Jazz Studies faculty
David Bixler
M.A., Montclair State University
Instructor (jazz saxophone)
David Bixler A veteran sideman on the New York Jazz scene; performed and toured with the orchestras of Lionel Hampton, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Duke Ellington and Bobby Sanabria; member of the Grammy-nominated Chico O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, taking over the lead-alto chair two years ago; the band has toured throughout Europe, North America and Central America, in addition to performing at Birdland in New York City; collaborated with trumpeter Scott Wendholt, guitarist John Hart, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Andy Watson on drums; debut Jazz Quintet CD, titled Lost in Queens, was released May 2000; released second CD fall 2003, Show Me the Justice, which received national airplay and critical praise for demonstrating his creative abilities as composer as well as improviser; current CD, Call It a Good Deal, was released July 2006 on the Zoho label and features all original compositions by the performer, is garnering critical acclaim, received 3 and ½ starts in Down Beat and was an Honorable Mention selection in All About Jazz’s “best of 2006;” a new work for alto saxophone and string quartet debuted January 2007 with the South Dakota Symphony string quartet; composition, Heptagon, is on a recording by the Ancia Saxophone Quartet on the Naxos label released in spring 2008; Selmer Artist and performs Selmer saxophones exclusively.
Chris Buzzelli
M.M.E., University of North Texas
Professor, Director of Jazz Activities (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.
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.
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.