Bergeron Headlines Maplerock Jazz Festival

Ashland University’s award-winning jazz program is proud to present the 2017 Maplerock Jazz Festival slated for Friday, March 17. Along with free performances by area high school jazz ensembles from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the event presents a main stage concert at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre which features one of the most sought-after musicians in the world, jazz trumpeter Wayne Bergeron.

Bergeron will perform as the headliner of the Jazz Festival's evening concert which will open with the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Scott Garlock. Dan Pugach, drums; Jay Miglia, saxophone; and Chris Anderson, trombone will join Bergeron as guest artists on the evening program. When asked about hosting an artist of Bergeron's magnitude, Garlock exclaimed, "We are ecstatic to host and present the World's Greatest high trumpet player. Everyone wants him and he is coming to Ashland. He is also a great entertainer on the microphone, too." 

From his early career years as the lead trumpet chair with Maynard Ferguson’s band, Bergeron earned high marks from Maynard who remarked, “Wayne is the most musical lead trumpet player I’ve had on my band.” 

His endless list of performance and recording credits have soared ever since.  As a sideman, Bergeron’s list of recording credits reads like a who’s who in contemporary jazz and pop, running the stylistic gamut from Ray Charles to Green Day, Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand, Michael Buble, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Earth Wind & Fire, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Chicago, Rosemary Clooney, Barry Manilow, Lee Ann Womack and more. 

He has worked on over 350 TV and motion picture soundtracks including Moana, Frozen, Bridge of Spies, Despicable Me 1 & 2, Marley & Me, Get Smart, Superman Returns, The Simpson’s Movie, Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Catch Me if You Can, and South Park.  His featured trumpet solos can be heard on the motion pictures La La Land, Minions, Jersey Boys, The Incredibles, Rocky Balboa, The Green Hornet and The Rat Pack, just to name a few. A short list of his numerous TV credits include NBC, ESPN & TNT sports themes, the major entertainment award shows, Entertainment Tonight Theme, Family Guy, Jeopardy, America’s Funniest Home Videos, King of the Hill and Hey Arnold.

Bergeron has been principle trumpet at the Pantages Theatre for over 15 years and is regularly featured with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He has done guest appearances with the L.A. Philharmonic, The New York Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra. Maybe Grammy winning composer and bandleader, Gordon Goodwin said it best, “Wayne is a once in a lifetime lead trumpet player.”

Joining Bergeron is Brooklyn-based drummer and composer Dan Pugach, who is originally from Israel and served his mandatory three-year military duty as the drummer of the Air-Force Orchestra. Described as “Rock-solid on drums" by Frank Alkyer in Downbeat magazine, Pugach works full-time as a drummer among artists that vary in genres. His work has gained him a reputation of one of the most versatile and sought-after drummers in New York City. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music and his Master’s from the City College of New York.

Guest saxophonist Jay Maglia performs regularly in the Famous Jazz Orchestra and Columbus Jazz Orchestra and is a member of the Black Swamp Saxophone Quartet, one of the few enduring professional saxophone quartets in the United States While pursuing his degrees in jazz and classical saxophone performance from the University of North Texas, he performed on several recordings with instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles including the acclaimed One O'Clock Jazz Band. Maglia has held teaching positions in saxophone and jazz studies at the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, Ohio Northern University and the Toledo School for the Arts, and is currently on the faculties of Otterbein University and Capital University.

Trombonist Chris Anderson has played in idioms spanning classical, Latin, jazz and gospel. In addition to writing and performing many different styles of music, He has won various local and national competitions and has performed with groups including the Canton Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz Heritage Orchestra. Anderson currently works with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District through the All-City Arts Program and is an instructor at The Music Settlement and Cuyahoga Community College. 

These four guest artists will workshop directly with the eight high school bands that will perform earlier in the day in Hugo Young Theatre. After each high school band performs their 30-minute concert, the guest artists will meet with the band and offer their expertise to strengthen the ensemble and individual musician's performance. The Jazz Festival's afternoon performances begin at 11:30 a.m. with the Rittman High School Jazz Band, followed at 12 p.m. with Ashland High School Jazz Band B, Hudson High School Jazz Ensemble II at 12:30 p.m., Lake High School Jazz Band at 1 p.m., Ashland Jazz Band A at 1:30 p.m., Hudson Jazz Ensemble I at 2 p.m., Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Jazz Ensemble at 2:30 p.m., and Galion High School Jazz Band presents the final high school performance at 3 p.m.

The afternoon performances are free and open to the public while tickets for the evening concert are available through the Ashland University Box Office at 419.289.5125, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online (additional fees apply) at www.ashland.edu/tickets.  Tickets for the evening concert are $10 for adults; $5 for senior citizens, non-Ashland University students and Ashland University faculty and staff; and free for Ashland University students.