Festival - Sam Dillon (Usdan Staff), Nathan Peck, and Jonathan Mele (12:10pm & 12:35pm)
Native New Yorker, saxophonist, composer and teacher, Sam Dillon has established himself as one of the most in demand musicians of his generation. Sam’s prolific soloist and sideman work includes over 20 studio recordings, performances on a global level and international critical acclaim garnering him recognition as one of the defining voices on the tenor saxophone today.
In 2016, Sam received his Artist Diploma from the prestigious Juilliard School as the saxophonist in the A.D. Jazz Program. This ensemble toured and taught internationally at destinations including The Tokyo Jazz Festival, The Torino Jazz Festival, The Sao Paulo Jazz Festival, and Lincoln Center. In 2013, Sam was selected as one of 13 semi-finalists for the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition where he performed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.
In addition to performing, Sam is the Jazz Conductor at USDAN Summer Camp For The Arts, Woodwind Teaching Artist for The New York Pops, saxophone instructor for The Juilliard MAP program, and improvisation teacher for The Big Apple Music Festival. Sam is an endorsing artist for Yamaha Saxophones and D’Addario Reeds.
For more information please visit www.samdillonmusic.com.
Nathan Peck is based in New York City and has shared the stage with a with a wide range of artists such as Maynard Ferguson, Alex Skolnick, Jim Stienman, Vernon Reid, Bonnie Tyler and Maria Muldar. Nathan got his start in the music business working in his parents’ jazz group as a teen. His brother, Alexander Peck joined shortly after on drums. Since moving New York City in 2002
Nathan has worked with countless artists and has toured in over 35 countries and is also a two-time Jazz Ambassador, on behalf of the State Department presented by The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center consecutively. He is also the bass player for the Alex Skolnick trio which has released 8 albums to critical acclaim. In 2016 Nathan released his debut album “TDC” and performs regularly with his electric jazz group the Funky Electrical Unit.
Jonathan Mele is a versatile New York City based drummer/percussionist/composer/producer/engineer with varied experiences in Big Band and small group Jazz, Pop, Rock, Funk and other styles. He has performed and/or recorded around the world with many artists including: Van Morrison,Steve Swallow, Carla Bley, Sheila Jordan, Ron Aprea, Chip Jackson and Lew Tabackin. Jonathan’s performances include venues such as Cork Guinness Jazz Festival, Bray Jazz Festival, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (Ireland), NYC's River to River festival, Summerstage in NYC and the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Jon can be heard on a number of recordings including Van Morrison’s 2005 release, Magic Time. Jon owns Tunnel Street Studio in Garden City, in which he writes music, records and produces artists and records drum and percussion tracks for singers, songwriters, and other musicians. Jonathan is a Yamaha drum set performing artist and endorses Sabian cymbals, Evans drum heads and Vic Firth drumsticks.
Ted Rosenthal is one of the leading jazz pianist/composers of his generation. He actively tours worldwide with his trio, as a soloist, and has performed with many jazz greats, including Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Bob Brookmeyer, and James Moody.
Winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition, Rosenthal has released fifteen CDs as a leader. Rhapsody in Gershwin, which features his arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue for jazz trio, reached #1 in jazz album sales at iTunes and Amazon. Wonderland, was selected as a New York Times holiday pick, and received much critical praise: “Sleek, chic and elegant” – Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune. Impromptu, showcases his reimaginings of classical themes for jazz trio. "A serious listen to Impromptu will be a mind-changing experience...sit back and enjoy these wonderfully creative takes on ten compositions from the classical canon that have never sounded so cool." - Elliott Simon, AllAboutJazz
Rosenthal’s solo album, The 3 B's, received 4 stars from DownBeat magazine. It features music of Bud Powell, Bill Evans and his improvisations on Beethoven themes. “In Rosenthal's hands all this music sounds as though it sprang from the same muse, and that's the sign of a skilled, imaginative artist.” - David R. Adler, All Music Guide.
A recipient of three grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Rosenthal regularly performs and records his compositions, which include jazz tunes and large-scale works. Rosenthal’s jazz opera, “Dear Erich,” was commissioned and premiered by New York City Opera in 2019. “Dear Erich” attracted much press and critical acclaim: "Compelling...tells a true, wrenching story. Rosenthal's score conveys regret and fragility, with scenes that invite real breakout jazz" – A. Tomassini, New York Times. "Leaves the listener ready to explode with applause" - D. Salazar, Opera Wire
Rosenthal has also been commissioned by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. "The Survivor," his concerto for piano and orchestra, has been performed by the Manhattan Jazz Philharmonic and the Rockland Symphony Orchestra, with Rosenthal at the piano. Rosenthal premiered his second jazz piano concerto, “Jazz Fantasy,” with The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony.
Rosenthal was artistic director of Jazz at the Riverdale Y and Jazz at Dicapo Theatre, both in New York City. He has also performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Jon Faddis and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. In addition, Rosenthal has been the pianist of choice for many top jazz vocalists including Helen Merrill, Ann Hampton Callaway, Kurt Elling and Barbara Cook. He appeared on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio and performed with David Sanborn on NBC's Night Music.
Rosenthal’s orchestral performances include solo and featured appearances with The Detroit Symphony, The Phoenix Symphony The Boston Pops, The Grand Rapids Symphony, The Rochester Philharmonic, The Pittsburgh Symphony and The Fort Worth Symphony. Rosenthal performed Gershwin's Concerto in F and Rhapsody in Blue for the opening concert of the 92nd Street Y's 2015-16 season. The New York Times called his playing "notable both for its flair and languid, sultry expressive gestures." In 2014 Rosenthal performed Rhapsody in Blue at Town Hall in a concert celebrating the 90th anniversary of its premiere.
Rosenthal received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Manhattan School of Music.
Active in jazz education, he is on the faculties of The Juilliard School, and Manhattan School of Music, where he also served on their Board of Trustees and received the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Faculty Service. Rosenthal presents jazz clinics throughout the world, often in conjunction with his touring. He was a contributing editor for Piano and Keyboard magazine and has published piano arrangements and feature articles for Piano Today, The Piano Stylist and The Juilliard Journal. Ted Rosenthal is a Steinway Artist.
