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OCC Jazz Band | About the OCC Jazz Band | About the Director | History of the OCC Jazz Band | Membership and Student Standards

ABOUT THE OCC JAZZ BAND

ABOUT THE OCC JAZZ BAND

About The Ocean County College Jazz Band

Membership in the OCC Jazz Band is far more than a class.

It is a performing and recording ensemble, and it is a life impacting experience. Jazz Band members find themselves in an environment where they are contributing and blending musical ideas with others, all with the common goal of becoming an admirable performing and recording ensemble. Jazz Band members are given much latitude in that they are encouraged to be creative, experiment, contribute and blend their ideas to the group, contribute original music to the band’s repertoire, and pursue their own ‘musical voice’. This is done in a context in which commitment, loyalty, and sound people skills are essential to individual and group success. These skills are invaluable work place skills that can be adapted to other fields of study and vocations.

The OCC Jazz Band performs regularly on and off campus in such venues as:

  • The Grunin Arts Center as the warm-up band to professional jazz bands as well as the feature musical ensemble.
  • The Gateway Building Lecture Hall as the house band for OCC Has Talent.
  • The 3 Sails Jazz Festival on the OCC Campus
  • TV-20 show, Currents. Incorporates music recorded by the OCC Jazz Band
  • The Ocean County Library Mancini Hall for Spring concerts.
  • The Toms River Elks Club at their Annual Tree Lighting
  • Community Events such as and the N.J. State Salsa and Chili Cookoff in downtown Toms River.
  • The Toms River Jazz Club, One Flight Up.
  • The Historic Strand Theatre in Lakewood, N.J
  • 1867 Sanctuary Center for Arts and Culture
  • The OCC Jazz Band has recorded several music CD’s which can be listened to at https://soundcloud.com/occ-jazz-band

Articles about the OCC Jazz Band have been written about in OCC publications: Ocean Views and in The Viking, as well as in the June 2017 and November 2018 Jersey Jazz Journal by jazz journalist Sanford Josephson which is the official publication of the New Jersey Jazz Society.

The OCC Jazz Band members have received instruction in jazz master classes given by internationally known jazzartists such as saxophonist-Branford Marsallis, iconic drummer-Bernard Purdie, Sony recording artist, trumpeter and vocalist-Bria Skonberg, Chris Siebert-musical director for Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, former New York Yankee center fielder-now jazz guitarist-Bernie Williams, Grammy nominated jazz vocalist-Rene Marie, and jazz recording artists baritone saxophonist/flautista-Denis DeBlasio, and guitarist, Brian Betz.

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