Bill Sears has put together an incredible quintet to kick off The Alluvion Jazz Series (an 8 concert series spanning January-June featuring a unique array of world class jazz artists from near and far.) The evening is titled "With One Accord" and will feature and all-star band:

Saxophone - Bill Sears

Piano - Xavier Davis

Bass - Rodney Whitaker

Guitar - Bobby Ferrazza

Drums - Keith Hall

Saxophonist Bill Sears is revered by jazz audiences throughout the state of Michigan and the Upper Midwest. A native of Racine, Wisconsin, Bill received the BM and MM degrees from Indiana University after which he moved to Chicago, quickly becoming a core member of the city's vibrant jazz scene. Bill moved to the Grand Traverse region in 1987 when he accepted the position as Director of Jazz Studies and instructor of saxophone at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a position he held for 34 years until his retirement in May of 2021. An engaging jazz stylist steeped in the tradition of the masters of his instrument, he can be heard performing with his own groups; with Sears and Sears-a jazz quintet he co-leads with his wife Laurie; with various other groups in and around Northern and West Michigan; and he is proud to be a charter member of the Traverse Symphony Jazz Orchestra. Bill enjoyed touring the US and Europe with the Ray Charles band. Additional jazz greats with whom he has performed include Dizzy Gillespie, Bob James, Peter Erskine, Geoffrey Keezer, Rick Margitza, Rodney Whitaker, saxophonist Bill Evans and many others. He has shared the stage with a plethora of great vocalists in the jazz and popular genres including, but not limited to: Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick, Natalie Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Lou Rawls, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Wayne Newton and Maureen McGovern; and groups such as The Temptations, Four Tops, Spinners, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Manhattan Transfer, Supremes, Liberace, Henry Mancini, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Gladys Knight and the Pips. He has been a contracted saxophonist with the Grand Rapids and Traverse Symphony Orchestras for many years and has also appeared with the Indianapolis, South Bend and Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestras. Appearing on about 20 albums, Bill has released two CD’s as a leader: Chasin’ The Goal with fellow saxophonist Rick Margitza, and With One Accord with the Arts Center Jazz Collective. Both albums feature not only his unique voice as a saxophonist and improviser, but several of his original compositions. Bill and Laurie are happy to reside in Traverse City and together they enjoy hiking, biking, traveling, pickleball and spending time with good friends. They have two grown daughters and three grandchildren that they love to spoil!

Grammy winning artist, Xavier Davis began his career as pianist with the legendary vocalist BettyCarter. Xavier has appeared on over 80 albums. His most recent release, “Rise Up Detroit”, on Detroit Music Factory, reached the top ten in the JazzWeek charts. Most recently Xavier has been seen working with Regina Carter, Jeremy Pelt, Christian McBride, Steve Turre, René Marie, TheDetroit Symphony Orchestra, and Black Art Jazz Collective. He also worked with trumpeter TomHarrell and vibraphonist Stefon Harris regularly. In addition, Xavier has performed and/or recorded with Abbey Lincoln, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Heath, Usher, Yolanda Adams, JoeLovano, John Faddis, Nat Adderley, Nicholas Payton, Al Foster, Russell Malone, among many others. After six years of teaching at The Juilliard School in New York, Xavier joined the stellar faculty of the Michigan State University jazz program in 2014 where he is currently the Associate Professor of Jazz Piano.

Internationally renowned, innovative Jazz bassist, Rodney Whitaker, is one of the leading performers of double bass in the world and a Michigan State University distinguished professor of jazz double bass, director of Jazz Studies, and is always joined by a group of unique, soulful, and talented individuals to perform exhilarating and enlightening programs of yesterday's, today's, and tomorrow's music. Whitaker has toured extensively with famed jazz trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis. In addition, Rodney has appeared and presented master classes all over the world, at the International Association of Jazz Educators Conferences, Barbican, Australia, Duke University, Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Howard University, Georgetown University, Temple University, and countless other universities. He is featured on more than 178+recordings—from film to compact discs and has performed with, The Marsalis Family (Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo), Natalie Cole, Bob James, Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Shirley Horn, Kathleen Battle, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Cassandra Wilson, Mulgrew Miller, Chick Corea, Pat Matheny, Jimmy Heath, Antonio Hart, John Lewis, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jon Faddis just to name a few. He’s also performed with Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson, Donald Byrd, Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan, Marian McPartland, Hank Jones, Frank Morgan, and Betty "Be-Bop" Carter. Whether innovative bassist, composer, recording artist, educator, and mentor Rodney Whitaker is performing music, conducting a master class, recording, or making plans for the future of jazz with members of the community, he has whole-heartedly embraced JAZZ legacy’s life-force with an integral pledge of distinction, integrity and great promise.

Bobby Ferrazza was born in Cleveland Ohio and began studying the guitar at fifteen years of age after having developed a passion for music from listening to rock and the popular music of the time. Very shortly after picking up the guitar, Ferrazza’s interests branched out dramatically into many diverse forms of music including classical, blues, ragtime, bluegrass and others. But it wasn’t until he heard a George Benson record that Ferrazza started to concentrate his efforts on jazz, an entirely new genre to him. During his first year on the guitar, Ferrazza sought out jazz guitar legend Bill deArango for lessons. DeArango had been a jazz star in the 1940s, having played with all of the greats of those days: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Ben Webster and many others. The lessons with deArango were extremely formative for Ferrazza who went on to study music at the Cleveland State University. Other lessons followed with jazz guitar greats such as Joe Pass and Pat Martino.Having been a professional musician for over 30 years, Ferrazza has performed all over the United States and beyond, including such places as Europe, Africa, Australia and Japan, concertizing with some of the most celebrated musicians in the world, including: Donald Byrd, Joey DeFrancesco, Joe Lovano, Stevie Wonder, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, J.J. Johnson, Slide Hampton, Curtis Fuller, Billy Hart, Robin Eubanks, Gary Bartz, Dan Wall, Marcus Belgrave, Clark Terry, Steve Turre, Bill Watrous, Jack McDuff, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Greg Bandy, Ernestine Anderson, Vanessa Rubin and many others. All of these musical experiences, both educational and professional, have instilled in Ferrazza the passion to pass music on to others and to teach. Bobby Ferrazza has taught at the Oberlin Conservatory since 1988, where he is currently Professor of Jazz Guitar. He also taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy from 1992-1996.

Keith Hall has established himself as a joyful performer and a passionate educator over the last 25 years and is the Professor of Jazz Drum Set at Western Michigan University. For 12 years, Keith spent much of his time touring worldwide and recording with singer and Concord Recording Artist Curtis Stigers. Hall has also performed with the likes of Betty Carter, Wycliffe Gordon, Sir Roland Hanna, Michael Phillip Mossman, New York Voices, Andrew Rathbun, Janis Siegel, Terrell Stafford, Joe Wilder, and Steve Wilson among others. He has recorded five albums with his critically acclaimed trio TRI-FI. His new album, ‘Made in Kalamazoo – Trios and Duos’ features saxophonist Andrew Rathbun and Detroit bass legend Robert Hurst III. The recording features trio performances composed by Hall and Rathbun, as well as drum/saxophone duo improvisations. The album is a free-wheeling set of high-energy music that is a love letter of sorts to a place Hall appreciates for its vibrant arts community, dynamic industries and vital personal connections. Hall also pays homage to his towering role models Billy Hart, Elvin Jones and Max Roach. The album documents the drummer’s most accomplished and compelling playing and writing to date. Hall lived and worked in New York City for nine years performing in a multitude of musical contexts. Although most of these were jazz, he was also a regular sub for Tommy Igoe on Broadway’s Lion King. Hall was a member of the Latin-jazz quartet, Grupo Yanqui, chosen by the United States State Department and Jazz at Lincoln Center to represent the U.S. in the American Music Abroad Program. Hall was also a member of the prestigious Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead in 1997. Hall is the Artistic Director of the Keith Hall Summer Drum Intensive, a one-of-a-kind jazz drum camp that celebrated its 16th year. He is also the Executive Director of TUNED IN, a nonprofit organization, which focuses on supporting the power of music education to change lives. Hall is the author of two instructional jazz drum set books: Jazz Drums Now! Vol. 1 and Jazz Drums Now! Vol. 2 and is the radio host for Jazz Currents on WMUK, the NPR affiliate in Kalamazoo, Michigan and hosts The Real Music Talk Podcast. Hall presents clinics worldwide and is a proud endorser for Remo Drumheads, Yamaha Drums, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Zildjian Cymbals, Cympad, Big Fat Snare Drum, Rhythm Tech, and Protection Racket Drum Cases.

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