Monk Institute Trombone Competition

[Lois Gilbert]

THELONIOUS MONK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ PRESENTS
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ TROMBONE COMPETITION


Sponsored by General Motors


The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz will present its 16th annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, which this year for the first time features the trombone, on April 26th and 27th at the Smithsonian¹s National Museum of Natural History, Baird Auditorium, 10th St. & Constitution Ave., NW in Washington, DC.

The Competition, which showcases a different instrument every year, is the world¹s most prestigious jazz competition. Eleven world-class trombonists will travel to Washington, DC to compete for more than $60,000 in scholarships and prizes. As in the past, this Competition is expected to serve as a springboard for the advancement of these artists¹ careers. This year¹s event will be hosted by Billy Dee Williams and Herbie Hancock.

On Saturday, April 26th, the Competition semifinals will take place at 11:00 a.m. In this round, the judging panel will select the top trombonists to advance to the finals. As a service to the community, the semifinals will once again be presented free to the general public, with seating available on a first come, first served basis.

Each semifinalist will perform a 15-minute program before a distinguished panel of judges, comprised of Steve Davis, Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton, Grachan Moncur III, Julian Priester, and Steve Turre. A three-piece jazz combo featuring Carl Allen on drums, Bob Hurst on bass, and Eric Reed on piano will accompany the semifinalists. They will be joined by past Monk Competition winners Jimmy Greene on saxophone and Ryan Kisor on trumpet for the finals.

On Sunday, April 27th at 2:00 p.m., the Institute will present the Competition finals, also in Baird Auditorium. A grand prize scholarship of $20,000 will be awarded to the first place winner; $10,000 to the second place winner; $5,000 to the third place winner; and $1,000 to any remaining finalists. The scholarships pay tuition for college-level jazz education studies; provide funds for private, specialized instruction; and support career development.

Tickets are required for the competition finals and may be purchased on the web at www.residentassociates.org or by calling The Smithsonian Associates at 202-357-3030. Tickets are $18 for members of The Smithsonian Associates and $22 for the general public.

The 11 semifinalists, ranging in age from 22 to 34, are: Noah Bless of Cambridge, MA; Joshua Brown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Michael Fahie of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; David Gibson of Yukon, OK; Marshall Gilkes of Camp Springs, MD; Karin Harris of St. Louis, MO: Andre Hayward of Houston, TX; Andrew Hunter of Grayling, MI; Ryan Keberle of Bloomington, IN; Elliot Mason of Norwich, England; and Reggie Watkins of Wheeling, WV.

Also at the competition finals, Ilja Reijngoud of Leiden, The Netherlands, the winner of the 10th annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition, sponsored by BMI, will perform his winning composition, "No Substitute," and receive the $10,000 grand prize award. The Composers Award is presented annually to the young, aspiring composer who best demonstrates originality, creativity, and excellence in jazz composition. This year¹s Competition is devoted to compositions featuring the trombone. BMI, which has sponsored the award each year, is the world¹s largest performing rights organization, representing the work of Thelonious Monk and thousands of other composers of all genres of music.

The competition will be taped as a documentary for later broadcast on Black Entertainment Television and the BET Jazz cable network. The documentary will feature performances by the semifinalists, backstage interviews with the finalists and judges, and footage from the post-competition reception.

Since the first Competition was held in 1987, the Institute has developed a reputation for launching the careers of young aspiring jazz artists, including saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianists Marcus Roberts and Jacky Terrasson, trumpeter Ryan Kisor, and vocalists Jane Monheit, Tierney Sutton and the late Teri Thornton. In addition, dozens of competition semifinalists have forged successful careers as jazz educators and performers.

The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz (www.monkinstitute.org) was established in 1986 in memory of the renowned jazz pianist and composer. Its mission is to preserve America¹s legacy of jazz through performance and education. The Institute offers the world¹s most promising young musicians college level training by America¹s jazz masters and presents public school-based jazz education programs for young people around the world. Additionally, the Institute provides scholarships, performance opportunities, and worldwide recognition to gifted young musicians through its many other jazz education programs. The Institute¹s most recent project is Jazz in America: The National Jazz Curriculum, a free Internet-based curriculum for 5th, 8th, and 11th grade public school students, located at www.jazzinamerica.org.

The Smithsonian Associates is the membership and educational outreach arm of the Smithsonian Institution. The Associates assists the Smithsonian in fulfilling its mission: "the increase and diffusion of knowledge." During its 35-year history, The Associates has come to be recognized as the nation's largest and most esteemed museum-based continuing education and study tour program.

[hearsay]

I predicted months ago to a friend that Andre Hayward would win the competition if he were to enter and I must congradualte myself for being so right. Andre is a really talented and natural musician, I think he's long overdue for some wider recognition.

It was funny that this year they imposed a new rule that if you had recorded as a leader for a major or independent label you could not be eligible. Many of the past winners and competitors had already recorded as leaders and I think the rule was only if it had been on a major label. I inquired about this and they told me that they didn't want to make any exceptions, which in a way was a relief because I would've liked to try and win a lot of money, but I really did not want to be in a competition. So I guess it worked out.

Here are the winners from the Monk site-

Congratulations to the winners of the 2003 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trombone Competition, sponsored by General Motors.

Andre Hayward, First Place
David Gibson, Second Place
Noah Bless, Third Place
Karin Harris, Fourth Place
Marshall Gilkes, Fifth Place

Andre Hayward, who won a $20,000 scholarship, was born in Houston, Texas. After attending Texas Southern University, he landed his first engagement with Roy Hargrove, touring with the trumpeter to Europe. Following the tour, Andre played with many acclaimed performers, including Joe Williams, Dianne Schuur, Eartha Kitt, Rosemary Clooney, Illinois Jacquet, and others. He spent five years performing and recording with the renowned singer and bandleader Betty Carter. Andre currently performs in the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

David Gibson, who won a $10,000 scholarship, was born in Mobile, Alabama. He received his Bachelor's degree in trombone performance from the University of Central Oklahoma. David continued his education at the Eastman School of Music, where he received a Master's degree. He has performed with the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Big Band, Slide Hampton's World of Trombones, and the George Lamond Orchestra. David has recorded with Wycliffe Gordon and Nancy Wilson, among others.

Noah Bless, who won a $5,000 scholarship, was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He received a Bachelor's degree in classical and jazz performance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and a Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He has performed with Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri, La India, and Tito Puente, and has toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Bobby Watson's Big Band, and both the Chico O'Farrill and Mario Bauza Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestras.

Karin Harris, who won a $2,500 scholarship, was born in St. Louis and grew up in Seattle. She received a Bachelor's degree in music performance from the Berklee College of Music and will receive a Master's degree in jazz studies from the University of Southern California in May. She has performed in numerous international festivals, including Montreux, North Sea, and Umbria, and has appeared with Aretha Franklin, Kevin Mahogany, Kurt Elling, Al Grey, and Harry "Sweets" Edison.

Marshall Gilkes, who won a $1,000 scholarship, was born in Camp Springs, Maryland. He spent his senior year of high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy and later attended the University of Northern Colorado and William Paterson University, where he studied jazz performance. Marshall has played with Giovanni Hidalgo, the Machito Orchestra, the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, Stanley Turrentine, the Chico O'Farrill Orchestra, Mark Whitfield, and many others.

The judging panel was comprised of Steve Davis, Curtis Fuller, Grachan Moncur III, Julian Priester, and Steve Turre. The competition band was comprised of drummer Carl Allen, bassist Robert Hurst, pianist Eric Reed, saxophonist Jimmy Greene, and trumpeter Darren Barrett.

[Lois Gilbert]

Hearsay - were you there!!! I was and Andre was terrific I also thought Marshall Gilkes was very good and of course our own DG (Dave Gibson) I have to admit that I was surprised how much I enjoyed it, not being a big trombone fan, but I got into it.

[Valerie]

Andre is wonderful!! He was with the Mingus Big Band when they played in Boston recently.

[Lois Gilbert]

Here's another pic

[Valerie]

Thanks, Lois. Just noticed that these wonderful pictures were taken by my old buddy, Ronnie James, whom I've lost touch with since I've been in Boston! At least I can see that he's still doing great work!

[hearsay]

No I wasn't there. I've known Andre for a while, when I lived in Boston (he still does I believe) we used to hang out a lot and practice together. I was always amazed at his ability to pick things up so fast, he also can play trumpet really well, but I think he has one of the most beautiful trombone sounds of anybody out there.

[Valerie]

Originally posted by hearsay
I was always amazed at his ability to pick things up so fast....he has one of the most beautiful trombone sounds of anybody out there.

I sure agree with you, hearsay. I was sitting directly in front of Andre at the Regattabar when he was playing that difficult Mingus Big Band stuff for what I think was maybe the first time. Frank Lacey was helping him out a bit but it was utterly amazing how well he did with those intricate charts! I believe he and his wife are still living in the Boston area.

[mke]

How could DG's bio *not* mention the fact that he's a regular poster here? This is clearly a case of JC boosting careers. Congratulations, DG!

Hearsay,

Had you participated, maybe you could have bought "Rabbit Run".

[hearsay]

Unfortunately, or fortunately actually, I have a CD out as a leader, I'm not sure how DG got around that one.

[Lois Gilbert]

If I recall you can have a CD out as long as it's not on a major label....

Also Dave Gibson helped raised the bar (before and after the competition) pun intended by urging Monk Institute to make the cut off age 35 for this competition.

It was a thrill for me to talk with Grachan Moncur III and Julian Priester both I've never met.

I'm hoping that once Andre settles down we'll be doing his site at JC

two of the JC residents and Steve Turre and Steve Davis were judges... It was a great hang

[Valerie]

Originally posted by Lois Gilbert
It was a thrill for me to talk with Grachan Moncur III and Julian Priester both I've never met.

Lois: Those are the two guys I was looking forward to seeing (along with Benny Powell) when I was thinking of attending. We're damn lucky to still have Julian with us! I saw him a lot when he was playing with Herbie in the '70s. I actually met Grachan when he was with a James Baldwin Broadway play in the '60s!!

Best to you, as always.

[hearsay]

Actually Lois they changed the rules this year so that you're ineligible if you have a CD on a major or independent label. I thought that was strange, and they told me I couldn't enter.

[Lois Gilbert]

Originally posted by Valerie
Lois: Those are the two guys I was looking forward to seeing (along with Benny Powell) when I was thinking of attending. We're damn lucky to still have Julian with us! I saw him a lot when he was playing with Herbie in the '70s. I actually met Grachan when he was with a James Baldwin Broadway play in the '60s!!

Best to you, as always.

Slide and Benny couldn't make it so it was Curtis Fuller, Grachan, Julian, Steve Davis and Steve Turre

Prelim judges were Conrad Herwig and Eddie Bert

[DGibson]

You know hearsay....I had issues with that rule change and spoke with them to get some clarity. After speaking with the institute, I felt I had a clearer understanding of the rule and chose to enter anyway. I was completely forthcoming about the recording I have out, and about the circumstances surrounding it. I knew I may be disqualified. But, I also knew I may not be disqualified. I had nothing to lose but the entry fee. I don't believe that my recording breached the spirit of the rule change.

Regarding the competition, I can only say that I pity the judges. There were so many amazing trombonists there that I left feeling humbled and inspired simultaneously. Competition in music is such a strange thing when you've achieved the performance level of all of the competitors. It's similar to how we are as listeners. Two people may disagree about whether or not they like a particular CD, while both may agree that it's of high quality. I'm sure the same held true for the judges at the competition. It becomes a taste issue, and you have to believe that the judging panel is sincere. I was happy with the results, and I believe I would have been happy if the results were different. Easy for me to say, I know...but I sincerely believe that. It is a credit to every person that participated that they made those in attendance notice the value of the trombone in jazz. To those who may have argued that there wouldn't be enough good trombonists to make a real competition...think again. Eleven world class musicians showed up at the competition. Oh...and they happened to play the trombone.

I must commend the effort of the judges to come to their decisions, and also applaud the effort of all involved from the Monk Institute and the Smithsonian to facilitate the event. It's a difficult thing to have a "music competition", but I can assure all reading that I believe in the sincerity of the institute to help continue the jazz tradition. I returned home with a renewed hope as a result of meeting so many quality people. And, those "quality people" were fellow trombonists competing, the grand masters who were judging, the staff of the institute and the volunteers who came from around the country to be a part of what was an amazing weekend. Thanks to all of them for helping to enrich my experience. I am better for having been around all of them.

Peace,

DG

[hearsay]

Dave, first of all congradulations! That is totally amazing. Second of all- can I borrow a few dollars, hahaha. But really, more power to you for your audacity, obviously it paid off.

I had mixed feelings about the whole thing, so maybe it's for the best that I didn't enter. All in all I think it is definitely a good thing to have an event like this for Jazz and especially for the trombone, finally.

Seriously though, what are you going to do with all that money?

[DGibson]

Well....you get half of the bread for discretionary use, and then the other half goes into an account for education expenses, i.e. tuition, private lessons, etc...

So the $5000 that I'll get my hands on is going to pay bills. It's all spent, and thank goodness that it came when it did. I may have started losing my hair if it hadn't.

Thanks for the congratulations. I wish you and several others that I know had entered and been there as well. As it was, the trombone made a great showing.

DG

[hearsay]

Ahhhhhhh that's no fun. I'm going to call you this weekend, we'll go out and paint the town red.

[Lois Gilbert]

Originally posted by DGibson
Well....you get half of the bread for discretionary use, and then the other half goes into an account for education expenses, i.e. tuition, private lessons, etc...
DG

I guess a website huh!!!

[DGibson]

I guess a website huh!!!

I'll be talking with you Lois.

DG