Jazz Studies faculty
View a PDF flyer of jazz activities in March 2008!
Chris Buzzelli
M.M.E., University of North Texas
Professor (jazz guitar)
Chris Buzzelli Professor and director of the guitar program; teaches guitar, guitar ensembles and jazz studies courses; has written articles for Jazz Educators Journal, Just Jazz Guitar and American String Teacher; has published a number of arrangements and original compositions for solo jazz guitar and jazz guitar ensemble; earned a bachelor's degree at the College of New Jersey and a master's degree at the University of North Texas, where he was a teaching fellow in the areas of lab band, jazz improvisation and small jazz ensembles, as well as a recipient of scholarships in both jazz and classical guitar performance, and a member of the prestigious One O'Clock Lab Band; has performed concerts on the campus of Bowling Green State University with jazz artists such as Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Mike Stern, Tal Farlow and Clark Terry; has backed up, in concert, Dizzy Gillespie, Nancy Wilson, The Fifth Dimension, Pat Boone, Jim Nabors and many others; has recorded several CDs as an ensemble leader and member.
Jeff Halsey
M.M., Bowling Green State University
Professor (double bass)
Jeff Halsey Professor and director of Jazz Studies; teaches jazz history and improvisation, as well as applied jazz bass studies; has toured Europe and the United States performing with such artists as Tommy Flanagan, Jimmie Forrest, Clark Terry, Jay McShann, J.C. Heard, Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval and Stanley Cowell; has recordings on the Azica, Cadence, Cimp, Hiroko, Steeplechase and Timeless labels with artists such as Jack Schantz, Chip Stephens, Ernie Krivda, J.C. Heard, Stanley Cowell and the Cadence Jazz All Stars; member of the Faculty Jazz Quartet.
Gunnar Mossblad
M.M., University of North Texas
Assistant Professor (jazz saxophone/adjunct)
Gunnar Mossblad Active as a saxophonist, composer/arranger and educator in both the European classical and American jazz idioms; holds a bachelor’s in jazz studies and a master’s in saxophone from the University of North Texas; travels throughout the world performing concerts and clinics; performing credits include collaborations with numerous jazz and classical artists including David Liebman, Marv Stamm, Royce Campbell, John D’earth, Hod O’brien, Woody Herman, Mel Tormé, John Coates Jr. and many others; founder of Visions, a contemporary jazz quintet, and more recently, The Manhattan Saxophone Ensemble, and the mph trio; outstanding reputation as a performer, composer, and improviser; serves as the musical director for the David Liebman Big Band; composes music for a wide variety of musical situations; has composed over 75 original jazz compositions in addition to numerous classical pieces and arrangements for various solo, chamber, and large ensembles; regular contributor to Jazz Player magazine, the Saxophone Journal; pedagogical materials are published by Houston Publishing, Le Moine Music and FJH Music companies; compositions and performances can be heard with his jazz quintet on the Four Leaf Clover Records release, Visions, with the Manhattan Saxophone Ensemble on David Liebman’s Classique and with Liebman on Joy: The Music of John Coltrane; Convergence, available through North Country Distributors, has received critical acclaim and features both his performing and his compositions; available through tower.com or cdbaby.com are two recent releases for GPC Recordings: Curves and The Dogwalk; in 2004 he had collaborative projects with David Liebman coming out on Soulnote and Omnitone Records; clinician/soloist for the SELMER Company, Elkhart, Ind.; currently teaches at the University of Toledo, and has formerly taught at James Madison University (Va.), and West Chester University (Pa.).
Charles Saenz
M.M., University of Illinois
Associate Professor (trumpet/jazz trumpet)
Charles Saenz Joined the BGSU faculty in fall 2001; holds a bachelor’s from New Mexico State University, a master’s in trumpet from the University of Illinois; prior to coming to BGSU he was a member of the faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; has performed with the Illinois Symphony, the Urbana-Champaign Symphony, the Sinfonia da Camera, the Prairie Ensemble, the Illinois Brass Quintet, the Nebraska Brass Quintet, the Omaha Big Band and the Toledo Jazz Orchestra; has appeared as a soloist at the Nebraska Music Educators Convention with the Nebraska Wind Symphony, the Nebraska Choral Arts Society and various high school concert and jazz bands throughout the Midwest; performances at music festivals including the Society of Composers Inc. National Convention and the Bang On A Can new music festival at Lincoln Center; principal trumpet teachers include Michael Ewald, Ken Van Winkle, Darryl White and Tom Wirtel; recipient of various awards including first prize in the 1994 International Trumpet Guild Solo Competition; artist/clinician for Ewards Trumpets; director of the BGSU Trumpet Ensemble.
Russell Schmidt
M.M., Eastman School of Music
Associate Professor, Director of Jazz Activities (jazz piano)
Russell Schmidt Associate professor; director of jazz activities; holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music; previously served on the faculties of Arizona State University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville and Eastman, where he co-conducted the Eastman Studio Orchestra; currently serves as artistic director for the Toledo Jazz Orchestra; as a jazz performer, has worked with such artists as Carl Allen, Eddie Daniels, Clare Fischer, Tim Hagans, John Hollenbeck, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Arturo Sandoval and Clark Terry; has recorded with guitarist Bob Sneider, vocalist Vicki McDermitt, the Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra and the Birch Creek Jazz Band, among others; was one of only two American jazz pianists selected to participate in the 2nd Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition; additionally, has served as keyboard soloist with more than 30 professional orchestras, including performances with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and with the San Francisco Symphony; has composed and arranged for artists as wide-ranging as jazz saxophonists Bob Berg and Michael Brecker, the Ying String Quartet and the chamber music group Rhythm & Brass; has numerous publications, including big band arrangements, released by advance music; his compositions have also been published by GIA (Music Education) Publications and the Penfield Music Commission Project.
Dr. Roger Schupp
D.M.A., University of Texas-Austin
Associate Professor (percussion)
Dr. Roger Schupp Associate professor; holds a bachelor’s and master’s of art in music performance from Central Missouri State University, and a doctorate in percussion performance with a jazz emphasis from the University of Texas at Austin; has performed in a variety of ensembles including the Toledo, Austin and Nashville Symphonies, the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Austin and Toledo Jazz Orchestras, and at Opryland U.S.A. where he was a show leader, writer, arranger and musician; has performed and recorded with such diverse artists and ensembles as the Royal Ballet of London, Marvin Hamlisch, Tommy Tune, Bob James, Ronnie Milsap, Chuck Berry, Amy Grant and the Broadway touring cast of A Chorus Line; contributing writer for Percussive Notes, the official journal of the Percussive Arts Society; formerly an assistant instructor of percussion and jazz studies at the University of Texas at Austin; is a performing artist/clinician for the Pearl Drum Company and a clinician for the Latin Percussion Corporation; member of the Faculty Jazz Quartet.