The SLO County Jazz Federation was excited to present to the area Jamaal Baptiste, the new leader of Jazz Studies at Cal Poly. What better way for this introduction than a concert with Jamaal on piano, and local all-star jazz professors Dave Becker and Ron McCarley on saxes and flute, Darrell Voss on drums and Ken Hustad and Dylan Johnson on bass?
Jamaal, a native of Aruba, comes to SLO County from Indiana University. The Latin jazz inspired pianist has been a guest artist and clinician at various colleges, festivals and clubs throughout the U.S., Aruba, Austria and South Africa. He’s performed with many of the stalwarts of jazz including Gary Bartz, Avery Sharpe, Dave Stryker and Wayne Wallace.
