Berklee Scholarship Jazz Ensemble To Perform Compositions by Director Yoron Israel

BOSTON, March 12, 2004 — For the sixth year in a row, a group of Berklee College of Music's top student instrumentalists and composers will play at one of the world's premier jazz clubs. Directed by world-renowned drummer and Berklee Percussion Department Assistant Chair Yoron Israel, the group includes Nir Felder '05 on guitar, Donald Lee '06 on tenor saxophone, Andrew Jones '04 on drums, Hidemi Murase '04 on vibraphone, and Esperanza Spalding '04 on bass. The Berklee Scholarship Jazz Ensemble will perform mainly Yoron Israel's original compositions at the famed Blue Note Jazz Club, 131 West 3rd Street, in New York's Greenwich Village, on Monday, May 17, 2004.

Press: to inquire about photo availability and usage, please e-mail us. From the left: Andrew Jones '04, Donald Lee '06, Hidemi Murase '04, Esperanza Spalding '04, Nir Felder '05, and Percussion Department Assistant Chair Yoron Israel Photo by Nick Balkin

The group will play two shows, at 8:00 and 10:30 p.m. For ticket information, contact the Blue Note Jazz Club at 212-475-8592, or visit the Blue Note's website at www.bluenote.net. There will be a reception at the Blue Note that night for Berklee alumni and guests beginning at 6:30 p.m. To register for the alumni event, please contact Adrian Ross at aeross@berklee.edu.

Assistant Chair of Berklee's Percussion Department, Yoron Israel teaches drumset, ensembles and all percussion. His recording credits include four as a leader and over 100 as a sideman. His own CDs as leader of his group Organic include the John Coltrane tribute Basic Traneing (Ronja Music), Chicago (DoubleTime), Live at the Blue Note (Half Note) and A Gift for You (Ronja Music). He has performed worldwide and recorded extensively with such renowned jazz artists as Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Art Farmer, Kenny Burrell, Ahmad Jamal, Jimmy Heath, Abbey Lincoln, Tony Bennett, Freddy Cole, Benny Golson, Larry Coryell, James Williams, Roy Hargrove, Cyrus Chestnut, Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell, and Joshua Redman. Israel is owner and president of Ronja Music, a recording, publishing, production, and professional services company. He has formerly been on the faculty at Rutgers University, William Paterson University, and Mannes College of Music at New School University. He is a clinician for Sonor Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Aquarian Drumheads, and Regal Tip Sticks. For more information, visit www.yoronisrael.com.

The Berklee Scholarship Jazz Ensemble

Nir Felder '05 (Katonah, NY), guitar
New York-born Nir Felder has been fascinated by music since age thirteen, when he first picked up the guitar. After years as a self-taught player, Nir enrolled at Berklee College of Music and seriously began studying jazz improvisation and composition. Currently in his third year, Nir has had the good fortune to play and study with such legendary musicians as John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, and Hal Crook. Nir recently received the Jimi Hendrix Award from Berklee's Guitar Department.

Andrew Jones '04 (Guilford, CT), drums
Drummer Andrew Jones grew up in Guilford, CT and now lives in Boston. He is in his final semester as a Music Education and Performance double major. At Berklee, he has performed with Darren Barrett and been a member of two prestigious groups — the James Brown Ensemble, directed by Kenwood Dennard, and the Tower of Power Ensemble, directed by Wayne Naus. Andrew has studied with Jesse Hameen II, and Berklee Percussion faculty Yoron Israel, Jon Hazilla, John Ramsay, and Steve Wilkes.

Donald Lee '06 (Carson, CA), tenor saxophone
Exposed to jazz by his parents, Donald Lee began taking alto saxophone lessons at church at age 11. Mostly self-taught until his freshman year at Alexander Hamilton H.S. Academy of Music in Los Angeles, he stared playing tenor sax in the school jazz band and also began studying music theory and jazz. At age 15, he began private study with Jeff Clayton of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. During high school, Donald won outstanding soloist awards at several festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival and three times at the Fullerton Jazz Festival. He also performed with the Los Angeles Multi-School Big Band, led by Reggie Andrews and the late Billy Higgins, at the 2002 Playboy Jazz Festival and the 2003 Central Avenue Jazz Festival. In the winter of 2001, Donald won a full-tuition award on the Berklee World Scholarship Tour. Since coming to Berklee, he's studied with Bill Pierce, Ed Tomassi, and Greg Hopkins, and performed with Herb Pomeroy's Small Band Ensemble, the JoAnne Brackeen Quintet, the Berklee Jazz Hip-hop Orchestra, Darren Barrett, and George Duke. Donald recently received the Woodwind Department's Achievement Award.

Hidemi Murase '04 (Tokyo, Japan), vibraphone
Hidemi Murase has performed as a freelance solo marimbist and percussionist for ten years. During that time, she has won a number of international percussion and marimba competitions. In addition, she has performed as guest soloist with the Tajimi Choir and played marimba concertos with numerous symphony orchestras and ensembles. Hidemi has recorded on many CDs and performed on national television and radio. She has been invited to perform concerts in several countries, including South Africa, Mexico, Indonesia, France, Germany, and Belgium. A Professional Music major at Berklee, Hidemi has studied vibes with Professor Ed Saindon.

Esperanza Spalding '04 (Portland, OR), bass
Esperanza Spalding has played her primary instrument, the upright bass, just since age fifteen. Shortly thereafter, she began playing small jazz and blues venues around her hometown of Portland, OR. In February 2000 she joined the jazz and pop fusion trio Noise for Pretend as singer and bassist. By August 2000, the group had signed with the independent label Hush Records, which released two albums of their original compositions. In December 2000, Esperanza received a full scholarship to attend Berklee, and continued to perform in Boston with several jazz groups, including her own trio. In January 2001, during her winter break, she joined the Portland-based Hip-hop band Black Science Tribe, which gained a sizable following touring locally and playing larger venues on the West Coast. In November 2002, Esperanza and several other Berklee students began touring with singer Patti Austin, playing music from Austin's album For Ella. The tour, which re-launched in March 2003, included performances in New York's Lincoln Center, the Bay Area jazz club Kimball's, and Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Last summer, Esperanza opened for saxophonist Walter Beasley at Boston's Jazz at the Fort Festival.

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music. For over half a century, the college has evolved constantly to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing over 70 countries, and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.


Media, for more information or photographs, please contact:

Toni Ballard - or - Nick Balkin
Office of Public Information
Fax: 617-247-8788
nbalkin@berklee.edu