JAZZ

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home in the Bay Area. Fans are delighted by this New Orleans native that the San Francisco Chronicle describes as “the Superman of the Bay Area jazz scene, a vocalist with an exuberantly supple tenor that glides effortlessly into the stratosphere.” With this growing recognition, Washington was voted a “Rising Star” in the male vocals category in the 57th annual Downbeat Critics’ Poll. Washington has also appeared at Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Some recent performances abroad include a tour of Japan and three tours of Russia.

Paul Contos on saxes and flutes is a master at combining technical wizardry and musical fluidity. Paul has been a favorite of local music fans and jazz aficionados for over 30 years. A woodwind and saxophone artist extraordinaire, he continues to impress audiences with his virtuosity, versatility, clarity and warmth of sound.

Jamie Dubberly holds a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in music from the Hartt School of Music. He has toured four continents and over 20 countries with ensembles ranging from chamber music, symphony orchestras, Broadway-style ”pit” orchestras, to salsa and Latin jazz. He performed on national and international tours of several Broadway productions, and has formed his own band, “Orquesta Dharma”.

Clint Day has been an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College for more than 30 years. He attended Columbia College as a music major in the 80s and went on to get his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at San Jose State. Among his many positions, he was director of vocal jazz at UC Berkeley and instructor of jazz piano and jazz history at several community colleges. He performs on piano as well as bass and vocals. He is a founding member of the Mic Gillette Band.

Mike Rocha, a three-time Grammy-nominated and globally acclaimed trumpeter and composer, has had a robust recording and performance career in Los Angeles. Mike has recorded on several feature films and TV shows including “Ford vs. Ferrari,” “The Secret Life of Pets 2,” “Shaft,” and the “Color Purple” (2023), “Luke Cage,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Riverdale” and more. Among the notable artists that Rocha has played and recorded with are Christina Aguilera, Bob Dylan, Gwen Stefani, Panic at the Disco, Lorde, Gordon Goodwin’s Big (and little!) Phat Band, where he still holds the jazz soloist seat, Miguel Atwood-ferguson, Nai Palm, Jeff Bernat, Postmodern Jukebox, the John Daversa Big Band, the Alan Chan Big Band, and the Vardan Ovsepian Chamber Ensemble. Mike has also performed at Coachella and the Governors Ball in New

York. While doing all of that, Mike taught trumpet and gave lectures at Occidental College, Mount San Jacinto Community College, El Camino Community College, and Miracosta Community College, as well as serving as acting brass coach at Harvard-westlake High School. In addition, Mike co-led the Lappit-rocha septet, performing his original jazz compositions all over Los Angeles and culminating with the recording of their debut album, “First Take.”

The Columbia Jazz Artist Series will continue with a performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, of the Columbia Big Band with special guest Alex Lucero at the Armory in downtown Sonora. Tickets cost $20 and will be available at the door or at the Mountain Bookshop in The Junction shopping center.

For additional information, email jazzseries@sbcglobal.net.

— Submitted by the Columbia Artist Jazz Series