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Vardan Ovsepian Quartet
October 25 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
$20 cover
Vardan Ovsepian- piano
Joshua Davis-bass
Mark Ferber- drums
Bob Reynolds- saxophone “Jazz saxophonist and 3x Grammy winning recording artist with Snarky Puppy”
Vardan Ovsepian is an Armenian-born pianist/composer whose studies include Yerevan State Conservatory, Estonian Music Academy, Helsinki Jazz Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music.
From the early years Vardan was fascinated by the blend of western classical music with jazz, and has been in perpetual search for unique ways of incorporating the hybrid formation in his composing and improvising. Consequently a semi-large chamber ensemble (VOCE) was formed in 2005, focusing on the cinematic approach in the musical narrative.
Throughout the years Vardan has also developed a remarkable angular geometric world, connected to his background in chess, and his attraction to minimalism and modern architecture, resulting in the publication of 2 books: Mirror Exercises (2011) and Permutation Studies (2020).
Another spotlight is the origination of the “Fractal Limit” duet with Tatiana Parra, which has received an immense international recognition. The project showcases Vardan’s remarkable technical proficiency and capacity to articulate contrapuntal textures.
In addition to VOCE and Fractal Limit, Vardan has collaborated with artists like Mick Goodrick, Peter Erskine, Jerry Bergonzi, Tim Miller, Ben Monder, David Binney, and has released 20+ albums as a leader and co-leader.
Recent awards include Fractal Limit’s First Prize at the Achava Jazz Award (Erfurt, Germany – 2017), Chamber Music America Grant for New Jazz Works program funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (New York, NY – 2017).
Presently Vardan resides in Los Angeles, and instructs at CalArts.
“Vardan brings his own sound and ingredients… I have never heard any musician quite like him in terms of harmonic awareness and melodic power. I suspect that he will prove to be quite a sensation…” – Peter Erskine
“Having had the chance to play with him, (and to record with him) I can only say that he is ‘the real deal, and the whole package.” – Mick Goodrick
Joshua Davis was appointed as the Director of Jazz Studies in Fall 2022. Dr. Davis joined the Penn State music faculty in 2018 as a lecturer teaching classical and jazz double bass and ensembles. Prior to his appointment, he was the Director of Jazz Studies at Susquehanna University (2006–2018) and at Towson University (2002–06). Before Towson, he was an awarded leader of curriculum development at Berklee College of Music where, as one of the youngest faculty members, he taught for six years. Joshua spent two years as a member of the faculty at the University of Maine at Augusta and has taught numerous performance skills clinics at USC, Berklee, Koyo Conservatory in Kobe, Japan, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and various schools of all grades throughout the United States. MENC-affiliate work includes Maryland All-State Solo/Chamber adjudication, directing a District Jazz Ensemble (Tunkhannock, Pa.), and conference presentations about improvisation and other jazz performance skills at MMEA (MD), PMEA (PA), MD All-State Jazz, and VMEA (VT).
Internationally-acclaimed performances include concerts at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the National Concert Hall in Taiwan, Lincoln Center, Meyerhoff, the Blue Note Jakarta, Bimhuis Amsterdam, and Strathmore Hall. Internationally-recognized performances include televised concerts in Turkey with Randy Brecker, Sean Rickman, and Timucin Sahin, a U.S. Dept. of State-sponsored Armenia concert with Jerry Bergonzi and Vardan Ovsepian, and numerous other concerts with The Ritz, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Four Freshmen, Tim Miller, Ben Monder, Peter Erskine, Mark Ferber, Jordan Perlson, Sean Rickman, Marcello Pellitteri, Dan Weiss, Ted Poor, Ari Hoenig, Ole Mathisen, Jerry Bergonzi, Donny McCaslin, Taylor Haskins, Dave Ballou, Greg Hopkins, JD Walter, and many others.
Composer
Pictures of Your Next Decision, Joshua’s most recent commission for orchestra and double bass solo, premiered in November 2018 with the West Shore Symphony Orchestra in Camp Hill, Pa. Other recent commissions include Overflow and Convergent Mirrors, a one-hour program for Artichoke Dance Company’s concert series featuring double bass improvisation, and Ableton Live, R Trainversations, a choral work for Bella Voce Singers, and Partita Reflections, a four-movement contemporary reflection on Bach’s B minor Partita for Solo Violin, featuring improvising double bass and violin. Known Garden, his most recently released CD, features Joshua’s compositions played by contemporary jazz performers. Squashua, Joshua’s first feature recording as an arranger and leader, showcases Romantic Era symphonies and the music of Sting.
Drummer Mark Ferber can be heard on over 200 recordings. Ongoing projects include ECM recording artist Ralph Alessi’s ‘This Against That’, the Marc Copland Quartet, the Brad Shepik Organ Trio, and his twin brother, Alan Ferber’s Grammy nominated big band and nonet.
He currently maintains a busy freelance schedule throughout Los Angeles’ and New York’s jazz clubs, recording studios, and international touring circuit. Past work includes tours and recordings with Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock, Jonathan Kreisberg, John O’Gallagher, Don Byron, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Anna Webber, Mark Helias, Pete McCann, Matt Pavolka, Michael Attias and Billy Childs, among others.
Mark has taught extensively in the United States and Europe. He has worked as a faculty member for the California Institute of the Arts, the Tavira Jazz Workshop in Portugal, the School of Improvisational Music (SIM), City College of New York, The Maine Jazz Camp and The Lafayette Summer Music Jazz Workshop. He currently is Professor of Drumset at Cal State University, Fresno.
He was born and raised in Moraga, CA and received a degree in Biogeography from UCLA. Mark is an endorsing artist for Istanbul Cymbals. He lives in Los Angeles and Brooklyn.
Bob Reynolds
Los Angeles-based saxophonist Bob Reynolds is a Grammy-winning member of the instrumental group Snarky Puppy, an award-winning composer, and a prolific recording artist with 10 top-selling solo albums to his credit.
Widely known for his work with both Snarky and John Mayer, he’s been a featured soloist with Grammy-winning instrumentalists like Larry Carlton, Chris Botti, and Jeff Lorber and worked with a host of pop artists including Michael Bublé, Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, The 1975, and USHER.
The New York Times called him “a self-assured saxophonist and an unassuming yet effective composer,” and his solo albums showcase his melodic improvisational style, tuneful songwriting, and, as the LA Times put it: “hip-swiveling” grooves. His Guitar Band album, filmed live in concert, has over 4 million views on YouTube.
A pioneer in online education, Bob has coached thousands of musicians since 2010 through his innovative Virtual Studio, and more than 76,000 people subscribe to Bob’s YouTube channel where he shares behind-the-scenes videos of what it’s like balancing his music career with raising a family.