Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Associate Vice President, Marketing Communications, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

3/02/09
Story by Peggy Graham

Bill Crain Quartet is mixed and mastered

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The Bill Crain Quartet concludes the spring Jazz Series at noon Tuesday, March 31, in the Polsky Theatre of the Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College. Performing together are Bill Crain, saxophones; Mike Thompson, drums; Will Crain, piano; and Jeff Harshbarger, bass.

• A native of California, Bill Crain earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in music composition from California State University, Chico, and  began touring with various rock, jazz, big band, pop and soul groups. He then returned to academics, receiving an all-but-dissertation in commercial woodwinds/conducting at Ball State University.
  
  He later moved to Missouri where taught at Central Missouri State University and then Kansas City where he has been part of the jazz scene as a performer and recording artist.

• Thompson studied percussion at Kansas State University and the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. After college he moved to Los Angeles, where his career included concerts and tours with Raquel Welch, Charo, Robert Goulet, Lou Rawls and Jim Nabors. His television credits include the Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin shows. He also performed on the soundtracks of Love Boat, Dynasty, Who’s the Boss? and Hotel.
  
  In 1993, Thompson moved back to the Kansas City area, where has has performed locally with Karryn Allison, David Basse, Megan Birdsall, Bob Bowman, Joe Cartwright, Millie Edwards, Danny Embrey, Rod Fleeman, Angela Hagenbach, Russ Long, Ida McBeth, Kevin Mahogany and many others as well as backing up Tiny Tim, the Platters, the Coasters, the Drifters, Don Rickles and Florence Henderson.

• Voted Kansas City's Best Bassist by Pitch Magazine in 2007, Harshbarger has has been a prolific composer and bandleader. He has recorded and performed across the globe with such varied groups as Forever Tango, Nathan Granner, Eugene Chadborne, Milt Abel, Tango Lorca, Jimmy Carl Black and  Angela Hagenbach. In 2004, he co-founded Tzigane Music, an artist-run collective and record label. Harshbarger has received the Kennedy Center's Betty Carter Fellowship, Steans Institute Fellowship and the 2008 Professional Development Grant from the Creative Capital Foundation.

• Will Crain, Bill’s son, attends the Conservatory of Music at UMKC. He has played with his father on many occasions with musicians including Bobby Watson, Robin Eubanks and Randy Brecker. He has also performed with the Boulevard, New Vintage and New Jazz Order big bands, the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra, and Makuza, one of Kansas City’s hottest Latin jazz and salsa ensembles.

The series is cosponsored by the JCCC music departments, Community Services and the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts. Seating is available first-come, first-served.

For information, call 913-469-8500, ext. 3605.