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

10/05/09
Story by Peggy Graham

Kansas City Bass Quartet closes out free Jazz Series

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- The Kansas City Bass Quartet performs at noon Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the Polsky Theatre of the Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College, in the closing concert of the free fall 2009 Jazz Series featuring local musicians.

The four bass players are Gerald Spaits, James Albright, Bob Bowman and Tim Brewer.

Spaits has enjoyed an active career playing with jazz legends Jay McShann and Claude “Fiddler” Williams and appearing with national recording artists Herb Ellis, Rob McConnell, Marilyn Maye, Gary Foster and The Woody Herman Orchestra. Locally he has played and recorded with McShann, Karrin Allyson, Marilyn Maye, Gary Foster, Eldar Djangirov and Russ Long. Spaits is the adjunct assistant professor of jazz string bass at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.

Bowman started his professional career with the prestigious Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in 1976. He toured with them and recorded several albums including the Grammy Award-winning Live At Munich. In 1979, Bowman moved to Los Angeles and joined the highly innovative Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabakin Big Band and recorded many albums, several of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. Most recently Bowman has toured extensively with artist Karrin Allyson and is featured on many of her recordings. He has recorded two CDs with his band Interstring and also plays with the PBT Trio and leads his own group Bowdog.

After completing a bachelor’s of music degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Albright honed his skills as a classical bassist by performing with the Lincoln Symphony and Omaha Symphony. He came to Kansas City in 1992, where he has played as a regular bassist with Unity Church of Overland Park, in live gigs and on local recording projects. Albright also continues to use his classical bass skills through his principal position with the Northland Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City, Mo. In addition, he performs with The Mighty Mo Box Band, Tim Whitmer, Tom Jacobs, Nate Dean, The Old School Knights, Horacescope and others.

Brewer has played the double bass since attending UMKC Conservatory of Music, where he received a degree in music composition. He later received a DDS degree and now practices dentistry by day and music by night.

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.

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