are proud of their accomplishments and encourage you to keep an eye out for them in the future.


		Jack Goldbas, Drums Simsbury, CT Jake Goldbas lives in Simsbury, Connecticut, where he is a senior at Simsbury High School and the Greater Hartford Academy for the Performing Arts. He started playing drums at age 6. He plays in many different groups in the Hartford area including the Greater Hartford Academy Jazz Sextet, The Real Ambassadors Jazz choir, The Greater Hartford Academy Big Band, and the Simsbury High School Jazz Combo. In addition to these groups, he performs frequently with the area's top professional musicians. He has had the honor to perform with artists such as Dave Brubeck, Jimmy Greene, Kurt Elling, Jon Hendricks, Cecil Bridgewater, Claudio Roditi, and Paul Brown. Jake has received many awards, most notably the Level I National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Award 2007, for the IAJE Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship All Stars. Jake will be touring France this summer with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and beginning his studies at Manhattan School of Music in the fall. www.myspace.com/jakegoldbas

		Dana Lauren, Voice Boston, MA Dana Lauren (Berkowitz) won honors at the 2006 Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival for piano performance, jazz choir and was Outstanding Vocal Soloist. That same year, she recorded her debut CD, "I'll Be Seeing You," with a quintet of Litchfield Jazz Camp’s talented teaching assistants. In 2006 and 2007, Dana received honorable mention for Jazz Voice by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. She is currently a student at the New England Conservatory of Music. Dana has been touring with Arturo Sandoval’s band since November of 2006, making her professional debut with a week-long engagement at Sculler’s Jazz Club in Boston, followed by performances in Miami and at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. She will appear again with Mr. Sandoval at Birdland in August 2007 and frequently performs with her own quartet. Dana attended the Litchfield Jazz Camp in 2005 and 2006. www.myspace.com/DanaLaurenjazz

		Alex Wintz, Guitar Boston, MA Alex Wintz was chosen for the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship All-Stars, a five-piece combo chosen from an international pool of talented high school students, established by IAJE and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. The program’s alums include Harry Connick Jr., Dianne Reeves, Roy Hargrove, and Geoff Keezer. Alex is a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. While at the Morristown High School in New Jersey he performed in the New Jersey All State Jazz Ensemble, New York Youth Symphony Jazz Band Classic, Morristown High Jazz Ensemble, and New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Jazz For Teens as well as the Litchfield Jazz Camp (2004). He has appeared on New Jersey Public Television, the Comcast Network, and CBS. www.myspace.com/alexwintz

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