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

8/31/09
Story by Peggy Graham

Perkins and Spaits Quartet kick off free Jazz Series

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. –  The Charles Perkins/Gerald Spaits Quartet will kick off the free fall Jazz Series featuring local musicians at noon Tuesday, Sept. 29, in the Recital Hall of the Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College.

Spaits, one of the foremost jazz bass players in Kansas City, and Perkins, accomplished on wind instruments (alto saxophone, flute, clarinet and bass clarinet), have put together a quartet rounded out by Brandon Draper, drums, and Roger Wilder, piano.

Perkins has lived and worked in the greater Kansas City area for years and performed with notable vocalists Billy Eckstine, Lena Horne and Della Reese; trumpeters Woody Shaw and Ted Curson; and tenor saxophonist Frank Foster. He is a regular sideman in small ensemble settings and the city’s best known big bands. He is featured on a number of recordings including Time to Go: The Music of Russ Long, Never Let Me Go with the Russ Long Trio and music from the movie Mr. and Mrs. Bridge.

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 Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Wilder, a native of Rochester, N.Y., settled in Kansas City in 2000, where, in addition to performing with his own ensembles, he also performs with Angela Hagenbach, Gerald Spaits Quintet, Sons of Brasil, Stan Kessler's Uncertainty Principle, Dan Thomas Quintet, Jake Blanton Quartet, People's Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City and Westport Art Ensemble. He hosts his own jazz radio show 1-3 p.m. Monday on KKFI, 90.1 FM.

Draper, who has a master’s of music degree in percussion, is currently the percussion instructor at Shawnee Mission West High School and jazz drumset-lecturer at UMKC. He maintains an active schedule as a performer, educator, composer and clinician.

The Jazz Series continues at noon Tuesday in the Recital Hall unless otherwise noted:

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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